DAVE EDMONDS

It is with great sadness that we have to report the death of CBC committee member Dave Edmonds who was until very recently, along with his wife Sue, our joint membership secretary.  Dave was a keen birder, who livened up a room with his inquisitive nature and enthusiasm for the subject.  He will be sorely missed.

As well as a member of his local bird club, Dave’s wider love of wildlife was illustrated by his commitment to Birdlife Malta, an organisation focused on stopping the annual slaughter of tens of thousands of birds by local hunters.  Not only did Dave talk to the club about this, convincing us to become ‘corporate’ members and subscribe much-needed funds, but he and Sue devoted some of their personal holiday time most years on the island to support the cause.  

Dave’s funeral is taking place at Ashbourne Bowls Club at 12 noon, on Thursday, 4 December.

CHAIRMAN’S THOUGHTS

As we come to the end of 2014 I have to say that this has been a very significant year in the history of our club due to changes in the personnel of your committee. Firstly, as you’ll just have read, we have sadly lost Dave Edmonds who had been ill for a while. He and his wife Sue had recently given up their joint committee role dealing with memberships which they had performed admirably for some years. As a result, I have temporarily assumed the Membership Secretary post for the immediate future.

As most of you also will know, Roger Carrington had to give up his position as our recorder, which he had held for over 11 years. Being responsible for the club’s bird records and publishing notes every month, together with the massive job of putting together the annual report at the end of the year, has not been his only job, huge as that all is. He has been the person who has worked with Severn Trent management, its volunteer rangers and RSPB volunteers to help coordinate and guide efforts for the good of wildlife at Carsington.

It has become evident that these various tasks that Roger seamlessly took on for over a decade have now to be taken on by more than just one person. As you may have noticed, Dave Newcombe and Clive Ashton have taken on the recording work and written the last couple of monthly reviews. I am very grateful for their willingness to do this valuable work.

I am also pleased to say that Gary Atkins has volunteered to undertake the editor’s job for the annual report with support from Roger and the rest of us.

All this however means that our committee is now woefully short of members. The officers and their roles are now basically carried out by just five people, which means that some things are not being executed efficiently – and other tasks are simply not done at all.

Speaking for myself (as I now hold three positions!) and on behalf of them, I am appealing for more club members to join us on the committee and hopefully to spread the work around more people. If you would like to join us don’t wait until our AGM in January to offer your services; please contact me as soon as possible at peter.gibbon@w3z.co.uk or phone 01629 534173. Your help will be most appreciated. Thank you.

Peter Gibbon

AUTUMN PROVES A QUIET TIME ON THE RESERVOIR – MOST OF THE TIME!

It’s been a relatively quiet time on the reservoir during the late summer and early autumn period. Both September and October total species records were below average, yet quite regularly the unusual and even spectacular sighting brightened up the day for someone.

And those quiet days were occasionally punctuated by huge flocks darkening the skies: Among the autumn movement, 5,430 Woodpigeons were counted flying south on 20 October, while on the final day of that month an influx of 1,352 Redwings and 352 Fieldfares was recorded, and it was pure delight to see a flock of 571 Lapwings on 16 November.

Up to 20,000 gulls have been estimated in the autumn roosts, with 6,000 Black-heads alone counted on one occasion. Such high numbers have made the rarer gulls harder still to spot, though a second winter Mediterranean Gull was recorded on 17 October and, the following month, an adult ‘Med’ plus a Caspian Gull were noted on 22 November.

Meanwhile, birders were scratching their heads over a possible Baltic Gull (sub-species of Lesser Black-backed) on 27 and 30 October, and the reservoir continues to be a magnet for ‘bonxies’ with the second Great Skua site record for the year in October. Carsington has, amazingly, produced half of all Derbyshire records of Great Skua.

Of the numerous waterfowl using the reservoir, Coot has as ever produced the highest count, with 1,318 in October, though Tufted Duck (638), Wigeon (342), Teal (277) and Pochard (131) have also been seen in some profusion. Other winter ducks returning, though in considerably smaller numbers, have included Pintail, Goosander, Goldeneye and Common Scoter, with Red-crested Pochard also seen fairly regularly.

Those enjoying the monthly ‘Birdwatching for Beginners’ walk in October, were amazed to see (and, with a bit of help, identify) a Snow Goose, which was seen on a couple of further occasions among other geese. It was a pure bird, but highly likely an escapee – as was a Brent Goose seen among Canadas on 27 October.

By the end of November we are still awaiting our regular winter visit from one or more Great Northern Diver; one did turn up on 28 October but stayed only briefly, as did a Black-necked Grebe earlier that month, though another turned up five days later, on 9 September, and stayed nearly two months, much to the delight of the numerous birders that spotted it.

Great-crested Grebes have numbered up to 60, while the absence of Brutus – the cannibal Yellow-legged Gull – allowed the Little Grebe population to climb to 35 in September, the highest total since 2010. We’re all hoping Brutus’ GPS is faulty this year and he fails to return.

Egrets have been notable for their variety as much as their quantity this year. A first ever Cattle Egret was recorded earlier in the year, while September brought a second 2014 record for the Great White Egret. Little Egrets, meanwhile, have popped up most months.

September was a brilliant month for raptors as an Osprey passed through on the 1^st, a Red Kite was seen on the 12^th, and a juvenile Marsh Harrier called in on the 14^th, followed by two Hobbys the following day. Merlins were seen on separate dates in October, and throughout the period the most commonly seen birds of prey were, as usual, Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk, with Peregrines also regular.

A Reed Warbler on 15 September was the latest ever for that species at Carsington by some margin, while other summer visitors left more or less on schedule: 130 House Martins were mobbing the visitor centre on 9 September, the last Wheatears were seen on 22 September and the final seven Swallows seen passed through on 5 October. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to be sure when the last Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs are recorded, since they are believed to overwinter with increasing regularity in Derbyshire.

Those passerines seen in greater numbers during the winter – like Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Linnet – have duly arrived and made their presence known, along with true winter migrants such as Brambling. White, Yellow, Grey and Pied Wagtails were all recorded during this period, with the latter logging the highest total, at 115, while a Rock Pipit was a noteworthy sighting on 15 October.

THRILLING TALKS WARM UP OUR WINTER PROGRAMME … NOW FOR XMAS PARTY!

Visitors to our indoor season of illustrated talks this autumn have experienced a breathtaking whirlwind tour of the globe, calling in on no fewer than three continents!

We began in September with a look at the brightly-coloured birds of south-west Australia, courtesy of our own chairman Peter Gibbon following his recent holiday there. Peter had stepped into the breach at short notice when Carol Taylor was unavoidably unable to show her presentation on Svalbard, Land of the Polar Bear, which may have taken the temperature down a degree or two. Carol has promised to return later.

Then, in October at our meeting staged jointly with DOS, Ian Newton whisked us away to the dreamy island nation of Trinidad and Tobago for a close-up look at some of the amazing birdlife found in the Caribbean.

Finally, in November, we were treated to an amazing display of photographs by Chris Ward, taken during a recent holiday in The Gambia, one of Africa’s birding hot-spots. Like his talk on Morocco last season, Chris’s talk this time gave viewers some extra insight into the geography of the area and the logistical considerations of visiting relatively remote areas of African nations.

In each of these talks, the stunning standard of photographs virtually carried the audiences right into the hot and exotic locations (or maybe it was just the Visitor Centre’s air con!), and certainly in some cases (your editor included) whetted the appetite for overseas birding trips.

In December, at our Christmas party (catering and raffle prizes welcome!), we will travel to a fourth continent and glimpse some of the more rarely-visited corners of Europe rich in birdlife. This is courtesy of CBC webmaster Richard Pittam who is due to deliver a talk describing his field trips to Eastern Europe, where he has patiently tracked down a plethora of interesting avifauna in Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.

See ‘What’s On’ below for news of future CBC and Severn Trent events.

WINTER HERALDS A BUSY TIME FOR CARSINGTON’S RANGERS

This year the warm summer seems to have extended well into the autumn, resulting in 2014 being another very busy year on site for the Severn Trent Water Rangers and Volunteer Rangers.

As visitor numbers reduce, this is the time of year that we focus our energies on ensuring Carsington Water remains an excellent location for both our visitors and our wildlife. A big focus this winter will be on our maintenance programme – designed to ensure the habitats we have remain in a great condition and continue to flourish in the coming year.

Much of this work involves cutting back growth both old and new in order to protect and improve existing habitat. When we do this it can look quite striking … and where chainsaws are involved it can also sound quite dramatic, but it ensures we retain a variety of habitats and thus a rich and varied birdlife.

Perhaps the most pressing task we have to undertake is the thinning of our 20 year-old plantation woodland, something I have written about previously in more detail. If you are out and about look for the areas where thinning has taken place in previous winters to see the improvements this brings in terms of increased light and dense regeneration, which are great for plants, invertebrates and the species that feed on them.

Woodland blocks to the south of the reservoir, particularly those below the dam, will again be a strong focus this winter and the volunteers will also reopen the three rides through the Sitch Plantation at Fishtail Creek, allowing views of the water and glimpses of species like Willow Tits that take advantage of this woodland edge habitat.

As well as the trees that were deliberately planted, there are plenty more trees that have set themselves, and not all in the places we’d like them to grow. An example of this is the amount of willow and alder that is growing in the reed bed at the northern tip of the reservoir. It’s amazing how quickly this has sprung up and we’re keen to take this out during the winter to protect the reeds.

This is particularly important as this habitat is becoming a great place to hear, and occasionally see, Reed Warblers in the spring and summer as well as the Reed Buntings, Water Voles and wildfowl that inhabit this small corner of the site. We’ll also need a healthy reed bed if we’re to woo any passing Bearded Tits, such as those that arrived in good numbers at Ogston Reservoir recently!

Our final priority will be to launch a second attack on the rhododendrons in Hall and Middle Woods. You may remember a few ago the volunteers did an amazing job of tackling the thick blanket of sprawling rhododendron. You may have also noticed some young plants springing up and it is these we will taking on this winter in the ongoing efforts to eradicate this species.

This work, combined with tree thinning, has transformed these woodlands allowing the carpet of bluebells we witness each spring, enabling a varied under storey to develop and attracting a range of woodland birds – not least Woodcocks which should be skulking through the leaf litter in the coming winter months.

John Matkin, Severn Trent Water Ranger

WHAT’S ON

We are now half-way through our autumn/winter series of indoor meetings, and the next one is also our Christmas party, at 7.30pm on 16 December, which will be strongly supported by a debut talk from our webmaster Richard Pittam; Richard has put together a talk based on his many photography trips to the birding hot spots of Eastern Europe.

Meanwhile – PLEASE! – anyone attending that meeting can help out the organisation of the night in one of two ways: firstly, if you’ve a raffle prize or two you could bring along for the Xmas draw it would be appreciated, and secondly, help with catering is always very welcome (but check with Peter Gibbon on what you want to bring along – either on 01629 534173 or by e-mail at peter.gibbon@w3z.co.uk – as he’ll have the full picture of what’s already pledged and what’s still required).

The first 2015 meeting, in January, will be our Annual General Meeting, which begins a half-hour earlier than usual, at 7am on the 20^th, and will be followed by a talk by Peter Gibbon on how Carsington Water’s records contribute to the overall picture of wetland bird health through the monthly WeBS counts which often throw up some unusual birds.

Please note there will be NO meeting in February, and a speaker for the March meeting on the 17^th is yet to be finalised.

Meanwhile, forthcoming Severn Trent Water events, including regular activities, are as follows (there is often a small charge, and, for some events, it’s recommended to book on 01629 540696):

First Sunday           Birdwatching for Beginners (enjoy a gentle two-hour stroll led by  Visitor Centre 10am-noon

each month          experienced STW volunteer ranger, David Bennett)

Tues/Sundays       Spotting wildlife (join STW volunteers in the Wildlife Centre)                                 10.30am-3.30pm

29 December      Winter wildlife mosaics (charge; minimum age 6)                                     Visitor Centre 10am-12.30

and 1.30-4pm

CHAIRMAN’S THOUGHTS

These last few days I have been doing a massive sort out of papers and such like at home. One thing I decided to send for re-cycling were my early diaries containing bird notes. They were all around 30 years old and their contents surprised me. Firstly all raptor records involved just two species, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk. But on Tuesday 5^th June I wrote: “Went to warden the Peregrine. A terrible night – lashing rain and windy. Never saw birds but heard them frequently. Saw Wheatear, Pipit and Skylark on top and heard Curlew and Cuckoo.”

This was in 1984 and was all about going to Alport Castle, up from Howden Dam, and related to the first pair of Peregrines to breed in Derbyshire in modern times. It was a long and steep climb to an edge, where a warden was constantly present, living in a small caravan on site. Now I can guarantee seeing a pair just half an hour’s walk from my house, or go to Belper Mill or Derby Cathedral or even most quarries around the area.

What a change – and it’s a similar story with the Buzzard. I had a curt sentence in my diary that year stating there were rumours that one had been seen nearby. This was exciting in those days because as Roy Frost and Steve Shaw state in their book there were only five records of this bird in 1985, with nine in 1989. That’s hard to believe as I look out of my sitting room and see one in Holloway or take my dog for a walk in Dethick and see five in the air together.

Four Little Egrets have been recorded in the last two weeks at Carsington: exciting for us today, but could we in future look back and say it’s hard to believe that this event was so rare. In the UK this summer there have been records of breeding Glossy Ibis and Bee-eater and, who knows, 30 years from now they may  become a common sight around Carsington. On the other hand, during a visit to Carsington on 6^th May 1982 I noted seeing four Grey Partridges and two Yellowhammers. It would be nice to write such records today.

Peter Gibbon

CHANGES TO OUR COMMITTEE

We have unfortunately to state that there are some important changes being made to the CBC Committee. Our joint Membership Secretaries Sue and Dave Edmonds have to give up their jobs immediately; they will be sorely missed. They have been great supporters of the work and aims of our club because they are devoted to bird conservation – as their long-standing voluntary work in Malta has shown. We will miss their work greatly and wish them well in the future.

Also soon to leave his position as the club’s Recorder is Roger Carrington. When he began telling people of his unavoidable decision, site manager Dan Taberner said: “On behalf of Severn Trent Water and from the team at Carsington, I would like to thank you for all the hard work you have put into this over the last 10 years. Your recording and monthly updates have been incredibly important to us.” And Bryan Barnacle (Chair of DOS) stated: “Your efforts have benefited the site and the county permanent record enormously and it is good to know that your will continue birding at the reservoir.”

These comments are well deserved as over the last decade Roger has been the lynchpin that kept the recording and conservation aims of our club working really effectively. As Dan’s words indicate, his liaison with STW on-site management has been crucial and well respected, and our authoritative records, detailed exhaustively in our annual report, are down to his many hours of dedication and management.

We are lucky to have had his attributes and skills at our disposal. His management skills were clearly shown when he succeeded in persuading Dave Newcombe and Clive Ashton to take over the recording role right away; we are pleased to have them doing the job and joining the committee. Finally, I must also thank Gary Atkins for taking on the management of the annual report from January.

BREEDING GOOD YEAR FOR YOUNG BIRDS AT CARSINGTON!

This year has seen an upturn in breeding success around the reservoir, following a largely poor year in 2013. Most water birds had more or larger-sized broods, with only Tufted Duck significantly down. There was some predation, notably of a couple of well-advanced young Oystercatchers … and the return of Brutus, the voracious Yellow-legged Gull has probably done no good for the smaller water birds; at least one young Moorhen certainly fell victim to his cannibalistic tendencies!

More than 60 Black-headed Gull chicks were counted at the Wildlife Centre and on Millfield Island and, among raptors, Sparrowhawk certainly bred successfully.

Observed adult behaviour indicated that Kingfisher and Tawny Owls almost certainly reared young, along with Reed and Sedge Warblers, while alert birders also noted the fledged young of Swallow, Swift, Grey and Pied Wagtails, Redstart, Goldfinch, Nuthatch, Lesser Whitethroat, and most tits including Willow and Long-tails.

Red Kites are becoming monthly regulars at Carsington, and over the summer so were Hobbys – recorded in June, July and August. Ospreys showed up twice in June, Peregrines were spotted on several occasions, and the most common raptor of all, Buzzard, was often spied soaring on thermals above the woodland with as many as five seen on the same day.

The northerly spread of certain species means we see Little Egrets patrolling the shallow portions of inland waters more and more often – and, sure enough, up to four were counted among Carsington’s creeks in early August. And one of its bigger cousins, the Great White Egret, dropped in on 8 July; this bird was ringed as a nestling in France last year and, before arriving in Derbyshire, was recorded in the Netherlands.

Two Great Skuas – or Bonxies – gave Carsington a cursory glance during a circuit lasting just seven minutes, spotted by a sharp-eyed early-morning birder on 26 August. Meanwhile, the tern passage saw as many as 55 Common through on the same day, while single Arctic and Black terns also made appearances in late July and August.

Escapees caused a little excitement – not to mention confusion – among observers until more seasoned birders recognised a pair of Australian Wood Ducks and a single white and three blue Snow Geese, all likely to be from collections. Up to 12 Common Scoter were seen on several days in July, seven Red-crested Pochard were counted on 19 August, and various low numbers of Goosander, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mandarin were recorded, plus a single Scaup in late June.

Maximum waterfowl counts were growing as autumn approached: on 27 August, 988 Coot were counted, along with 618 Canada Geese and 453 Tufted Ducks. Earlier maximums included 338 Mallard, 42 Cormorant and 53 Great Crested Grebe – and it was gratifying to see a fair number of Little Grebe had returned. Top wader was Lapwing with up to 113, joined by smaller numbers of Greenshank, Redshank, Curlew, Whimbrel, Dunlin, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Common and Green Sandpipers, Black-tailed Godwit … and a single Ruff!

During a summer that saw a record site monthly species tally for June (99) followed by July’s healthy 102 species, it’s not surprising that individual walks around the reservoir resulted in high numbers of passerines. Up to 61 Wrens, 39 Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, 35 Blackbirds, 33 Blackcaps and 26 Robins were counted. As many as 80 Tree Sparrows were recorded in the vicinity of the Wildlife Centre, and charms of up to 70 Goldfinches were noted, with smaller flocks of Linnets and Meadow Pipits regularly showing up.

The dam wall continues to be a place where birds on the move drop down for a rest – and Whinchat, pipits, Yellow Wagtails and Wheatear have all been among recent sightings there.

BIRD OF THE ISSUE: LITTLE EGRET

It was hard to choose this issue’s top bird, not least because the Great White Egret is a more uncommon sight still, but Little Egrets are one of the examples of how a steadily changing climate attracts a northerly flow of ‘exotic’ birds … and Little Egrets, with their pure white plumage, black bill and legs and yellow feet are certainly exotic.

Standing around two feet tall, Egretta garzetta hunts fish, amphibians, crustaceans and reptiles in shallow water, sometimes standing stock still to ambush its prey, or kicking its feet or spreading its wings out to disturb creatures living in the silt.

It lives in colonies, often with other heron/egret species on loose platforms of twigs and branches. Pairs defend a small breeding territory and generally produce between three and five eggs.

Preferring warm temperate wetlands, Little Egrets are widespread across Africa, Asia and Europe and have even begun to colonise North America and the Caribbean. History tells us that Little Egrets were once common in Britain (and a bird of the table), but over-hunting and a cooler climate during the ‘Little Ice Age’ of the late medieval period saw them disappear from our landscape.

Interestingly, it was one of the species that prompted the formation of the RSPB in 1889, when the ‘Plumage League’ (as the society was originally called) was formed by a group of women objecting to the trade in hats made of exotic feathers. At that time egrets, along with other species, were farmed – or hunted – for this purpose.

Today, as the global climate slowly warms, Little Egrets have spread north from their Mediterranean strongholds – and in just a quarter of a century they have re-established a sizeable population in the UK and Ireland. As recently as 1989, birders were excited by the increasing volume of UK sightings, chiefly on the south coast but on inland waters, too. Since then the spread north has accelerated quickly and they have become a regular British breeding bird.

In 1996 they bred in Dorset – on Brownsea Island – and there are now dozens of proven breeding sites which are home to around 750 pairs. After the breeding season, a population of around 4,500 can be expected, and this swells further during spring and autumn migrations.

WILDLIFE CENTRE POND RECEIVES MUCH NEEDED FACELIFT

Over the past eight months our volunteer rangers have been working hard to redevelop the pond and viewing screen at the Wildlife Centre. The pond had been in place for many years but it had become obvious that the liner was failing and it was struggling to hold water.

This was not only disappointing from the point of view of our visitors, but was also having a detrimental effect on the wildlife in and around the pond. There were several, less desirable species of plants that had taken over, crowding out the more beneficial ones; and these, in turn, were having an impact on the diversity of insects and birds present. It was also noticed that water voles, which used to be fairly regular visitors to the pond, were much less visible.

The STW Rangers and volunteer team decided to take on the project to refurbish the pond area and to try to make it a more natural environment, similar to the pond out on Stones Island in the outdoor education classroom.

We removed the old synthetic pond liner and replaced it with a traditional and more natural puddling clay liner. As a result, the pond will now behave much more like a naturally formed pond: In periods of dry weather the water will evaporate and the levels will be low. It is hoped that the pond will then recover over wetter months. While this fluctuation in water level is to be expected and natural, it may appear more extreme during the first couple of years until the clay base settles and forms a seal.

The next task will be to populate the surrounding area with plant life both by planting and allowing nature to bloom. We look forward to seeing the pond and its wildlife develop as each season goes by.

While working in that location we also decided to try to improve the space available for viewing birds out on the island and the water in front of the Wildlife Centre. The old viewing area directly outside the door was very cramped, making it awkward for birdwatchers and visitors alike. By cutting back the vegetation outside the door and creating a much larger screen and viewing space it is hoped that it will now be a much more comfortable experience for all visitors to that area.

Dave Drury – Severn Trent Water Ranger

WHAT’S ON?

The autumn/winter series of indoor meetings is upon us (where did the summer go?!), and we kick off with a very icy offering from Carol Taylor who is going to tell us about a visit to Svalbard and show us some of the brilliant pictures she took there. The full CBC programme of events up to Christmas is as follows – and do remember that meetings are held in the Henmore Room of the Visitor Centre, starting at 7.30pm:

16 September      ‘Land of the Polar Bear’ by Carol Taylor

21 October           ‘Trinidad and Tobago’ by Ian Newton (our joint meeting with Derbyshire Ornithological Society)

18 November      ‘The Gambia’ by Chris Ward

16 December      ‘Eastern Europe – Hungary and Bulgaria’ by Richard Pittam (our very own webmaster is guest speaker at our Christmas party event)

Forthcoming Severn Trent Water events, including regular activities, are as follows (there is often a small charge, and, for some events, it’s recommended to book on 01629 540696):

First Sunday  each month  –  Birdwatching for Beginners (enjoy a gentle two-hour stroll led by experienced STW volunteer ranger, David Bennett) – Visitor Centre 10am-noon

Tues/Sundays       Spotting wildlife (join STW volunteers in the Wildlife Centre) – 10.30am-3.30pm

20 September     Learn wildlife and in-flight photography (this is a paid-for course) – Visitor Centre 10.30am-4pm

6 October             Nature Tots: Tree-mendous – Visitor Centre 10-11.30am

11 October           Introduction to fungi (classroom, then foraging) – Visitor Centre 10am-4pm

29 October           Halloween family fun: making lanterns – Visitor Centre 1-3.30pm

followed by lantern-lit trail round Stones Island –  4.30-6pm

31 October           Mammal challenge – making bat boxes – Visitor Centre 11am-2pm

3 November         Nature Tots: Creatures of the Night – Visitor Centre 10-11.30am

29 November      Willow wreath workshop, just in time for Christmas – Visitor Centre 10am-noon