Where to watch birds in the North Yorkshire Moors? (1 Viewer)

[michaelmorris]

My wife and I are camping in the southern part of the North Yorkshire Moors in a couple of weeks time. Can anyone suggest the best places to birdwatch in the North Yorkhsire Moors/Vale of York area?

Thanks

 

[Mark Etheridge]

A good start is to drive your car to Forge Valley feeding station, on the road going northwards off the main A170 Scarborough Road from East Ayton. Take a pack of birdseed with you and you will get Chaffinches, Great, Blue and Coal Tits, Nuthatch etc coming to feed from your hand :t:

The whole valley is a Nature Reserve with most of the usual woodland suspects...

 

[Hotspur]

A good start is to drive your car to Forge Valley feeding station, on the road going northwards off the main A170 Scarborough Road from East Ayton. Take a pack of birdseed with you and you will get Chaffinches, Great, Blue and Coal Tits, Nuthatch etc coming to feed from your hand :t:

The whole valley is a Nature Reserve with most of the usual woodland suspects...

Marsh Tit is a biggy at forge valley as well. Up in Wykeham Forest there are Crossbills and Siskin with Nightjar and Woodcock in the clearings, Tree Pipit, Turtle Dove, Garden Warbler and Redstart. There are plenty of raptors in the vicinity and a watch from the raptor watchpoint (1/4 mile west of the other watchpoint) may get you Honey Buzzard and Goshawk along with the commoner raptors and rare species are recorded annually (Black Kite, Hen Harrier, Monty's etc). Hilla Green in the valley below has breeding Spot Fly, Mandarin, Dipper, Grey wagtail, Marsh Tit, Common Sandpiper, Redstart etc.

Most of these species can be seen in Dalby Forest but Wykeham, Forge Valley and surrounds are the easiest places to work.

Where are you staying? As this is all up near Scarborough. Did you mean vale of york or vale of pickering? Vale of York has the Lower Derwent Valley with Wheldrake Ings, Bank Island and Skipwith Common. Im not so familiar with birding sites in the vale of Pickering itself.

 

[michaelmorris]

Where are you staying?

We are staying at the Forest Commission's 'Spier's House' camp site just south of Rosedale Abbey.

 

[James Thomas]

We are staying at the Forest Commission's 'Spier's House' camp site just south of Rosedale Abbey.

Nice site, stayed there a few years back, Nightjars were in a clearing about half a mile from the site. The staff will probably be able to tell you which clearings they are using this year. There's also a nice restaurant down in Rosedale Abbey. Midges really got me though.

If you decide to do the Dalby Forest drive it comes out at Langdale End which isn't far from Forge Valley and the Raptor Watchpoint. Up on the moors you stand a good chance of Ring Ouzel, Golden Plover and Red Grouse. Further afield a day at Bempton and Filey Brigg is highly recommended but check tide times for the latter first.

 

[Ingsbirder]

We are staying at the Forest Commission's 'Spier's House' camp site just south of Rosedale Abbey.

Stopped there a couple of weeks ago. You can listen to Nightjars from your tent, Turtle Dove and Woodcocks, plus 100+ Crossbill in the area - great place, but the midges can be a pain!

 

[michaelmorris]

Just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone for the great suggestions. We saw lots of birds and some beautiful countryside. The highlights were definitely the nightjars and the crossbills. Amongst many others, we also saw yellow hammer, marsh tit, tree sparrow and velvet scoter. Also saw one common lizard, one sand lizard and two adders.
Thanks again

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Glad you enjoyed yourself. I saw your original post but only after you'd had replies that were exactly what I'd have said.

 

[eagle golden]

Dont forget the moors near fillingdales for merlins, curlew. MC

 

[Mike Richardson]

Also saw one common lizard, one sand lizard and two adders.
Thanks again

Glad you had a good time. Sand Lizards do not occur in Yorkshire so I guess you saw it some other place?

 

[michaelmorris]

Glad you had a good time. Sand Lizards do not occur in Yorkshire so I guess you saw it some other place?

It was in Yorkshire. I'm no expert in reptile ID so I guess it wasn't a sand lizard. It had green down the sides. My wife has a photo of it on her phone. I'll try and up load it in the next few days.

 

[Mike Richardson]

It was in Yorkshire. I'm no expert in reptile ID so I guess it wasn't a sand lizard. It had green down the sides. My wife has a photo of it on her phone. I'll try and up load it in the next few days.

Chances are it was Common Lizard although you never know what's lurking out there (exotics etc)! A photo would be useful.