Jono Leadley
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birdingdad.bsky.social
Jono Leadley
@birdingdad.bsky.social
Whale loving, bass playing, cricket watching Nature Geek. North Yorkshire, UK. https://birdingdad.blogspot.com

All opinions are my own and do not represent the organizations that I work for, volunteer for, or am affiliated to.
Always a treat to see a Kingfisher. This one at East Cottingwith seeking breakfast in the Pocklington Canal. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social
February 8, 2026 at 1:49 PM
The Slavonian Grebe has reappeared at North Duffield Carrs and is showing loads better than Friday! @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social
February 8, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Reposted by Jono Leadley
Shotgun shot Buzzard found nr Wigginton York. Reluctant to use shot leg , getting there, gently gently up,on a perch this morning. Any info to police and rspb investigations unit so it continues....
February 7, 2026 at 9:12 AM
Surprised when this Slavonian Grebe swam into my scope view whilst checking out the 3 drake Scaup at North Duffield Carrs early afternoon today. Always distant in bad light but still a wee cracker. @ldvnnr.bsky.social
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
February 6, 2026 at 4:29 PM
A very wet day for our @yorkscoastnature.bsky.social Winter Wetlands tour in the Lower Derwent Valley, but these gorgeous Barnacle Geese with 320+!! White-fronted Geese at North Duffield Carrs really brightened our morning. Nice find by Tim Jones
@ldvnnr.bsky.social
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
February 6, 2026 at 4:26 PM
Bishopthorpe Parish Council want to sell a small wildlife oasis hosting rare wildflowers like Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem to a developer. This field belongs to the people of Bish who cherish its wildlife. Please sign this petition to stop them doing this. Thanks 😊 c.org/syGKBRcGBY
February 4, 2026 at 6:24 PM
Bishopthorpe Parish Council want to sell a small wildlife oasis hosting rare wildflowers like Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem to a developer. This field belongs to the people of Bish who cherish its wildlife. Please sign this petition to stop them doing this. Thanks 😊 c.org/syGKBRcGBY
February 4, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Reposted by Jono Leadley
Channel 4 News exposed the smokescreen of trail hunting. https://leagueacs.co.uk/p8W9F

Drone footage from our Field Ops shows Middleton Hunt hounds flushing a fox with no attempt to call the dogs off.
Shocking footage reveals illegal hound hunts in rural England
It's more than 20 years since hunting with hounds was banned in England. 
www.channel4.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:01 AM
Seven species of goose close to home...plus Shag seconds - more here: birdingdad.blogspot.com
February 1, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Three of the five Shags still at Castle Howard this morning. Watched fishing in among the reeds, I guess similar to a kelp forest! @yorkbirding.bsky.social
February 1, 2026 at 3:09 PM
13 Tundra Bean Geese at Morth Duffield Carrs this afternoon plus Spotted Redshank and 3 Scaup. @yorkbirding.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social
February 1, 2026 at 12:41 PM
19 Russian White-fronted Geese showing well in front of Ellerton Church this morning @yorkbirding.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social
February 1, 2026 at 11:41 AM
Reposted by Jono Leadley
The RSPB has reported that seven satellite-tagged Hen Harriers are suspected or confirmed to have been illegally killed in England during 2025, all on or close to land managed for grouse shooting:
Seven satellite-tagged Hen Harriers lost on English grouse moors in 2025
The RSPB has announced that seven satellite-tagged Hen Harriers are suspected or confirmed to have been illegally killed in England during 2025, renewing calls for licensing of all gamebird shooting to tackle raptor persecution.
bit.ly
January 30, 2026 at 7:11 AM
Reposted by Jono Leadley
BREAKING NEWS....Gamekeeper Racster Dingwall pleads guilty to conspiracy to kill a Hen Harrier on a grouse moor in Yorkshire Dales National Park ⚖️

New blog ⬇️

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/29/g...
Gamekeeper Racster Dingwall pleads guilty to conspiracy to kill a Hen Harrier on a grouse moor in Yorkshire Dales National Park.
BREAKING NEWS… Further to this morning’s blog, gamekeeper Racster Dingwall has pleaded guilty to two charges, including conspiracy to kill a Hen Harrier on a grouse moor on the Coniston…
raptorpersecutionuk.org
January 29, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Insane scenes at Castle Howard lake this morning with 17 Shags per Rob and Jane Chapman! 9 previous records for York, so this is nuts. One 1w has a red ring with BES code. David, any idea of origin? @steelyseabirder.bsky.social
Congrats to @eborbirder.bsky.social & @ollie333.bsky.social for find.
January 29, 2026 at 11:29 AM
Classic winter wetands day in the @ldvnnr.bsky.social on our @yorkscoastnature.bsky.social tour. Two White-fronted Geese, several Marsh Harriers, Peregrine, c100 Black-tailed Godwits, 160 Whooper Swans and 90 Redpolls at Skipwith Common.
January 23, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Reposted by Jono Leadley
Sign here to voice your disgust at the annual Guga slaughter. Gannets are magnificent and this old ‘tradition’ needs to end.

petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE...
Petition: Stop the Guga Hunt
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to amend Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to remove the power to grant licences for taking Gannets on Sula Sgeir.
petitions.parliament.scot
January 19, 2026 at 7:46 PM
Mediterranean Gulls have been surprisingly scarce in the @yorkbirding.bsky.social area this winter, so nice to find this adult in the roost at Wheldrake Ings. Also, 5 Marsh Harriers, 90+ Black-tailed Godwits. Earlier at least 1 Twite still at Dunnington, White-tailed Eagle at North Duffield Carrs.
January 18, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Spectacular views of the @ldvnnr.bsky.social White-tailed Eagle this morning at North Duffield Carrs on our @yorkscoastnature.bsky.social birding day. It was mobbed by a very feisty Peregrine and a couple of Marsh Harriers. Awesome!
January 17, 2026 at 7:05 PM
There is a lot of talk about this new film, 'H is for Hawk'. I read Helen MacDonald's book upon which this is based, and it left me very sad. I much prefer to see Goshawks away from people, in wild landscapes, where they are free. Not tethered to people, tamed and broken.
January 16, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Smart Caspian Gull at Castle Howard this afternoon, the fiale of a good day birding in @yorkbirding.bsky.social with two Short-eared Owls, Spotted Redshank and three Scaup the other highlights. No sign of the White-tailed Eagle y'day or today. @birdguides.bsky.social @northyorksbirds.bsky.social
January 16, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Reposted by Jono Leadley
Gamekeeper Thomas Munday convicted after brutally clubbing a trapped Buzzard to death on a Pheasant shoot at Hovingham, North Yorkshire.

Press release and video in blog ⬇️

‼️WARNING - the video content is highly disturbing.

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/12/g...
Gamekeeper Thomas Munday convicted after brutally clubbing trapped Buzzard to death on a Pheasant shoot at Hovingham, North Yorkshire
Further to last week’s blog about a gamekeeper being due to appear in court charged with killing a Buzzard on a Pheasant shoot at Hovingham, North Yorkshire (here), the case was heard today a…
raptorpersecutionuk.org
January 12, 2026 at 3:44 PM
Reposted by Jono Leadley
The #LDV monthly sightings have now been updated on our NNR blog, including December - ldvnnr.blogspot.com/p/dec-25.html. Many thanks to everyone who contributed records & counts throughout the month, in particular to members of @yorkbirding.bsky.social & regular patch birder @duncbye.bsky.social
January 11, 2026 at 3:56 PM
The @ldvnnr.bsky.social White-tailed Eagle was showing well off Ellerton Church late morning, hunting along the river. I saw it again early afternoon from North Duffield Carrs. A Rock/Water Pipit at NDC, 2 White-fronted Geese at East Cottingwith and a possible Bar-tailed Godwit south past Ellerton.
January 11, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Juvenile White-tailed Eagle hunting wildfowl in the @ldvnnr.bsky.social this morning and showing well from Ellerton Church. Nearby, 188 Whooper Swans in a field east of the village. @yorkbirding.bsky.social
January 10, 2026 at 11:18 AM