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 Posted by on November 22, 2024  Carsington Bird Club, Events, News  Comments Off on News Items
Nov 222024
 

CBC Meeting Schedule for 2024/25 commences in September

CBC indoor meetings are held in Carsington Water’s main visitor centre and they start at 19.30h.
 
 
TBA
 
Other Activities

– First Sunday of the month – Birdwatching for Beginners – Meet Visitor Centre (10am-12 noon)

Please Note:

Almost invariably held on the first Sunday of the month (meet in the courtyard at 10am – but please book with reception if you intend to come).

 
Outdoor Activities

For Severn Trent’s spring programme, it’s often sensible to book a place with the visitor centre (on 01629 540696).


CBC Newsletter No 4 / November 2024

 Posted by on November 21, 2024  Carsington Bird Club, CBC Newsletters  Comments Off on CBC Newsletter No 4 / November 2024
Nov 212024
 

As I launched into this introduction, I was afraid the four inches of snow that fell overnight might puncture the good start we’ve had to our indoor meetings season – but no, it was a close thing but Severn Trent opened their car parks, and the speaker was keen to come, so our latest talk, on the Kruger National Park, was able to go ahead.  Fourteen attended, which was gratifying, and sizeable audiences had turned up for the first two topics – Extremadura, then the successful reintroduction to the UK of the iconic Osprey. It was a particularly good job we’d bought some extra cups to cope with refreshments at October’s joint meeting with DOS when nearly 30 turned up for the Osprey talk.

Since the last newsletter we have also undertaken two trips – a long-range one to Frampton Marsh and one closer to home at Willington Wetlands (see report on pages 2/3).

We have been conducting quarterly meetings with some of Severn Trent’s ranger team to identify where we, as a club, can help out with habitat development at the reservoir – most particularly by investing some of the additional funds we’ve accumulated over the past couple of years thanks largely to the fund-raising efforts of Louise and John Sykes at various events across the county.

These meetings with Severn Trent have been productive in mutually apprising us of our respective goals and where these might coincide.  One thing we had been targeting was some improvements and additions to feeding stations in and around the hides; however, these plans have been put on ice by concerns for the welfare of the Red-listed Willow Tit, which a scientific study indicates is suffering wherever thriving species such as Great and Blue Tits compete fiercely for food and breeding sites.  Bird-feeding therefore may become more selective on site and large feeding stations may for the time being not be encouraged by our hosts.  We will continue these quarterly sessions to discuss habitats and how CBC can practically help.

With the next newsletter not out until February, I should tell you that membership renewals will be due in January, and for the first time in over TWO DECADES we are raising the subscription rates – from £7.50 to £8 for single and £10 to £12 for family memberships.  Still pretty good value, I hope you agree, bearing in mind, the events programme, the newsletters, the website and the annual report that we make available to members each year.

 

JOIN US AT OUR UPCOMING INDOOR MEETINGS

Our 2024-25 season of indoor meetings is well underway, and below is the list of remaining scheduled talks, all of which are on the third Tuesday of the month, in the Henmore Room, beginning at 7.30pm except for the March meeting when a 7pm start will allow for our AGM:

17 December:  David Parkin will talk to us about ‘Birds and Islands’

21 January:  Award winning photographer Paul Hobson returns with ‘Wild Britain’

18 February:  Max Maughan shows us highlights from that global wildlife gem, ‘Costa Rica’

18 March:  ‘North West Year’ sees Chris Galvin describe birdlife to be found in major estuaries

 

WHAT A CAST LIST – EAGLE, DIVERS AND GANNETS AT CARSI

Over the past three months some big surprises turned up at the reservoir – none bigger than a juvenile White-tailed Eagle, a sighting people may have doubted but for a splendid photograph provided with the record.  White-tailed Eagles have been reintroduced in discrete parts of Britain over the past couple of decades but being discreet is no part of a young bird’s make-up and, cruising well away from their home patch, they occasionally pop up in unusual places – like Carsington Water.

We also had a very early Great Northern Diver, on 21 October, but it was another wanderer and did not stay long, and the previous month another rarity – a Black-throated Diver – turned up, the first of this species on site since 2011.  Gannets are another species that don’t usually stray too far from their source of food, the sea, so visits to Carsington are scarce; the previous showing of this elegant species was 2021 but we had one turn up on 24 September, then three more a week later.

In recent days a female Ring-necked Duck was identified.  This was only the second record for the site, the first having been 19 years ago.  A Red-crested Pochard has taken a liking to the reservoir, recorded 30 times during late summer/autumn, and the visiting winter ducks have been building their numbers nicely including up to three Pintails and four Goosanders and the first Goldeneye in October.  Coot is always a good indicator and their numbers exceeded 1,100 during the November WeBS count, while Greylag numbers have bloomed recently reaching 743 by late October.

Grebes have been doing well, with a maximum of 73 Great-crested counted, while four Black-necked Grebes were a nice surprise on 12 October, and the following day saw 23 Whooper Swans touch down.  Great White Egrets have been seen each month, albeit sparingly, and a still-scarce Cattle Egret was around on 29/30 August. 

A dozen wader species were logged in August and September, including Golden Plover, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Whimbrel and Green and Common Sandpiper, yet only two were noted during October.  It was a fairly light Osprey passage, with several individuals in August and just one in September; a single Marsh Harrier in late August and a Merlin a month later added variety to the raptor haul, which included 11 Red Kites on 26 October … but the star bird of prey has to be that White-tailed Eagle.

The gull roost has also been large – ‘uncountable’ at times, according to our top gull spotter, Richard Lowe.  In among the 5,000-plus roosts of mainly Black-headed, Lesser Black-backed and Common Gulls, Richard and our other sharp-eyed recorders have picked out Mediterranean Gulls on three dates, Caspian Gulls on ten dates and regularly a small number of Yellow-legged.  The tern passage included two Black Terns in September.

Autumn’s the time when many of our smaller birds return to warmer climes for the winter.  One species that stayed much longer than usual was Pied Flycatcher, last noted on 2 September, nearly a month later than its previous latest timing.  Other latest dates for some of those summer visitors included Lesser Whitethroat, Redstart, Sedge Warbler and Sand Martin in September, Blackcap, House Martin and Swallow in October.  Meanwhile, winter arrivals were more numerous as Redwing arrived in early October, a flock of 1,914 logged on the 17th, smaller numbers of noisy Fieldfares and also Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and a flock of 11 Brambling in early November.

Large movements of our more common species also mark this time of year: the maximum daily count of Woodpigeons, moving south, was 11,500 on 13 October, while 3,150 Starlings were counted two weeks later.

Carsington did not miss out on a couple of westerly influxes from Europe, recording Yellow-browed Warbler in October, the first example of this delicately marked warbler since 2021, and a few more Hawfinches than usual flying over in recent weeks.  Meanwhile, a site record 46 Reed Buntings flew out of Hopton Reedbed on 25 October, and Rock Pipits were noted on four dates that month.

 

GOOD NUMBERS OF MEMBERS ENJOY TRIPS, NEAR AND FAR

Double-figure groups of members have attended the two club trips arranged over the past two months – most recently, on 17 November, to Willington Wetlands, and at the end of September to an old favourite, Frampton Marsh.

Following a membership survey indicating a liking for some trips to be closer to home, we decided on the DWT reserve at Willington for our autumn outing – and it attracted a very healthy turnout of 14 CBC members who were rewarded with a morning of fine weather – just before the rain began – and variety of birds to enjoy.

Not surprisingly, wildfowl and other water birds were the most plentiful, with Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot and Canada Geese seen in good numbers, along with Cormorants and Great Crested Grebes. A pair of Shoveler were spotted later to add to the list.

Spotting and identifying three different species of egrets present at the reserve became a theme for much of the morning.  First was a Little Egret, spied from a heightened viewing platform; that was followed by a pair of Great White Egrets. Later on four Cattle Egrets were picked out on the far side of the lakes, three of which were showing their typical behaviour moving busily between the feet of the resident cows. Not to be outdone by their white cousins, several Grey Herons were also seen.

Smaller birds were proving much harder to find though. At least three Cetti’s Warblers were heard as we walked along the path, along with Bullfinches and a small flock of Redwings which flew over.  A single Buzzard and a Kestrel swooping down to catch its prey were the only birds of prey to be seen.

Unfortunately we were unable to spend any time in the hide as it was already full to capacity when we got there, but we completed a full circuit around the reserve – taking in a number of other gravel pits and wetland areas – via the newly opened circular walk, adding the odd species to our group total of 34 species, which were as follows: Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Shoveler, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Cattle Egret, Buzzard, Kestrel, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Cetti’s Warbler, Blackbird, Redwing, Bullfinch, Robin, House Sparrow and Linnet.

Another fine turnout of 12 CBC members made the journey to the Frampton Marsh RSPB Reserve on the Lincolnshire coast on Sunday 6 October.  This is a favourite destination, which we have visited a few times before and always offers a good selection of wetland birds and an occasional rarity.

Meeting up in the Visitor Centre with its panoramic views over the reserve, we spent some time checking through the ducks and waders on show.  The unmistakeable sight of a pair of Spoonbills on one of the islands was an early highlight of the day. Always an exciting bird to see, Spoonbills are being seen more commonly and have now successfully bred in a number of UK locations.

With the arrival of autumn the numbers of ducks and geese were starting to build up. Wigeon and Teal were by far the most numerous, with smaller counts of Shoveler and Shelduck. Later on a small group of Pintail added to the variety and Brent Geese were feeding on the tidal marshes. A lone Whooper Swan, believed to be an injured bird which has remained at the reserve throughout the year, was also spotted.

Apart from the many Lapwings and a flock of Golden Plover seen early on in the day, relatively small numbers of other waders were present. A handful of Redshank, Ruff, Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwits were logged, along with a single Bar-tailed Godwit.  Some keen eyes in the group picked out a pair of Snipe in the edge of the reeds, with one then obligingly moving out into the open.  About 20 Avocets were also dotted around the various pools.

Moving on to birds of prey, a Marsh Harrier was often observed during the day quartering the reedbeds, along with at least one Kestrel hovering over the fields. A distant Peregrine sitting on a fence post in the fields behind the Visitor Centre was seen by a few of us, and a Red Kite was also spotted flying above the road leading into the reserve.

Smaller birds were in fairly short supply though, with the exception of flocks of Goldfinches and a few Linnets.  A single Stonechat and a Wheatear were good finds to add to our list and a Cetti’s Warbler was heard near the car park.

With the weather turning out to be much dryer and brighter than forecast, it was a very enjoyable day. Bird-wise it did seem to be quieter than on our previous visits, though the following total of 47 were recorded collectively, both on the reserve itself and from the approach road:  Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Brent Goose, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Shelduck, Shoveler, Mallard, Gadwall, Pintail, Wigeon, Teal, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Pheasant, Avocet, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Redshank, Ruff, Dunlin,Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Spoonbill, Red Kite,Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Peregrine, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, Cetti’s Warbler, Stonechat, Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch, Linnet

Chris Lamb

 

REPORTS OF FUTURE RESERVOIR EXPANSION FAR FROM CERTAIN

A rather startling article appeared in the Ashbourne News Telegraph several weeks ago indicating that the capacity of Carsington Water may be increased, raising the level by several metres, which would see a major change in the topography of the area and a need to build a new visitor centre and associated facilities.

This followed a briefing by Severn Trent on its Draft Water Resources Management Plan (every water company has to have one) that sets out long-term future requirements for ensuring its customers’ water supplies.  The plan lists many options, many much more straightforward – measures to reduce water loss by leakage, advising customers on minimising water usage, increasing the connectivity of water sources and expanding water treatment facilities to allow greater reusing of water supplies.

Only then would much more expensive capital schemes – such as new reservoirs or increasing the capacity of existing ones – be considered.  Should Carsington figure in this latter option, nothing would happen before about 2045, and numerous surveys and assessments would have to be done … so, in essence, there will be no imminent changes in the habitat for wildlife at the reservoir; indeed, no material changes in many of our lifetimes!

 

CBC – PLUS ÇA CHANGE!

Some documents have recently come to light that illustrate the earliest days of the bird club and its formation following the opening of the reservoir in 1992, thus creating a major new site in the county for wildlife in general and birds in particular.

The general principles of the organisation have hardly changed since the first general meeting of Carsington Bird Club was held on 21 October 1992.  Key proposals were (and remain!) to: monitor birdlife around the reservoir; maximise potential for birdlife on site; provide associated information and activities for club members, and to promote a wider interest in birds and birdwatching.

Sound familiar?  It’s pretty much what we do today.  And even some of the names at that first meeting and, subsequently, on the nascent CBC committee are familiar.  Jonathan Bradley still visits the reservoir and helps Simon Roddis out with the monthly WeBS counts.  Eddie Walker, though living in Spain for much of the year, makes sure Carsington is on his list of sites to visit when he returns to the UK for long spells to escape the continental heat.

Another name there is Paul Stanley, now sadly deceased, after whom one of the hides is named.  Derek Beech, No 1 on our existing membership list, was seconding a motion at the first committee meeting, and indoor meetings began surprisingly early in the club’s life, too; the first talk being ‘Birds of California’, by Andrew Sherwin on 24 November 1992.

And the first ever monthly ‘Birds Notes’ sheet was produced in January 1993 (seen here, right – the species makes interesting reading) – a discipline still undertaken by today’s Recorder, Rob Chadwick.

Membership numbers have ebbed and flowed over the last three decades, but for the club as a whole, it’s a case of ‘plus ça change’.

 

KNOW YOUR COMMITTEE – Here are the club officials and their contact details……..

 

 

 

 

Committee Post

Name

Telephone

Email Address

 

Chairman and Publicity

Gary Atkins

01335 370773

garysatkins@aol.com

Treasurer / Membership

John Follett

01332 834778

johnlfollett@virginmedia.com

Recorder

Rob Chadwick

07876 338912

rob.chadwick322@gmail.com

Events co-ordinator

Chris Lamb

01629 820890

cflamb@yahoo.co.uk

Secretary

Louise Sykes

01335 348544

louise.sykes5065@gmail.com

…..and the website address is:   https://www.carsingtonbirdclub.co.uk

Webmaster

Richard Pittam

n/a

Contact Richard via the website

Frampton Marsh RSPB Reserve – Sunday 6th October 2024

 Posted by on October 18, 2024  Carsington Bird Club, CBC Newsletters, Events, Member Reports  Comments Off on Frampton Marsh RSPB Reserve – Sunday 6th October 2024
Oct 182024
 

A very fine turnout of 12 CBC members made the journey to the Frampton Marsh RSPB Reserve on the Lincolnshire coast on Sunday 6th October. This is one of our favourite destinations, which we have visited a few times before, and it always offers a good selection of wetland birds and the chance of the occasional rarity.

Meeting up in the Visitor Centre with its panoramic views over the reserve, we spent some time checking through the ducks and waders on show. The unmistakeable sight of a pair of Spoonbills on one of the islands was a nearly highlight of the day. Always an exciting bird to see, Spoonbills are becoming more commonly found of course and have now successfully bred in a number of locations around the UK.

With the arrival of Autumn the numbers of ducks and geese were starting to build up. Wigeon and Teal were by far the most numerous, with smaller counts of Shoveler and Shelduck noted. Later on a small group of Pintail added to the variety and Brent Geese were feeding on the tidal marshes. A lone Whooper Swan, believed to be an injured bird which has remained at the reserve throughout the year, was also spotted.

Apart from the many Lapwings and a flock of Golden Plover seen early on in the day, relatively small numbers of other waders were present. A handful of Redshank, Ruff, Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwit were noted, along with a single Bar-tailed Godwit.

Some keen eyes in the group picked out a pair of Snipe in the edge of the reeds, with one then obligingly moving out into the open. About 20 Avocets were also counted on the various pools.

Moving on to birds of prey, a Marsh Harrier was often observed during the day quartering the reedbeds, along with at least one Kestrel hovering over the fields. A distant Peregrine sitting on a fence post in the fields behind the Visitor Centre was seen by a few of us, and a Red Kite was also spotted flying above the road leading into the reserve.

Smaller birds were in fairly short supply though, with the exception of flocks of Goldfinches and a few Linnets. A single Stonechat and a Wheatear were good finds to add to our list and a Cetti’s Warbler was heard near the car park.

With the weather turning out to be much dryer and brighter than forecast, it was a very enjoyable day. Bird-wise it did seem to be quieter than on our previous visits, though agood collective total of 47 species was still recorded, bothon the reserve itself and from the approach road.

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Brent Goose, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Shelduck, Shoveler, Mallard, Gadwall, Pintail, Wigeon, Teal, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Pheasant, Avocet, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Redshank, Ruff, Dunlin, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Spoonbill, Red Kite,Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Peregrine, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, Cetti’s Warbler, Stonechat, Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch, Linnet

 

Newsletter No 3 / August 2024

 Posted by on August 20, 2024  CBC Newsletters  Comments Off on Newsletter No 3 / August 2024
Aug 202024
 

No 3 / August 2024

Welcome to the third newsletter of the year, where we look at what’s been happening over the summer period … summer, that is, once it finally arrived.  The weather was far from perfect during the first half of the year, but in recent weeks the sun’s been out and temperatures have improved.

Club activities are relatively quiet over the summer – recognising that the holiday season is in full swing (if you have managed to get away, I hope you had a great time – and enjoyed good weather – wherever you’ve been).  As you can see below, however, we have a busier programme of events as summer slips into autumn. 

The indoor season of talks begins next month, with Steve Lovell taking us into the intense heat and wildlife-rich Extramadura on 17 September, and we’re also planning a longer-range club trip – to the ever popular Frampton Marsh – in October, then a more local trip to the Wildlife Trust’s Willington reserve the following month.

Something that did happen over the summer was the formal opening of the new Sheepwash hide, which Severn Trent kindly allowed us to link to the club by way of a dedication to the memory of Roger Carrington … and we invited Roger’s widow, Lilian, and daughter Helen along to cut the ribbon on the new hide.  Read on for a more detailed report on that.

As a club, we also joined a number of other organisations in supporting the annual Hen Harrier Action day, and that, too, is described in a little more detail later.

As ever, there’s a report on what’s been around at the reservoir, which invariably throws up some interest, with most of the recent highlights surrounding the feverish breeding activity that has seen juvenile birds popping up in all corners of the site.  Read on – and I hope we’ll see you at a forthcoming indoor meeting or trip.  Meanwhile, happy birding.

Gary Atkins

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Below are the dates of upcoming events.  Remember – all indoor meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month in the Visitor Centre’s Henmore Room, beginning at 7.30pm:

** TUESDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER ** – Talk: Extramadura.  Steve Lovell explores this distinctive unspoiled region with its natural beauty and wealth of fabulous wildlife and spectacular birds.

** SUNDAY, 6 OCTOBER ** – Club trip to the ever-popular and productive Frampton Marsh; arrive at the visitor centre 10.30am.  Contact Chris Lamb (see details at the end of the newsletter) if you wish to come along.  It’ll be a convoy of cars, and a lift could be available for those not wishing to drive.

** TUESDAY, 15 OCTOBER ** – Talk: Reintroducing the Osprey.  Simon Curtin describes this outstanding UK conservation success story, also describing its reproductive, feeding and migratory behaviour.

** SUNDAY, 17 NOVEMBER ** – Local Club trip to Willington, the DWT reserve that usually has plenty on display, often including a rarity or two.  Again, contact Chris Lamb if you’re interested in going.

** TUESDAY, 19 NOVEMBER ** – Talk: Kruger National Park.  David Tolliday will detail the range of mammals, birds, insects and people who live in South Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary.

FIRST EVER SHOVELER BROOD AS THE BIRDS GET BUSY OVER SUMMER

Carsington’s birds have been busy breeding over the summer; those away from the water keeping a low profile, some species almost disappearing, while those on it have been a bit more evident.  One of the highlights without doubt was the site’s first ever brood of Shovelers, with five young noted on 18 June.

At the end of July, wildfowl brood numbers were mostly quite impressive: Tufted (14), Mallard (24), Gadwall (10), Gt Crested Grebe (29) and Little Grebe (3).  More than a dozen Coot broods were evident and several Moorhen broods represent a big improvement in this species that was only being counted in low single-digits a few years ago.  Seven Oystercatcher pairs bred, Greylag and Canada Geese were both well into double-figure broods and a pair of Barnacle Geese had three young.

There was plentiful evidence of breeding by the passerine population – both summer visitors and residents.  Successful species included Willow Tit, Spotted Flycatcher, Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Garden, Reed and Sedge Warblers and Redstart, and juvenile Tawny Owls, Nuthatch and Jays were all recorded.  It’s not quite over yet, of course, so more young birds will appear at the reservoir in the coming days and weeks.

Another successful species was Black-headed Gull, with 100 juveniles counted at the end of June.  That cohort was reduced by one, though, as a Peregrine was seen eating one on 30 July.  Peregrines have been quite active, in fact, with another just three days earlier spotted mobbing a Honey Buzzard – a species not seen since 2011, yet producing two records in July.

A single Osprey on 8 July was the only recent record for this iconic migrant, while Hobbies were seen on three dates in June, a single date in July and two more in August; on at least one occasion Swallows were their target.  Four Red Kites and eight Buzzards were flying high on 28 July.  The site’s other resident raptors, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, were logged more regularly.

A Black-necked Grebe was another highlight during July, and the more unusual ducks noted were a Scaup on 17 July, and Common Scoter, two of which were spotted on 20 June and three on 17 July.  Boosted by breeding, Canada Geese numbers topped four figures, at 1,088, in late June.

Herons have not been around in great numbers, the maxima being two Little Egrets on 11 July and a single Great White Egret on 17 July, while no more than four Grey Herons have been seen on any one day.  Waders, after a sparse showing in June, were more populous in July when 12 species were recorded, including two Knot on 11 July, two Whimbrel and seven Common Sandpipers on 22 July, a single Sanderling the following day and single Turnstone on the 25th.

It’s been relatively quiet on the gull front, with Kittiwake, Mediterranean and Caspian the most noteworthy.  The Caspian Gull was reported on seven dates in July and maintained its presence on site into August.  A roost of 1,500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on 19 July hinted at the larger numbers to come over the winter, while two Yellow-legged Gulls have also been seen quite regularly in recent weeks.  Meanwhile, Common, Little, Black, Arctic and Sandwich Terns have passed through in relatively small numbers.

The influx of hirundines, beginning with Sand Martins in March which built to a maximum count of 300 in early May, continued with 100 Swallows and the same number of House Martins on 24 May.  Pied Wagtail numbers blossomed over the summer, hitting 80 on 25 July, and other highlights around the dam wall were the occasional Whinchat and Wheatear, and more regularly seen Yellow Wagtails which were moving north in May, then south in late July and August.  Pied and Spotted Flycatchers have graced the site this year, with the six ‘SpotFly’ recorded on 25 July including three adults and three juveniles.

As many as 10 Willow Tits have been counted – on 29 May – yet no Tree Sparrows (previously one of our most robust species) were reported during July.  Warblers have had a decent year, despite as ever getting quieter and more difficult to see after breeding … so it was good to see a site scarce Grasshopper Warbler on 20 July.

ROGER REMEMBERED AS NEW SHEEPWASH HIDE OPENS

The formal opening of the new Sheepwash hide in July provided the perfect backdrop for both CBC and Severn Trent to honour Roger Carrington for his huge contribution to birding in general and recording in particular at the reservoir over many years.

Roger, who sadly passed away in 2022, was the club’s designated Recorder on site for more than a decade, and spent many happy hours at the previous Sheepwash hide, binoculars and ‘scope at the ready.  While he never got to see the construction of its replacement, adding his name to a plaque on the door seemed entirely natural and appropriate when the new Sheepwash hide was opened in late July.

Roger’s widow, Lilian, and daughter Helen officiated at the ribbon-cutting, and were doubly pleased to see (and sit on) a bench seat that also bore an inscription dedicated to Roger.

The old hide had been built on stilts and while there was no imminent hint of danger, a safety study reflected concern at its longer-term integrity, so it was decided to condemn the old hide and design and build a new one.  That took longer than anticipated, for a number of reasons, but Severn Trent worked steadfastly to clear these obstacles and the Sheepwash successor has already been given a thumbs-up by the birding fraternity that reckons it’s located in the best place for scanning the reservoir.

Roger served as a core member of the Carsington Bird Club committee, advising on all aspects of birding including breeding surveys, bird boxes and where to locate them and habitat improvements, also editing and producing many of the well-regarded CBC annual reports that have created a permanent record of birdlife across three decades at Carsington Water. 

In addition, importantly, he forged a purposeful relationship with our hosts, Severn Trent, who often took his advice on the birdlife and habitats key species are happiest inhabiting.

Many people learned a great deal from Roger, whose calm nature and quiet demeanour encouraged them to ask questions (even the more obvious ones!) and take on board a little of his large fund of knowledge.

CLUB SUPPORTS ACTION DAY FOR HEN HARRIER

For the second time in five years, the Hen Harrier Action Day (HHAD) was staged at Carsington Water – and for the first time Carsington Bird Club joined the numerous wildlife organisations supporting the annual event, thanks in the main to Louise and John Sykes, who regularly attend events with a ‘pop up’ display table that serves to both advertise the club and raise money through a wide range of sales items.

The HHAD itself aims to educate the general public about the plight of this iconic species (and other raptors) that are persecuted due to the skewed perception that they are a nuisance and deplete the ‘stocks’ of game birds on sporting estates.

Chris Packham was in attendance, though on this occasion did not give a speech.  Others that did included Jo Smith, CEO of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Olivia Blake, the MP for Sheffield Hallam, Dr Rose O’Neill of the Campaign for National Parks, author Mark Cocker and Mark Thomas of the RSPB Investigations Team.  Representatives of Protect the Wild and Wild Justice also appealed for common sense in the public’s dealings with and perception of Hen Harriers.  A gospel choir and folk singer Martin Simpson added music to the activity mix.

As well as this programme of high-profile speakers, who addressed the crowd during the afternoon, each supporting organisation also took the opportunity to promote its own goals and activities. 

The hard-working Sykes put on an excellent display, as ever, and had a little help from neighbours and a few other club members in manning the stand.  They raised over £150 on the day, which the club will plan to spend on helping wildlife projects around the site.

BTO LAUNCHES APPEAL TO BOOST BIODIVERSITY

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is appealing to all nature lovers to help out with their current focused campaign to slow down the biodiversity crisis that most wildlife organisations agree is affecting local, regional and global eco-systems.

If ‘crisis’ sounds dramatic, then some of the statistics backing this claim are indeed frightening.  The 2023 State of Nature report, which corralled data and expertise from more than 60 nature conservation and research organisations, including the BTO, revealed that nearly one in six species in the UK are threatened with extinction … joining the 151 species that already went out of existence since the 16th century.

Many factors are combining to create the crisis, many driven by human influence such as habitat destruction, pollution, radical changes in agricultural practices, the spread of invasive species and climate change.  The impact on certain species in the UK has been devastating – and birds have certainly not escaped those effects.

Just one example is the Turtle Dove, which has reduced by 99 per cent between 1967 and 2020, and is now only seen at all in half of its previous habitats, while overall populations of 46 per cent of bird species declined in the five years to 2021.  The UK ‘Red List’ addresses species considered to be of greatest conservation concern – and while that list contained 36 species in 1996 it now comprises 70 including familiar species such as House Martins, Greenfinches, Lapwings and Skylarks as well as Nightingales and Puffins.

Click the link below, or cut and paste it into your URL box, to learn more about the vital importance of biodiversity and how the BTO, its members and its scientists can help to arrest its decline, further assisted by the practical and financial support from the general public.

https://www.bto.org/understanding-birds/biodiversity-loss-and-uk-birds

KNOW YOUR COMMITTEE – Here are the club officials and their contact details……..
       
Committee Post Name Telephone Email Address  
Chairman and Publicity Gary Atkins 01335 370773 garysatkins@aol.com
Treasurer / Membership John Follett 01332 834778 johnlfollett@virginmedia.com
Recorder Rob Chadwick 07876 338912 rob.chadwick322@gmail.com
Events co-ordinator Chris Lamb 01629 820890 cflamb@yahoo.co.uk
Secretary Louise Sykes 01335 348544 louise.sykes5065@gmail.com
…..and the website address is:   http://www.carsingtonbirdclub.co.uk
Webmaster Richard Pittam n/a Contact Richard via the website
         

 

Roger Remembered as New Hide Formally Opens..

 Posted by on July 24, 2024  Carsington Bird Club, CBC Newsletters, Events, Severn Trent Water  Comments Off on Roger Remembered as New Hide Formally Opens..
Jul 242024
 

As part of a formal opening of the new Sheepwash hide at Severn Trent’s Carsington Water, Roger Carrington was honoured for his huge contribution to birding on site and to consistent recording of birdlife at the large reservoir. Roger, who passed away in 2022, was Carsington Bird Club’s Recorder for more than a decade.

 

A very old picture of Roger with what now, would be called an ‘ancient’ scope…


He spent many happy hours at the previous hide, binoculars and ‘scope at the ready, and on 23 July a ribbon-cutting for its replacement was undertaken by Roger’s widow, Lilian, accompanied by daughter Helen. They were able not only to read the plaque on the door of the hide, describing Roger’s key role, but also enjoy the nearby bench that has been dedicated to Roger’s memory.


When it became clear the old hide had had its day, plans were put in place to design and build a new hide. Though Roger never saw these plans come to fruition, he would have been very happy with the successor – reckoned by birders to be located in the optimum position for scanning much of the reservoir.


Roger served as a core member of the Carsington Bird Club committee, advising on all aspects of birding including breeding surveys, bird boxes and where to locate them, habitat improvements – often working hand-in-glove with the Severn Trent – and editing and producing many of the detailed annual reports that serve as a permanent bird-related history across three decades at what is one of Derbyshire’s top wildlife and public engagement sites.


Many people learned a great deal from Roger, whose calm personality and quiet demeanour encouraged them to ask questions (even obvious ones!) and take on board a little of his large fund of knowledge.