Carsington Bird Club Educational Events Member Reports Miscellaneous News

BTO BREEDING BIRD SURVEY

The BTO’s Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) monitors the population changes of over 100 species across the UK through the efforts of volunteers who survey their randomly selected 1km square each spring. It is a great way to make your birdwatching count. The only requirement is that you are able to confidently identify the species you are likely to encounter in a given square by sight and sound.

The survey involves a recce visit to assess the habitat, and two early-morning spring visits to count all the birds that you see or hear while walking two 1km lines (transects) across the square, plus nest counts for any colonial species. You can optionally record any mammals that you come across, and visit the square later in the season to look for butterflies. Data can be entered to BBS-Online or paper copies can be returned for input by the BTO.

For BBS purposes, Derbyshire is divided into two regions, North and South. There are currently between 20 and 25 squares available in each region, covering a wide range of habitats. There is also one Waterways BBS stretch available, on the Barlow Brook south of Dronfield. You can find much more information online at https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/breeding-bird-survey.

To see what squares are available in your area, click on ‘Taking part’, look for either Derbyshire (North) or Derbyshire (South) and you will see in which 10km squares there are squares available. You can register your interest online or contact me at simonroddis@yahoo.co.uk, and we’ll try to identify a square which will work for you.

The maps below show the available squares in each part of the county as at 16 December 2022.

Derbyshire North

Derbyshire South

An article by Simon Roddis.

Carsington Bird Club CBC Newsletters

Newsletter – No 4 / November 2022

Well, here we are barely a month away from Christmas, and I’m tempted to say where has the year gone – and yet, when I looked back at the equivalent newsletter last year we had only just begun to get back to ‘normal’ post-Covid.  There was a trip to Frampton Marsh in the autumn (which does feel a long time ago!) and we had just resumed our ‘in-person’ meetings, albeit caution led us to stage them in the New Leaf restaurant, which offered plenty of scope for spacing (remember that phrase) in case of continuing nervousness about the Covid bug. 

I’d like to thank New Leaf Catering heartily for providing that alternative, but 12 months on we are back in our traditional ‘home’ – the Henmore Room – having made the decision over the summer to move back.  This meeting room has been upgraded and can take 30-35 people which is generally ample for our needs, and we are once again using the annexe next door to set up the refreshments table.  We’ve now had the first three meetings of the 2022-23 indoor season there and it’s worked well, even accommodating the elevated numbers at the joint meeting with DOS in October.  You can read more about those meetings later in the newsletter.

As many of you will be aware, we have recruited a new club secretary this year: Louise Sykes has thankfully taken on this role, but with the extra string to her bow as chief promoter and fund-raiser (not an official title!).  She has participated in a number of public events under the CBC banner, where table sales and tombolas have generated generous amounts of cash … so when we hold our AGM in the new year, John Follett will be able to report a healthy financial position.

We have, however, since the last newsletter, sadly lost a member of the committee: Roger Carrington passed away after a short illness. He was an incredibly valuable long-time member of the club, for many years holding the post of Recorder, when he produced the current information-packed template of annual report, put solid processes in place for detailed recording at the reservoir and, in his subtle advice on managing habitat for wildlife, forged strong relationships with the senior staff of Severn Trent and its complement of rangers.  Roger’s quiet and unassuming expertise is greatly missed.

We hope to be able to mark the part he played in the club’s development by using some of the aforementioned financial reserves to create a lasting and meaningful tribute that will, of course, involve supporting the local wildlife.

Our membership levels are much the same as 12 months ago, having acquired several new people or households, which is encouraging set against the rather challenging times in which we’re living.

Gary Atkins

 

JOIN US AT OUR REMAINING INDOOR MEETINGS

Now back in the Henmore Room, remember all meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month, and begin at 7.30pm ……

20 December:  Dr John Reilly reflects on life in the far north – in Svalbard

17 January:  Jack Perks shows us ‘Birds of the Water’

21 February:  David Parkin describes the miracle of bird migration

21 March: Moroccan Spice – from the Atlas Mountains to Sahara Desert by Neil Glenn

GET TO KNOW THE BTO AND BOOST LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

Early next month, CBC members and those of other birding organisations in the county will have a rare opportunity to find out more about the British Trust for Orthithology (BTO) by meeting some of its staff and local representatives on a Zoom call that will also outline how bird populations are faring across Derbyshire. 

The Zoom session is free and will take place between 7pm and 8.30pm on Monday, 5 December.  All you need to do to participate in this online meet, or simply to observe is to book onto the session via this link:  https://www.bto.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=1295 

Please note that registration for this session will end at 9am on Friday, 2 December.

If you have any questions or queries, please contact the BTO’s Engagement and Surveys Officer for England, David White – by e-mail at david.white@bto.org.uk or by phone on 01842 750050.

 

AND TALKING OF BTO – ANYONE FANCY DOING A WEBS COUNT?

In a recent edition of the DOS Bulletin, Phil Hampson put out an appeal for volunteers to take on a monthly WeBS (Wetland Birds Survey) count.  Simon Roddis and Jon Bradley undertake one at Carsington each month, but there are several dozen vacant sites that are not currently being surveyed.  Some of these are classed as large (sizeable reservoirs like Foremark) – but many are rated as medium-sized (eg Flash Dam, Osmaston Lakes) or small (eg Toyota Pool or Mercia Marina).

Surveys gather, for the BTO, valuable information about the status of waterbird populations, including ducks, geese, swans, waders, rails, divers, grebes, cormorants and herons. 

There is more information on the BTO website, though Phil Hampson, who is the local organiser for Derbyshire, is more than happy to explain the background via his e-mail address: btowebspjh@icloud.com or on the phone (07545 465069).

 

LOW WATER LEVELS HINDER BIRDING … BUT NOT THE BIRDS

Despite much of the past three months seeing very low water levels in the reservoir, which makes a telescope virtually essential for any serious water bird watching, the variety of birds visiting Carsington has remained impressive.  September’s 120 species was the second highest ever for that month, while the 111 species noted the following month was an October site record.

Whether November will prove similar is difficult to say right now, but certainly the surprise appearance of a juvenile Common Crane on Stones Island on 21 November – only the second record for Carsington, and the first for 20 years! – can only help.

Wintering waterfowl have still been around in reasonable numbers: 950 Canada Geese were counted in early September, while other maxima have been 480 Teal, 238 Wigeon, 83 Gadwall and an impressive 57 Shoveler.  In smaller numbers, scarcer ducks have included Red-crested Pochard, Goosander, up to 9 Pintail, Red-breasted Mergansers recorded on three dates and Garganey on five occasions.

The advance of the Great White Egret seems to be continuing, as four were seen on 10 October and single birds logged on no fewer than 18 dates across the late summer/early autumn period.  Little Egrets are also regularly on recorders’ lists.

September was a good wader month with 16 species recorded including Avocet, Ruff, Greenshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Turnstone, Spotted Redshank, Golden Plover and Ringed Plover, 28 of which were counted on 23 September.  A Little Stint was moving around in a flock of up to 20 Dunlin for several days, and the highest Dunlin count of the year – 40 – was made on 20 November.  The maximum Lapwing count in this period was 300.

The wide-open shoreline off Lane End hide has afforded good gull-watching.  Numbers have been impressive and, though difficult to gauge, over 10,000 has been estimated, mostly Lesser Black-backs, Black-headed and Common Gulls.  Dedicated and patient watching – and good-quality telescopes – have nevertheless found some scarcer species among the masses including a Ring-billed/Lesser Black-backed hybrid, some Yellow-legs, a Caspian Gull on several dates, and winter-plumage Mediterraneans were particularly tricky to find among the Black-headeds.  A Kittiwake was also spotted on 10 November, and a fairly late Arctic Tern drifted through on 9 October.

As many as nine Red Kites on one day spearheaded the raptor highlights, though there was generally good variety in October when Merlin, Hobby and Marsh Harrier joined the more regular roster of Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Buzzard, while Peregrines were seen on 14 days that month with another seen tucking into a snack on the Lane End shore in early November.  Up to four Tawny Owls have been heard calling at dawn or dusk.

If 5 November is Bonfire Night, then the day before should henceforth be called the Day of the Woodpigeon, as a mammoth 62,600 individuals were noted flying south during a three and a quarter hour vigil.  The arrival of winter thrushes also heralded large flocks, particularly on 19 October when even the 286 Fieldfares counted were dwarfed by the phenomenal stream of 29,190 Redwings that passed through over a six-hour period.  Up to 1,000 Jackdaws were witnessed leaving their roost one morning, and flocks of Starlings were up to 500 strong.

Other passerines seen more readily over autumn-winter began arriving in decent numbers as Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Brambling became regular sightings.  Whinchat and Stonechat were each seen twice during both September and October, up to three Wheatears were observed and double-digit numbers of Skylarks were noted overflying the site. 

Meanwhile, most of the summer visitors departed during the first half of September, though the final Swallow was recorded on 5 October and House Martins, still numbering 60 on the 3rd, were not seen after 7 October.  Blackcaps were still being observed in October, and at least one Chiffchaff looks like it’s decided to overwinter as it has been heard or seen on or around Stones Island in recent days.  The recently-discovered Marsh Tit also seems set to stick around among its ‘Willow’ cousins and is often seen or heard around Paul Stanley hide or Sheepwash areas.

Lastly, an ‘oops’ is required for failing to mention in the last issue a Pomerine Skua – only the third record for Carsington – that called in on 2 August.  Sorry!

 

WILLOW TIT SURVEY SHOWS DERBYSHIRE BUCKING NATIONAL DECLINE

A national survey focusing on the Willow Tit has confirmed Derbyshire to be one of the strongholds for this species which has, nevertheless, seen a population decline nationwide of 86 per cent between 1995 and 2020.

Described as our fastest-declining resident bird, the Willow Tit survey was deemed essential to gather data, gauging its numbers and range, to underpin future conservation efforts at both the local and national level.

The survey was undertaken between 2019 and 2021, with county-level surveys undertaken by Willow Tit study groups, county bird clubs, other conservation organisations and volunteers.  It was organised by RSPB, with support from the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Ornithological Society, and drew data from 1,900 tetrads.

Results show that the Willow Tit population in Britain is estimated at just short of 5,700 breeding pairs, of which 76% were in England, 21% in Wales and 3% in Scotland.  North Yorkshire and County Durham as well as Derbyshire were found to have the highest populations in England, while in Wales, most Willow Tits were in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Breconshire and Montgomeryshire. Almost all of Scotland’s Willow Tits were in Dumfries and Galloway.

At Carsington, as in other Derbyshire spots, Willow Tits abound, and it is the Marsh Tit (much more prolific nationwide than its similar-looking cousin) that is more scarce.  Indeed, a gap of several years went by without any Marsh Tit records at Carsington – until one was heard, ironically during a Willow Tit survey.  Since then, and keeping an extra special eye out, at least one Marsh Tit has been noted fairly regularly around Paul Stanley and Sheepwash areas. 

If you’re keen to add a species to your site list, one way of differentiating between these species is their respective sounds, which do differ.  An excellent website for checking these (and any other bird songs/calls) is https://xeno-canto.org/ … and use the search box.

 

BACK IN THE HENMORE ROOM FOR MORE FASCINATING TALKS

For the first indoor meeting of our 2022/23 programme in September we welcomed back renowned wildlife photographer Paul Hobson. As always, Paul treated us to stunning images of wildlife in the changing seasons of the year, visiting some amazing places around the world on the way.

In October we made the long journey down to the colder climes of the South Atlantic in the company of Tony Davison to hear about the birds and other wildlife of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica. This was our traditional annual joint meeting with members of the Derbyshire Ornithological Society (DOS), who joined us for the evening.

Returning to a location much closer to home for our November meeting, Tim Sexton from the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust described the wildlife year at Rutland Water.  He gave us a truly interesting insight into the depth of scientific research work which goes on behind the scenes at this excellent reserve.

For our final meeting of 2022 in December, and perhaps fittingly for our pre-Christmas get-together, we head up to the Arctic Circle and Svalbard to experience a mixture of travel, birds, mammals and evolution presented by Dr John Reilly.

Looking ahead to the new year, our indoor meetings continue with talks ranging from birds of the water, the miracle of migration and the birds of Morocco (see box on front page for details).

 

BURTON MERE ONCE MORE PROVES A HIT FOR CBC TRAVELLERS

On Saturday, 1 October a group of eight CBC members journeyed over to Cheshire to visit the Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB Reserve on the Dee Estuary. This is a site we have visited before and it always offers a good mix of wetland and woodland birds.

Starting off with a welcoming cup of coffee in the Visitor Centre with its panoramic views over the reserve, we spent some time checking through the large flocks of ducks and geese which were starting to gather on the lakes.   Teal were by far the most numerous, with smaller counts of Shoveler and Shelduck and a single Pintail adding to the variety. A lone Pink-footed Goose was spotted hanging out with the many Canada Geese.

Sadly, the effects of avian flu were very much in evidence with one or two wildfowl corpses seen out on the water. Hopefully, species most affected by this terrible disease will in time recover their numbers.

Relatively small counts of waders were seen, mostly Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings, but a single Curlew Sandpiper was a notable find as well as a solitary Avocet.  Late in the day a Ruff was spotted to complete our tally of waders.  Marsh Harriers were often observed during the day quartering the reedbeds, and a pair of Buzzards, along with a Kestrel and a Peregrine Falcon, added variety to our haul of birds of prey.

As we walked round the reserve, at least 3-4 Cetti’s Warblers announced their presence but, as usual, none were seen.  A pair of Stonechats did show well atop some bushes, and a flock of 15-20 House Martins were hawking for insects, no doubt building up fat reserves ready for their long migration flight south.  Returning to the Visitor Centre later in the day, the blue flash of a Kingfisher was briefly seen by some as it darted along the stream, but then quickly disappeared from view.

It was a very enjoyable day, with the weather turning out to be much dryer and brighter than at first forecast, and a collective total of 40 species were recorded by the group:

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Pink-footed Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Shoveler, Mallard, Pintail, Teal, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Pheasant, Avocet, Lapwing, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Kingfisher, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Martin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Cetti’s Warbler, Wren, Robin, Stonechat, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch 

 

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

 

Treasurer / Membership

John Follett

01332 834778

 

Recorder

Rob Chadwick

07876 338912

 

Events co-ordinator

Chris Lamb

01629 820890

 

Secretary

Louise Sykes

01335 348544

 

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

Webmaster

Richard Pittam

n/a

Contact Richard via the website

         

 

Carsington Bird Club CBC Monthly Bird Notes News

OCTOBER 2022 BIRD NOTES

HIGHLIGHTS: Whooper Swan, Garganey, Red-breasted Merganser, Marsh Harrier, Little Stint, Green Sandpiper and Marsh Tit.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 9th unless dated otherwise. 25 Mute Swan 3rd, 5 adult Whooper Swan 14th, 165 Pink-footed Goose 2nd,150 Greylag Goose 5th, 126 Canada Goose 22nd, 2 Barnacle Goose reported 2nd and 18th, 1 Mandarin 31st last reported on site back in May, 111 Wigeon 23rd, 37 Gadwall 30th, 480 Teal 5th, 150 Mallard, 9 Pintail 2nd, 1 Garganey 8th, 9th, 11th and 25th, 20 Shoveler, 10 Pochard 29th, 148 Tufted Duck 17th, 1 Goldeneye 24th, 1 Red-breasted Merganser 3rd and 4th, 1 Goosander 8th, 16th, 29th and 30th, 33 Little Grebe 5th, 45 Great Crested Grebe 5th, 46 Cormorant, 3 Little Egret 2nd and 31st, 4 Great White Egret 10th  and single birds reported 7 times within the month, 11 Grey Heron 13th, 6 Moorhen 9th and 15th, 34 Coot, 1 Kingfisher 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 11th, 12th, 14th, 17th and 18th.

Raptor sightings included 9 Red Kite 30th, 1 Marsh Harrier 3rd and 8th, 3 Sparrowhawk 14th and 28th, 8 Buzzards 3rd and 13th, 3 Kestrel 5th, 1 Merlin 3rd and 6th, 1 Hobby 1st, 1 Peregrine reported on 14 dates within the month.

Ten species of waders through this month with 21 Ringed Plover 1st, 2 Golden Plover 19th, 191 Lapwing 30th,1 Little Stint 23rd and 28th, 25 Dunlin 22nd, 1 Jack Snipe 9th and 11th, 2 Snipe 11th, 1 Redshank 2nd and 17th, 1 Greenshank 4th,2 Green Sandpiper 9th.

Maximum Gull numbers were 3 Mediterranean Gull 27th, 2000 Black-headed Gull 7th, 26 Common Gull 5th, numbers of Lesser Black-backed Gulls seen most days 1 Herring Gull 23rd and 26th, 7 Yellow-legged Gulls 22nd, 1 Caspian Gull 10th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 30th, 1 Great black-backed Gull reported 27 dates within the month.

1 juvenile Arctic Tern flew across the reservoir 9th.

Among other species were 7450 Wood Pigeon 31st with large numbers reported flying across the reservoir on 4 different dates.4 Tawny Owl heard calling 26th, 2 Red-legged Partridge found on Stones Island 30th, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 3rd, 8th, and 23rd, 12 Swallow 1st, with the last seen 16th, 60 House Martins 3rd, 300 Meadow Pipit 1st, 1 Rock Pipit 9th and 13th, 6 Grey Wagtails 16th, 63 Pied Wagtail 1st, 1 Stonechat 12th, 1 female Wheatear 3rd and 10th, 286  Fieldfare 19th with 130 on 25th and 105 on 31st, 29190 Redwing reported 19th moving over a 6 hour period, 2 Blackcap 6th, 8 Chiffchaff 1st and 2nd, 1 Marsh Tit noted on 9 dates, 4 Willow Tit 12th and 24th, 4 Jay 9th, 500 Jackdaw 1st, 13 Raven 18th, 500 Starling 28th, 8 Tree Sparrow 6th, 3 Brambling 9th, 29 Siskin 16th, 70 Linnet 31st, 9 Lesser Redpoll 24th, 1 Yellowhammer 4th and 25th.

The total 111 species noted this month is a new record for October (beating the 109 recorded in 2007) and compares to 105 in 2021, 106 in 2020, 103 in 2019, 106 in 2018, 108 in 2017.

Carsington Bird Club CBC Monthly Bird Notes News

Bird Notes – August 2022

August 2022 BIRD NOTES

HIGHLIGHTS: Pomarine Skua, Garganey, Sanderling, Spotted Redshank, Osprey, Grasshopper Warbler, Marsh Tit.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 14th, unless dated otherwise. 33 Mute Swan reported on 11 dates within the month, 1 Pink-footed Goose 19th, 21st and 26th, 139 Greylag Goose 25th, 733 Canada Goose 29th, 2 Barnacle Goose reported 11 dates within the month, 1 Ruddy Shelduck reported 7 times, 1 Shelduck 1st, 14th and 27th, 8 Wigeon 31st, 75 Gadwall 29th, 143 Teal 13th and 14th, 394 Mallard, 3 Garganey reported on 8 occasions within the month, 17 Shoveler 31st, 20 Pochard 24th, 29th and 30th, 476 Tufted Duck, 4 Goosander 19th, 23 Little Grebe, 74 Great Crested Grebe, 57 Cormorant 13th, 20 Little Egret 21st second time this month that the site record has been broken, 1 Great White Egret 10th, 11th, and 24th, 16 Grey Heron 15th, 23 Moorhen, 647 Coot, 1 Kingfisher 9th, 14th, 23rd and 25th.

Raptor sightings included 8 Red Kite 1st with at least a single bird seen 29 dates this month, 2 Sparrowhawk 9th, 11th, 16th and 19th, 9 Buzzards 28th, 1 Osprey 15th and 23rd, 5 Kestrel 29th, 1 Merlin photographed over the Dam wall 26th, 1 Hobby 4th, 10th and 24th, 2 Peregrine 29th.

Fifteen species of waders through this month with 2 Oystercatcher reported on 9 dates, 9 Little Ringed Plover including 2 chicks 19th, 22 Ringed Plover 29th, 55 Lapwing 1st, 1 Sanderling 5th, 5 Dunlin 19th, 11 Snipe 30th, 4 Black-tailed Godwit 21st, 1 Curlew 29th and 31st, 2 Spotted Redshank 30th and 31st, 8 Redshank 27th, 2 Greenshank 15th, 3 Green Sandpiper 11th, 8 Common Sandpiper 15th, 1 Turnstone 18th.

Maximum Gull numbers were 1 Mediterranean Gull 2nd, Black-headed Gull present all month, 3 Common Gull 2nd, 4538 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 19th, 1 Herring Gull 29th, 5 Yellow-legged Gulls 7th, 1 Great black-backed Gull reported 19 dates within the month.

1 Pomarine Skua 2nd, Second bird to be reported at Carsington (1993), 5 Common Tern 18th, 22 Arctic Tern (mostly juveniles) 25th, 5 Black Tern 25th.

Among other species were 1 Tawny Owl 9th, 19th and 26th, 5 Swift 3rd, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1st, 20 Sand Martin 20th and 25th, 150 Swallow 22nd, 75 House Martins 17th, 1 Tree Pipit 26th and 27th, 5 Yellow Wagtail 22nd, 5 Grey Wagtails 20th, 150 Pied Wagtail 18th, 4 Redstart 6th and 9th, 1 Wheatear 25th, 28th, 29th and 30th, 1 Juvenile Grasshopper Warbler 20th, 6 Sedge Warbler 6th and 9th, 4 Reed Warbler 10th, 4 Lesser Whitethroat 11th, 2 Whitethroat 19th and 20th, 4 Garden Warbler 7th, 32 Blackcap 7th, 6 Chiffchaff 26th, 4 Willow Warbler 5th and 7th 3 Spotted Flycatcher 1st and 21st, 1 Marsh Tit 1st, 19th and 28th, 7 Willow Tit 1st, 5 Tree Sparrow 9th and 30th, 200 Goldfinch 25th, 100 Linnet 6th.

A total 119 species for this month is the highest count for August in 11 years and the joint second highest for the month since records began.

Previous years 107 in 2021, 111 in 2020, 112 in 2019, 113 in 2018, 114 in 2017.

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