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Yorkshire Birding Article |
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YORKSHIRE DAYS TO REMEMBER
Frank Oates
Over the years, Several young Golden Eagles have been sighted in Nidderdale, mainly by the group of dedicated raptor watchers from the Harrogate and District Naturalists Society. Their first recorded sighting was in 1970, when on 6th December P. J. Charlton and P. Hooper saw an immature Golden Eagle on the hills above Gouthwaite Reservoir, then on 12th December another member, A. F. G. Walker watched the same bird kill a rabbit. It also visited the Leighton Reservoir area and stayed around into March 1971. Its occurrence coincided with the first successful breeding of Golden Eagles in the Lake District. Since then, several young ‘goldies’ have been sighted in Nidderdale, but the most exciting one of all, which gave the most continuous viewing combined with spectacular hunting and soaring displays was first seen by the Harrogate raptor watchers on 18th October 1986. It remained on view practically all day, every day from then until the end of the month. What would Yorkshire birders give for a bird like that nowadays? During those two weeks I managed three full day visits and enjoyed wonderful viewing each time but it was my second visit on 23rd October which turned into a real Yorkshire day to remember.
We arrived at Gouthwaite Reservoir at about 10.30 am, joining the usual group of Harrogate raptor watchers. It was a perfect crisp morning with marvellous visibility and long spells of sunshine between sharp heavy showers that blew through quickly on a strong, cool, north-westerly wind. High in the blue sky, forty Pink-footed Geese were travelling west in typical vee formation. Shortly after this, we enjoyed pleasing views of a hunting Peregrine, followed by a Common Buzzard which began soaring. Later, three Common Buzzards appeared over Longside Plantation, then a second skein of about 80 Pink-feet crossed over westwards. All the time Kestrels and Sparrowhawks hunted regular, one of the latter coming directly overhead, before dropping into Knotts Plantation close to our roadside viewing point.
During lunch we watched lots of waders and wildfowl feeding on the far side of the reservoir. On the water were a smart pair of Goosanders. At about 3.40 pm another sharp shower produced a superb rainbow, framing a Common Buzzard as it soared above the grouse moors. Then at 4pm, it all happened! A Golden Eagle appeared above the Byerbeck Gill. It was jinking about in the strong wind as it drifted south. Soon it was over Big Gap providing marvellous viewing. It continued south occasionally dipping behind the spiky frieze of skyline conifers. Now it was hidden completely and remained out of sight for a good ten minutes. It was re-spotted in a huge ash tree behind Big Gap. We quickly turned our scopes to full power and enjoyed the wonderful view, whilst a Kestrel and three crows were continually dive-bombing it. After about five minutes it lifted into the wind and glided back north, low in front of the hillside woods and much nearer. It now began hunting in real earnest, making several dives at the numerous rabbits feeding in the green fields below the woods. Continuing northwards, it swept rapidly in and out of deciduous trees in Swinelops Wood.
I never thought an eagle could be so agile. It shot in and out and around those trees really swiftly, continually diving at rabbits. Then it soared over the open moor again, with crows and Kestrels in hot pursuit. They continued to mob it whilst it was perched on a stone wall, providing more superb viewing. Now it was soaring over Trig Point and Moss Wood, then back again through the trees in Swinelops Wood, rapidly hunting all the time. Finally, at 6 pm sweeping along a narrow green field under Big Gap, it suddenly accelerated and with its left talon caught a rabbit by the head. The rabbit squealed loudly and struggled violently as the eagle hopped along the ground on one leg, eventually getting both talons onto the rabbit and that was the end! We zoomed our scopes up to maximum and watched spell bound as the eagle fed ravenously tearing up long strips of flesh and gulping them down.
What an awe-inspiring sight it all made, for in the background were several mesmerised rabbits standing bolt upright, watching their unfortunate colleague being eaten. Nearer to the eagle were two crows and three Magpies waiting their turn for the leftovers. What a gripping spectacle! The sun setting behind us, still provided good light and for the next fifteen minutes the three of us shared the scope, taking it in turn, one minute each, until the eagles appetite was satisfied. Finally, when it showed signs of leaving, we dropped the mag’ on the scope, widening the view and brightening the picture ready to follow the eagle on ‘lift-off’ which occurred at precisely 6.17 pm. It jumped into the wind and glided north to Swinelops Wood, then, suddenly it doubled back and rapidly increasing speed shot up Little Gap and disappeared in the wood. It did not reappear.
It was now 6.30 pm, the light fading fast and we presumed it would spend the night in that dense conifer wood. We packed our gear, well pleased with such superb viewing throughout that wonderful crisp autumn day. A Yorkshire day to remember!
Frank Oates, York
The Golden Eagle at Nidderdale about to take a rabbit – Frank Oates
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