Yesterday (1 October), we heard the sad news that long-time recorder at Carsington Water Eddie Walker had passed away the previous day at his home in Belper, surrounded by his nieces and sister Brenda.

Eddie, who was 79 and had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year, leaves behind a considerable legacy to Carsington Bird Club and to birding in general – in Derbyshire and beyond.  He was one of the founder members of CBC shortly after the opening of the reservoir (his original membership number was 007!), and was on the club’s first committee in 1992 with responsibility as Recorder, a position he held for very many years before handing over to Roger Carrington after deciding to move to Spain. 

A number of “firsts” on site and the detailed records over those first dozen years or so of the reservoir’s existence were largely down to Eddie and his recording team of the day.  

He lived in Spain for around 20 years, in the small town of Rafal on the Costa Blanca, but came back for extended breaks in the UK – usually to escape the extreme heat experienced during the Spanish summer.  We therefore saw plenty of him during those trips back ‘home’and Carsington remained a cherished spot for him throughout those final 20 years, though he enjoyed going to other sites like Wyver Lane, Ogston, Willington, Old Moor and Blacktoft Sands on a regular basis.  Several months ago he sold up in Spain and moved back to England for good.

For those wishing to attend his funeral, we will post the time and date on the website.

May 2023 BIRD NOTES

HIGHLIGHTS: Great Northern Diver, Osprey, Bar-tailed Godwit, Wood Sandpiper, Turnstone, Cuckoo, Spotted Flycatcher and Pied Flycatcher.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 21^st unless dated otherwise. 1 Great Northern Diver reported every day until it was last seen on 12^th, 1 Little Grebe 21^st, 29^th and 30^th, 47 Great Crested Grebe, 17 Cormorant 3^rd, 2 Little Egret 16^th, 2 Grey Heron reported on 8 dates this month, 6 Mute Swan 1^st, 25^th, 29^th and 30^th, 38 Greylag Goose, 182 Canada Goose, 4 Barnacle Goose 26^th, 3 Shelduck 8^th, 1 Mandarin 10^th and 11^th, 1 Wigeon 1^st and 12^th, 17 Gadwall, 2 Teal 30^th, 51 Mallard, 2 Shoveler 24^th , 52 Tufted Duck 23^rd, 2 Goldeneye 1^st, 1 Goosander 26^th, 4 Moorhen 7^th, 23 Coot, 1 Kingfisher 20^th.

Raptor sightings included 2 Red Kite reported on 6 dates this month, 1 Sparrowhawk on 11 dates, 14 Buzzards 3^rd,1 Osprey 5^th and 13^th with a possible 2 on 12^th, 2 Kestrel reported on 7 dates, 1 Hobby 4^th, 13^th and 19^th, 1 Peregrine 3^rd, 12^th, 17^th and 31^st.

Sixteen species of waders through this month with 13 Oystercatcher 4^th, 1 Avocet 9^th and 28^th, 2 Ringed Plover 23^rd, 1 Grey Plover 4^th, 3 Lapwing 19^th, 25^th and 26^th, 1 Sanderling 12^th and 27^th, 2 Dunlin 4^th, 5^th and 8^th, 1 Snipe 1^st and 8^th, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit 11 dates this month, 5 Whimbrel 5^th, 2 Curlew 14^th, 4 Redshank 5^th, 6^th, 10^th and 30^th, 1 Greenshank 15^th, 2 Wood Sandpiper 5^th, 2 Common Sandpiper 5^th, 1 Turnstone 26^th and 28^th.

Maximum Gull numbers were 1 Little Gull 19^th, 250 Black-headed Gull 20^th and 21^st, 3 Common Gull 19^th, 74 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 30^th, 2 Great black-backed Gull 19^th.

18 Common Tern 31^st, 6 Arctic Tern 10^th, 3 Black Tern 31^st.

Along with the other species were 1 Cuckoo 4^th and 13^th, 1 Tawny Owl 20^th and 23^rd, 50 Swift 13^th, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker reported on 6 dates this month, 100 Sand Martin 2^nd and 13^th, 100 Swallow 13^th, 50 House Martin 13^th and 31^st, 1 Yellow Wagtail 6^th and 7^th, 2 Grey Wagtails 10^th, 11^th, 20^th, 23^rd and 26^th, 123 Wren 20^th (from a perimeter count), 104 Robin 20^th, 6 Redstart 20^th, 1 Cetti’s Warbler 29^th, 14 Sedge Warbler 20^th, 5 Reed Warbler 9^th, 2 Lesser Whitethroat 20^th, 1 Whitethroat 2^nd, 10^th, 17^th and 20^th, 22 Garden Warbler 20^th, 60 Blackcap 20^th, 72 Chiffchaff 20^th, 26 Willow Warbler 20^th, 2 Spotted Flycatcher 20^th, 2 Pied Flycatcher 7^th, 9^th and 13^th, 1 Marsh Tit 14^th, 5 Willow Tit 26^th, 150 Jackdaw 6^th, 7 Raven 6^th, 11^th and 23^rd, 2 Tree Sparrow 7^th and 11^th, 3 Greenfinch 20^th, 27 Lesser Redpoll 4^th, 15 Bullfinch 20^th, 4 Reed Bunting 20^th,

The total 115 species noted compares to 113 in 2022, 111 in 2021, 87 in 2020, 108 in 2019, 104 in 2018.

March 2023 BIRD NOTES

HIGHLIGHTS: Black-necked Grebe, record Skylark numbers, Sand Martin, Swallow, Stonechat, Wheatear, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.

 Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 12^th unless dated otherwise. 1 Great Northern Diver reported most days till the end of the month, 4 Little Grebe 3^rd and 8^th, 40 Great Crested Grebe 8^th, 8 Black-necked Grebe 8^th 6 in summer plumage and 2 in winter plumage a record number for Derbyshire, 15 Cormorant 4^th, 2 Little Egret 20^th, 21^st and 22^nd, 5 Grey Heron 7^th, 20^th and 22^nd, 3 Mute Swan 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd, 20 Greylag Goose 7^th, 200 Canada Goose 7^th, 20 Barnacle Goose 8^th, 3 Shelduck 6^th, 3 Mandarin 12^th and 13^th, 100 Wigeon 12^th, 56 Gadwall, 210 Teal, 145 Mallard, 6 Pintail 13^th and 22^nd, 2 Shoveler 7^th, 26 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Scoter 16^th (immature male), 12 Goldeneye, 2 Goosander 12^th and 20^th, 6 Moorhen, 126 Coot, 1 Kingfisher 12^th and 13^th.

Raptor sightings included 4 Red Kite 21^st and 22^nd, 3 Sparrowhawk 12^th, 18 Buzzards 17^th, 2 Kestrel 4^th and 16^th, 2 Peregrine 5^th and 13^th.

Ten species of waders through this month with 12 Oystercatcher 11^th and 12^th, 1 Little Ringed Plover 21^st, 28^th and 31^st, 1 Golden Plover 17^th, 78 Lapwing 6^th, 4 Dunlin 21^st, 1 Jack Snipe 15^th, 11 Snipe 12^th, 2 Woodcock 5^th, 43 Curlew 8^th, 6 Redshank 29^th.

Maximum Gull numbers were 2 Mediterranean Gull 22^nd, Black-headed Gull present all month but not in significant numbers, Common Gull also present this month, 130 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 5^th, 17 Herring Gull 4^th, 1 Caspian Gull 4^th, 11^th, 12^th, 13^th and 14^th, 2 Great black-backed Gull 8^th, 11^th, 22^nd, 29^th and 30^th, 1 Kittiwake 13^th seen off Stones Island for around 15 minutes before departing.

Along with the other species were 966 Wood Pigeon 17^th, 1 Barn Owl 12^th, 16^th and 21^st seen in the Sheepwash/Tail Bay area early in the morning, 2 Tawny Owl 18^th, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th, 130 Skylark 12^th, 40 Sand Martin 30^th, 40 Swallow 30^th, 65 Meadow Pipit 17^th, 4 Grey Wagtails 17^th, 1 Stonechat 12^th, 13^th, 14^th, 15^th and 18^th, 3 Wheatear 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd, 44 Fieldfare 16^th, 100 Redwing 3^rd and 6^th, 13 Chiffchaff 20^th, 1 Willow Warbler 31^st, 1 Marsh Tit reported on 7 dates this month, 6 Willow Tit 2^nd, 8^th and 16^th, 6 Raven 19^th and 21^st, 200 Starling 3^rd, 5 Tree Sparrow 8^th, 4 Greenfinch 3^rd and 17^th, 10 Siskin 8^th, 50 Linnet 7^th,11 Lesser Redpoll 23^rd, 10 Bullfinch 15^th, 8 Reed Bunting 2^nd.

The total 102 species noted compares to 106 in 2022, 102 in 2021, 95 in 2020, 100 in 2019, 102 in 2018.