Monthly Notes from the Carsington Bird Club Recorder

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Historical Bird Notes: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004

Current Bird Notes for 2012
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

 

APRIL 2012 BIRD NOTES

April Highlights: Great Northern Diver, Osprey, Little Gull, Kittiwake and Black Tern.

 Summer migrants had been held back by the cold, wet and windy weather. Some warbler species, expected before the 20^th finally arrived on 30^th. Early breeders also suffered with Oystercatchers, Lapwings and probably Raven losing their clutches to the weather, but some wet and windy days did bring a good passage of terns and gulls for those observers who braved the conditions.

 The adult Great Northern Diver stayed all month and attained full summer plumage by 25^th, a similar date to last year and that bird stayed on until 18^th May. A presumed escapee Sacred Ibis flew over Shiningford at 1145hrs on 10^th, coincidentally a Sacred Ibis was at the Wildlife Centre on 25^th last year. Another escapee, a drake Cape Shelduck, was on site on 17^th. Wildfowl counts were; 41 Great Crested Grebe on 8^th, 10 Mute Swan on 30^th, 1 Whooper Swan on 20^th, 1 Pink-footed Goose of unknown origin from 11^th, 9 Greylag Geese on 8^th, 88 Canadas on 8^th, 22 Barnacles on 13^th, 2 Shelduck on 11^th, 2 Mandarin on 24^th, 2 Wigeon on 3^rd, 1 Gadwall on 23^rd, 19 Teal and 98 adult Mallard on 8^th, 1 Pintail on 16^th, a pair of Shoveler on 30^th, 68 Tufted Duck on 8^th, 3 Common Scoter on 7^th, 2 Goldeneye still present on 30^th, a drake Red-breasted Merganser on 3^rd and 25^th and 72 Coot on 8^th. There were 7 broods of Mallard noted by the end of the month, nearly matching last year’s 8. A Red-legged Partridge was in Fishtail Creek on 5^th and 12 pheasants noted on 6^th.

Raptors included a pair of Sparrowhawk on 12^th, a male carrying prey in Hall Wood on 13^th and 11 Buzzards in the air on 8^th. Ospreys were the big attraction with at least 5 different birds seen between 2^nd and 12^th and another on 26^th. Two were flying around together on Sunday 8^th and were reported from all ends of Carsington Water. A Hobby was seen from Sheepwash Hide on 27^th and Peregrine noted on 6^th and 11^th.

Wader passage was limited with water levels close to maximum leaving little suitable shore margins and breeding had mixed fortunes with the poor weather. Of the 6 (or possibly 7) pairs of breeding Oystercatchers, at least 2 pairs lost nests in the foul weather on 29^th and 2 pairs were known to be OK still on 30^th. A brood of Lapwing chicks were seen from the Wildlife Centre on 21^st, sadly 2 were killed by Coot the next day, but the remaining 2 chicks were still active at the end of the month. Maximum counts of passage waders were 2 Dunlin on 27^th, 2 Ruff 1^st-10^th, 6 Black-tailed Godwit on 12^th, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit on 28^th and 30^th, 4 Whimbrel on 23^rd, 6 Curlew on 27^th and 3 Common Sandpiper on 27^th.

Gull numbers included 13 Little Gull through on the wet and windy 25^th, 216 Black-headed at the Wildlife Centre on 9^th, 90 Common Gull at Sheepwash on 11^th and 2 Kittiwake through on the wet and windy 29^th. Tern passage maximums were 2 Common on 25^th, 29 Arctic on 18^th, 130 Arctic on 25^th and 2 Black Tern on 25^th and 30^th.

Many good counts of passerines, including migrant first dates, were reported this month. Briefly, 1 Swift on 24^th and 50plus on 30^th, 1 Green Woodpecker on 23^rd, 100plus Sand Martin on 18^th, 1 Swallow on 5^th and 500 on 25^th, 2 House Martin on 9^th, 9 Yellow Wagtail on 18^th, 5 White Wagtail on 11^th, 43 Wren on 6^th, female Redstart on 15^th, 49 Blackbird on 6^th, 200 Fieldfare on 18^th, first Garden Warbler on 23^rd, first Sedge Warbler, Lesser and Whitethroat all on 30^th, 34 Blackcap and 64 Chiffchaff on 15^th, a Pied Flycatcher on 22^nd, a site rare Marsh Tit on 24^th, a Magpie took a bat in mid-air on 20^th and 28 Bullfinch on 15^th.

114 Species were recorded compared with 111 in April 2011, 116 in 2010, 110 in 2009 and 118 in 2008.

 

MARCH 2012 BIRD NOTES

March Highlights: Whooper Swan, Garganey, Red Kite, Ruff and early summer migrants return.

Only 97 species this month, a month of mainly calm, warm and sometimes hot and sunny weather. Maybe migrants have been finding travel and food easy and passing straight through or passing high overhead, or, maybe some species, such as Willow Warbler, are just a few days late. The adult Great Northern Diver remained all month, usually found off StonesIsland. Six Whooper Swans, looking like a family party of adult pair plus 4 first winter birds, were present briefly from 1730hrs on 24^th and a pair of Garganey in Fishtail Creek was an early morning surprise on 17^th and flew off north. Maximum counts this month; 8 Little Grebe on 18^th, 33 Great Crested Grebe on 5^th, 23 Cormorant on 8^th, 3 Greylag on 27^th, 108 Canada Geese on 4^th, 23 Barnacle on 14^th, 5 Shelduck on 29^th, 148 Wigeon on 11^th, 10 Gadwall on 1^st, 373 Teal on 1^st, 143 Mallard on 1^st, 2 Pintail on 19^th, 5 Shoveler on 26^th, 1 Pochard on 14^th, 78 Tufted Duck on 11^th, 9 Goldeneye on 1^st, 1 Goosander on 11^th, 6 Moorhen on 16^th and 108 Coot on 5^th.

Two Red Kite were seen drifting south over Hall Wood at 1705hrs on 21^st during a month of many Red Kite sightings in this area of Derbyshire. Eleven Common Buzzards were in the air, but distant and spread, on 19^th and a Peregrine was noted on 3^rd and many other dates. A Red-legged Partridge was singing from a gate perch near the Wildlife Centre on 11^th and again from a picnic bench on Stones Island on 21^st and 11 Pheasants were around Sheepwash car park feeders at dusk on 12^th. At least 12 Oystercatchers were noted on 19^th and the total is probably 7 pairs but, as they are so mobile and spread, an accurate count is impossible. The first Little Ringed Plover of the year was on Sailing Club Island on 30^th only. Three Dunlin were in front of the Wildlife Centre on 10^th and 4 Ruff landed at Sheepwash for 2hrs on 28^th and another 2 were around Stones Island on 31^st. Three Snipe were seen from the Wildlife Centre on 4^th, with 1 or 2 noted on other days, and a Black-tailed Godwit, there on 25^th, moved onto Sheepwash for the 26-27^th. Curlew were passing through all month, with flocks of 11 on 1^st, 23 on 8^th and 11 on 22^nd.

An adult Mediterranean Gull was in front of Sheepwash at 1000hrs and later in the roost on 7^th, coincidentally the same single date as March last year. The gull roost was well spread across the whole water and counts were 2000 Black-headed Gull on 12^th, 400 Common Gull on 12^th, 210 Lesser Black-backed Gull on 17^th, 5 Herring Gull on 15^th and 4 Great Black-backed Gull on 14^th. There was an adult Yellow-legged Gull on 1^st, 4^th and 11^th, but probably not the little grebe killer which has not been specifically noted since early February.

Little Owl and Tawny Owl were noted at dusk on 21^st. A Green Woodpecker was heard from Millfields on 21^st and 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker were drumming on 16^th. The first Sand Martin was an earliest ever on site on 11^th, but few hirrundines followed, with just 2 Sand Martin on 21^st, 1 on 31^st and 1 Swallow on 30^th does not make a summer, yet. Meadow Pipit numbers on the dam early morning were best mid-month with 24 on 21^st and 24 Pied Wagtail at the same time. A walk around the reservoir on 16^th noted 42 Wren, 26 Dunnock, 38 Robin, 30 Blackbird, 12 Song Thrush, 32 Redwing, 6 Willow Tit, 5 Nuthatch, 14 Magpie, 22 Carrion Crow, 53 Chaffinch, 22 Goldfinch, 9 Siskin, 1 Crossbill, 10 Bullfinch and 5 Reed Bunting. The first Wheatear arrived at Millfields on 17^th and there were 2 on 19^th but none since. The first Blackcap singing was in Sheepwash car park on 27^th and 6 were noted on 28^th at various locations. Chiffchaff were first noted with 3 on 16^th increasing to 19 between Millfields via Stones Island to Hopton on 23^rd.

97 Species recorded this March compared with 106 in March 2010, 101 in 2010, 102 in 2009, 104 in 2008, 95 in 2007 and 100 in 2006.

 

FEBRUARY 2012 BIRD NOTES

February Highlights: Great Northern Diver, Whooper Swan, Sanderling and Mealy Redpoll.

A few days of moderate easterly winds at the end of January brought in some surprise waders for the start of February during an otherwise uneventful month. Water levels are now approaching normal, at 85% on 27^th. The wintering adult Great Northern Diver was around all month, a Little Egret was reported at Sheepwash on 25^th and a Whooper Swan at the Wildlife Centre at 1450hrs on 6^th. Significant water bird counts included 40 Great Crested Grebe on 12^th, 1 Pink-footed Goose on 8-14^th, 322 Canada Geese on 12^th, 23 Barnacle Geese on 16^th, 2 Shelduck on 27^th, 170 Wigeon, 37 Gadwall, 488 Teal and 249 Mallard, all on the WeBS count on 12^th, 4 Pintail from 8^th, 16 Pochard on 7^th, 197 Tufted Duck on 12^th, 14 Goldeneye on 12^th, 2 Goosander on 2^nd and 143 Coot on 12^th. Raptor activity was limited, with 5 Common Buzzard in the air on 15^th and 2 Peregrine, also on 15^th, with singles around on many days.

Waders were a winter treat this month. Oystercatchers have been returning to claim their breeding islands, and they totalled 9 by 23^rd. One of the Sheepwash area Oystercatchers has returned for its seventh consecutive year, it has a bar-code leg ring from the Exe Estuary Devon. A Ringed Plover was on Stones Island on 13^th and on later dates and a Grey Plover was there, early morning only, on 14^th. The maximum Lapwing count was 180 on 23^rd. A surprising 6 Sanderling were on Stones Island on 1^st, still present but scattered about the site on 2^nd, and 2 remained up to 17^th. With the Sanderling was a massive flock of 62 Dunlin which must be a site record, if not a Derbyshire record, for this time of year. There were still 58 to be found scattered about the site on the following day, then they rapidly reduced in numbers to 7 by 10^th and to just 1, occasionally, by the end of the month. Snipe have been elusive this winter so 4 on 22^nd was a welcome record and a Woodcock in Fishtail Creek on 10^th was the first since December 2010. Curlew passage started with 1 on 22^nd, gradually increasing, with 11 on 27^th and 12 on 29^th. There were 3 Redshank around site all month.

The Gull Roost held nothing unusual, with 3000 Black-headed, 250 Common and 70 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, all on 27^th, 9 Herring and 2 Yellow-legged Gulls on 15^th and 4 Great Black-backed Gulls on 28^th.

A Barn Owl was hunting Sheepwash car park at dusk on 10^th and the local pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker at Paul Stanley Hide chased off an intruding pair on 22^nd. Meadow Pipit counts were 30 on Stones Island on 2^nd and 20^th. Thrushes included a flock of 70 Fieldfare on 23^rd, 6 Song Thrush and a Redwing singing on the warm morning of 17^th, a flock of 35 Redwing over Shiningford on 21^st and 4 Mistle Thrush around Sheepwash car park on 16^th. There were possibly two flocks of Linnet, 60 at Sheepwash on 3^rd and other records of 50 to 60 throughout the month in that area. Also, 30 were reported at the Wildlife Centre on 14^th and many other records of 25 to 30 birds around Stones Island and the Wildlife Centre throughout the month. A Mealy Redpoll was reported on Stones Island on 11^th. This report was by pager only so the observer is not known, which is a shame as it is only the third record for the site.

90 Species this month compared with 90 in Feb 2011, 87 in 2010, 86 in 2009, 86 in 2008, 88 in 2007, 89 in 2006 and 90 in 2005.

DECEMBER 2011 BIRD NOTES

 December Highlights: Red-throated and Great Northern Divers and White-fronted Goose.

 December found only 90 species, but added 2 species to the year total, taking the 2011 tally to 170 species. This total was bettered only in 2002 when 173 species were recorded and, like 2011, 2002 was also a year of low water levels. Water levels have been rising all this month and should continue into next year, but wintering wildfowl numbers had already been affected and are significantly lower than usual. The adult Great Northern Diver, which arrived in November, stayed all month and an adult Red-throated Diver made a brief appearance early on 17^th but had moved on to Rudyard Lake in Staffs by lunchtime. A European race White-fronted Goose was found with the Canada Geese on 13^th and was seen occasionally up to the end of the month. It arrived on a day when other White-fronts were recorded moving south and it is the first record here since January 1999. A female Teal with a painted bill (nasal saddle) was found on 7^th and traced to being marked in Normandy during the winter in 2009. Maximum counts were from the WeBS count on 18^th unless dated otherwise: 2 Little Grebe, 36 Great Crested Grebe, 19 Mute Swan on 11^th, 1 Greylag Goose, 175 Canada Geese on 28^th, 23 feral Barnacle Geese on 28^th, 4 Shelduck, 56 Wigeon, 10 Gadwall on 5^th, 351 Teal, 190 Mallard, 10 Pintail on 15^th, 5 Shoveler on 12^th, 15 Pochard, 324 Tufted Duck, 10 Goldeneye on 28^th, 1 Red-breasted Merganser on 9^th, 15 Goosander on 10^th and 278 Coot.

 The only notable raptor record was of a pair of Peregrine consuming a Lapwing in front of Sheepwash Hide on 20^th. Waders roosting and feeding at the Sailing Club end of the dam wall shoreline continued from last month with maximum numbers being 155 Golden Plover on 7^th, 28 Dunlin on 9^th and 12 Snipe on 6^th. Waders elsewhere on site were 2 Redshank opposite the Wildlife Centre on 19^th and a Greenshank at dusk on 1^st.

 The gull roost held 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls on 1^st and 2^nd and then 1 up to 15^th. Black-headed Gull numbers have been in the low thousands but too widely spread to count. There were over 500 Common Gulls in the roost on 24^th, only 50 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on 24^th, 20 Herring Gulls on 4^th and 12^th, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls up to 12^th and 46 Great Black-backed Gulls were on Sheepwash shoreline at 0830hrs on 19^th and then flew east.

 Two Stock Doves were noted on 1^st and 2^nd and 12 Collared Dove on 28^th. The wintering Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail flocks have been active daily around the shores of Sheepwash and Stones Island and numbered 113 Meadow Pipit on 28^th and 93 Pied Wagtail 23^rd. There was a flock of 100 wintering thrushes, mainly Fieldfare, in Fishtail Creek on 2^nd and 30 Redwing noted elsewhere on 27^th. Other notable counts were; 16 Long-tailed Tits together in Hall Wood on 2^nd, 2 Willow Tits on Paul Stanley Hide feeders on 22^nd, over 500 Jackdaw over Sheepwash at dusk on 5^th, 40 Tree Sparrow around the Ranger Base and Wildlife Centre on 12^th, 1 Brambling on 5^th and 13^th, 40 Goldfinch in Fishtail Creek on 2^nd, 30 Siskin in Wildlife Centre Creek on 20^th, at least 130 Linnet on 9^th, 8 Lesser Redpoll on 5^th and 11^th, 9 Crossbill over Millfields on 1^st and 12 Bullfinch on 21^st.

 90 species recorded compared with 88 in December 2010, 93 in 2009, 95 in 2008, 91 in 2007, 99 in 2006, 88 in 2005, 95 in 2004, 97 in 2003 and 89 in 2002.