Carsington Bird Club – Page 40 – Carsington Bird Club

Roosting Ospreys…

Ashbourne People

A RARE osprey has been seen spending the night at a Derbyshire beauty spot for the first time – weeks after special £1,000 nesting platforms were installed. Conservationists at Carsington Water see the bird’s decision to roost as a major boost in their plans to encourage ospreys to breed at the reservoir, near Ashbourne. Ospreys are very rare, with only about 400 birds left in the UK – most of them in Scotland. David Bennett is one of the volunteer rangers and said it was an “exciting development”. He said: “The first ospreys to be seen after the installation of the nest posts were on April 2 and 3. “But regrettably, after briefly flying around the reservoir, they continued on their journey north. “Then, on election day, a different osprey not only visited the water, but roosted overnight, before finally flying off.”

For more details click here.

Carsington Bird Club

Apr 2011 Bird Notes

APRIL 2011 BIRD NOTES

April Highlights: Great Northern Diver, Sacred Ibis! Red Kite, Osprey and Common Migrants.

Works to isolate Sheepwash Spit and use the spoil to form a protective spit and small island were completed at the beginning of the month. Although the spit is now an island it will retain its historic name ‘Sheepwash Spit’, and the partly submerged spoil spit and island nearer to Sheepwash Hide, already attracting passage waders and terns, will be referred to as Sheepwash Island.

The 3 Great Northern Divers stayed all month, the adult attaining full summer plumage by 27^th. The ‘wild’ Barnacle Goose, ringed ADZ, was daily with the feral flock and there were at least 3 pairs with nests by 27^th. A Sacred Ibis was at the Wildlife Centre from 1530hrs on 25^th, origin unknown but most likely an escapee. Wildfowl counts were; only 2 Little Grebe all month, 42 Great Crested Grebe on 19^th, 5 Greylag Geese on 7^th and 17^th, 59 Canadas on 19^th, 32 Barnacles on 4^th, 5 Shelduck on 21^st, 2 Wigeon on 10^th, 2 Gadwall on 17^th, 55 adult Mallard on 19^th, a pair of Shoveler on 10^th, 126 Tufted Duck on 19^th, 2 Goldeneye on 20^th, 3 Goosander on 15^th, and 67 Coot on 19^th. Eight broods of Mallard (size; 13-17-7-6-11-7-19-3) were noted by the end of the month. Two Red-legged Partridge were flushed from a path in Fishtail Creek on 2^nd.

There were 3 sightings of Red Kite; on 3^rd, 6^th and 26^th during a month when many individuals were noted in Derbyshire. An Osprey delighted many observers from 0832 to 1530hrs at least on 2^nd and again on 3^rd and probably involves the same bird. A Hobby was seen from the Wildlife Centre on 19^th and a Peregrine was noted on 3^rd, 7^th and 11^th.

Wader passage included a maximum of 7 Little Ringed Plover on 14^th, 1 Ringed Plover on 1^st, 20^th and 21^st, 3 Dunlin on 9^th, 1 Black-tailed Godwit on 19^th, 1 Whimbrel on 20^th, 23^rd and 28^th, 4 Curlew on 15^th, 2 Greenshank on Sheepwash Island on 28^th, 1 Green Sandpiper on Sheepwash Island on 17^th and 4 Common Sandpiper, also on Sheepwash Island, on 29^th. Most breeding pairs of Oystercatcher, Redshank and Lapwing were settled and sitting tight.

Very few gulls were around, and the noisy Black-headed Gulls vacated their raft breeding base at the Wildlife Centre and moved to the new island at Sheepwash, but no signs of breeding, yet! An immature Mediterranean Gull was at Sheepwash on 25^th, 120 Lesser Black-backed were noted on 4^th and an immature Yellow-legged Gull was at Sheepwash on 1^st. The first tern through was a Common Tern on 1^st, with a maximum of 3 on 27^th. An Arctic Tern on 26^th was followed by a flock of 46 straight through in the evening of 28^th. Early Black Tern this year, with 5 off Stones Island from 1800hrs on 20^th.

All 3 woodpecker species this month, with Green on 18^th and 26^th, Lesser Spotted on 9^th and Great Spotted daily. Sand Martin passage reached 100+ on 3^rd, Swallows 100+ on 13^th, House Martins stuck at 2 on 4^th and 12^th and Swift did not come until 1^st May. A Tree Pipit flew over Stones Island on 10^th, the first Yellow Wagtail were 2 on 13^th, with a maximum of 6 on 18^th, only 1 White Wagtail on 13^th, Common Redstart on 12^th, 13^th and 19^th, 4 Wheatear on 2^nd and a late Fieldfare flock of 50+ flew over Sheepwash on 1^st. A Song Thrush pair was feeding fledged young on 28^th. Warblers kept arriving with blackcaps everywhere, seemingly outnumbering all others this year. The first Sedge was on 19^th, Lesser Whitethroat on 17^th and 5 on 27^th, Whitethroat on 19^th, Garden on 19^th and 7 on 27^th, 28 Blackcap between Millfields and Hopton via WLC on 27^th, 22 Chiffchaff on 4^th and 19 Willow Warbler on 27^th. A Pied Flycatcher was singing in Hall Wood on 22^nd and 3 Tree Creepers were also singing in there on 19^th. Horseshoe Island attracted a flock of 15+ Linnet on 11^th and 6 Bullfinch were around Sheepwash car park feeder on 18^th.

111 Species were recorded compared with 116 in April 2010, 110 in 2009, 118 in 2008, 103 in 2007, 118 in 2006, 117 in 2005, 116 in 2004, 120 in 2003 and 107 in 2002.

Carsington Bird Club

News – April 2011 – Carsington Water’s controversial past

Carsington Water is the UK’s ninth largest reservoir and took almost three decades of planning and building.

The project also had some serious setbacks.

Click here to see a video….

Carsington Bird Club

Mar 2011 Bird Notes

MARCH 2011 BIRD NOTES

March Highlights: Whooper Swan, ‘Wild’ Barnacle Goose, Rock Pipit, Black Redstart, Snow Bunting, and early summer migrants return.

Generally March has been a calm dry month with some good birds and good finds giving a monthly species count of 106, just below the best ever March of 107 species in 2005. The Great Northern Diver count was 2 juveniles at the start of the month, then 3 on 6^th and 4 on 14^th including 1 seen flying in at dusk on 14^th. This number quickly reduced to 3, but included an adult bird not previously noted, and one was seen eating a crayfish on 28^th. A national Whooper Swan movement northwards brought in flocks of 6 and 16 on 1^st and 2 on 3^rd. There was a Pink-footed Goose on Stones Island on 9^th and 3 on 30-31^st. A Barnacle Goose with an orange leg ring was found with the feral flock on 9^th and stayed for the rest of the month. The leg ring letters ADZ were traced to it being ringed on 8/2/99 at Caerlaverock as a first year bird, so was hatched in 1998 and has been seen on the Solway most winters since. Maximum counts this month; 4 Little Grebe on 23^rd, 38 Great Crested Grebe on 13^th, 6 Greylag on 21^st and 23^rd, 36 Barnacle on 1^st, 2 Shelduck on 20^th, a pair of Mandarin on 21^st, 24 Wigeon on 21^st, 2 Gadwall on 3^rd and 16^th, 104 Teal on 7^th, 81 Mallard on 13^th, 2 Pintail on 1^st-13^th, 4 drake Shoveler on 13^th, 12 Pochard on 1^st, 270 Tufted Duck on 13^th, 2 drake Common Scoter on 22^nd, 15 Goldeneye on 7^th, a drake Red-breasted Merganser on 27^th, 3 Goosander on 28^th, 8 Moorhen on 13^th and 116 Coot on 13^th.

A Red Kite was seen by several observers on 13^th, 6 Common Buzzard were up over Carsington village on 11^th and a pair of Peregrine were in flight together on 21^st. At least 12 Oystercatchers were noted on 21^st, many as pairs on their breeding islands. A Ringed Plover was around Stones Island on 25^th and the first Little Ringed Plover of the year landed at Watersports on 26^th. The remnants of the wintering Lapwing flock totalled 39 on 1^st, 3 Dunlin were noted on 9^th and there were 6 Snipe at the Wildlife Centre on 21^st. Curlew were pouring through early in the month with flocks of 24 on 1^st, 25 on 5^th, 36 on 6^th, 50 on 9^th and 40 on 10^th. At least 6 Redshank were present on 20^th and probably all month, but spread around the site.

An adult Mediterranean Gull was in the roost on 7^th. Counts of the gull roost proved difficult due to the spread of birds across the whole water, but include 900 Black-headed Gull on 28^th, 200 Common Gull on 6^th, 63 Lesser Black-backed Gull on 28^th, 4 Herring Gull mid-morning on 27^th and 11 Great Black-backed on 1^st. There was an adult Yellow-legged Gull on 2^nd and 9^th, thankfully not the little grebe killer which has not been seen since the end of February.

The Barn Owl was hunting at Sheepwash again on 2^nd and 14^th. Good finds this month were a Rock Pipit on Sheepwash Spit on 7^th, a female Black Redstart (fourth site record) in Wildlife Centre Creek on 29^th and still there on 30^th for several observers to catch up with this species, and a male Snow Bunting (second site record) on Sheepwash Spit early on 8^th, staying only minutes but long enough for a record photograph. Spring migrant arrivals were; 6 Sand Martin on 26^th and 25 on 30^th, 2 Swallows on 29^th, a male Common Redstart on 28^th, a Blackcap on 30^th, a Chiffchaff on 12^th and 19 on 21^st and a Willow Warbler on 30^th. Other counts were; 24 Wood Pigeon on 3^rd, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker on 21^st, 4 Skylark on 23^rd, 23 Meadow Pipit on 28^th, 23 Pied Wagtail on 11^th, 100 Fieldfare on 28^th, 61 Redwing on 10^th, 160 Starling on 14^th, 28 Tree Sparrow on 25^th, 2 Brambling on 21^st, 1 Linnet on 28^th, 4 Lesser Redpoll on 16^th, 6 Bullfinch on 7^th, 1 Yellowhammer on 19^th and 6 male Reed Bunting on 1^st.

106 Species recorded this March compared with101 in March 2010, 102 in 2009, 104 in 2008, 95 in 2007, 100 in 2006, 107 in 2005 and 98 in 2004.