Carsington Bird Club – Page 49 – Carsington Bird Club

Dec 2010 Bird Notes

DECEMBER 2010 BIRD NOTES

December Highlights: Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Smew and Waxwing.

It is hardly surprising that the number of records and bird species recorded this month was relatively low. December started with 2 feet of snow, making virtually everywhere inaccessible, with a lot remaining until Christmas. Ice cover over the water increased relentlessly in constant sub zero temperatures, until there was 95% cover on 20^th, following an overnight minimum of minus 17C, leaving four pockets of water for wildfowl. One small pocket off SailingClubIsland held 1000 birds and others were observed from a great distance to avoid any risk of disturbance in these difficult feeding times. To finish off the month, along came many days of fog, during which time ice only reduced to 70% cover.

The juvenile Great Northern Diver, which arrived in November, stayed all month and was joined by another juvenile from 11^th. A Slavonian Grebe was found in Millfields Bay on 10^th, the first Derbyshire record since 2006, and it kindly remained showy until 21^st. Six adult Whooper Swans flew west at 1020hrs on 11^th and Pink-footed Geese movement included 240 northeast at 1400hrs on 18^th and 44 southwest at 1002hrs on 19^th. Maximum counts were: 19 Little Grebe on 12^th, a new site record of 95 Great Crested Grebe on the WeBS count on 19^th, 1 Greylag Goose on 7^th, 54 Canada Geese on 19^th, 43 feral Barnacle Geese on 15^th, a pair of Mandarin on 13^th, 325 Wigeon on 19^th, 70 Gadwall on 19^th, 99 Teal on 27^th, 204 Mallard on 19^th, 3 Pintail on 13^th, 5 drake Shoveler on 11^th, 133 Pochard on 12^th, 728 Tufted on 12^th, 29 Goldeneye on 15^th, 19 Goosander on 11^th and 1783 Coot on 19^th. A female Smew was found in Shiningford Creek early on 19^th but could not be found later in the day. It was refound in the fog on 27^th and stayed aroundFlatIsland andBigIsland into the New Year.

The only notable raptor records were of Peregrine and one was mobbed by the local Raven pair on 15^th. Waders included a Knot on Stones Island on 15^th and at Sheepwash on 18^th, a Dunlin on 6^th and other dates until 20^th, 2 Snipe on 13^th and 29^th and 3 Redshank on 19^th. Curlew records in December are unusual here, so fly-overs of 3 then 4, both west on 7^th, 5 east on 11^th and 1 south on 18^th are probably significant and may reflect the current abnormal weather and the curlews’ search for food and safe roost.

Not surprisingly either the gull roost or the gull roost watchers gave up this month so there were no big counts of Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Common Gull totalled 150 and Herring Gull 23 on 13^th and Great Black-backed Gull 12 on 14^th. The winter resident adult Yellow-legged Gull was noted eating another Little Grebe on 23^rd, further reducing our abnormally low number of wintering Little Grebe.

A little Owl and a Kingfisher were near the Wildlife Centre on 21^st. Waxwings were around with fly-overs of 1 on 7^th, 2 on 11^th, 1 on 14^th, 1on 19^th and, finally, 5 feeding in a hedge on 21^st. Species counts include; 9 Collared Dove on 17^th, 16 Blackbird, 23 Fieldfare and 6 Song Thrush, all on 24^th, 75 Redwing on 15^th, 8 Willow Tit on 24^th, 110 Jackdaw on 10^th, 4 Raven on 19^th, 1 Brambling on 5^th and 6^th, 50 Siskin on 13^th and 8 Bullfinch on 24^th.

88 species recorded compared with 93 in December 2009, 95 in 2008, 91 in 2007, 99 in 2006, 88 in 2005, 95 in 2004, 97 in 2003 and 89 in 2002.

Carsington Bird Club

Tittesworth – Winter 2010

A Happy New Year to all readers!

Welcome to the 31^st consecutive quarterly newsletter.

Weather and season

OCTOBER: There was heavy rain early in the month with some local roads being flooded. A quieter spell followed, turning quite warm with a local daytime high of 17ºC on the 10^th. There was a frost overnight on the 12^th/13^th. The second half of the month was unremarkable with some sunny days but severe frosts on the 24^th and 25^th.

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Carsington Bird Club

Nov 2010 Bird Notes

NOVEMBER 2010 BIRD NOTES

November Highlights: Great Northern Diver, Whooper Swan, Kittiwake, Black Redstart, Bearded Tit and Snow Bunting.

An average November for species numbers at 96, but species quality was superb with Bearded Tit and Snow Bunting being new species for the site, taking our definitive list total to 223 in the 19 year life of Carsington. The male Bearded Tit was found on 1^st in the small reedbed to the left of Sheepwash Hide. It was initially heard in disbelief, then a male was clearly seen and stayed long enough for several birders to see it before it flew high west. The Snow Bunting was found on Stones Island on 25^th and proved elusive and mobile but at least three birders saw it.

A Great Northern Diver was seen on 7^th, too distant to determine age. On 12^th, a juvenile GND, which could have been the same bird, was near the dam wall and stayed for the rest of the month. Ten Whooper Swans, including 3 juveniles, flew into Sheepwash on 7^th and were still present at dusk. On 25^th 2 Whooper Swans were noted off Stones Island, recorded again on 26^th and again briefly on 29^th before flying off west at dusk. Pink-footed Geese movements were 200 E at 0835hrs on 10^th, 55 E at 0900hrs on 10^th and 130 NW at 0930hrs on 18^th. Wildfowl maximum counts were from the WeBS count on 14^th except where stated: 38 Little Grebe on 18^th, 58 Great Crested Grebe, 33 Cormorant, 25 Mute Swans, 1 drake Mandarin on 1^st, 277 Wigeon, 32 Gadwall, 209 Teal, 263 Mallard, 2 Pintail, 10 Shoveler on 8^th, 3 Red-crested Pochard on 8^th, 62 Pochard, 578 Tufted Duck, 15 Goldeneye on 10^th, 8 Goosander on 15^th, 15 Moorhen and 1330 Coot.

Waders included counts of 293 Lapwing on 14^th and in flight flocks up to circa 400 on 23^rd. Dunlin, Snipe and Redshank were around all month with maximums of 8 Dunlin on 12^th, 8 Snipe on 24^th, 5 Redshank on 24^th and a late Common Sandpiper on 15^th.

The wildfowl numbers are significantly down on recent years, which is probably due to the unusually low water levels, losing a massive surface area of water and connecting most of the islands to the shoreline, rendering them an unsafe roost. Another factor could be the winter resident Yellow-legged Gull, which has increased its diet from the Little Grebes last winter to include Tufted Duck this winter. The gull flies low terrorising most birds on the water, even Coot scuttle along the water surface in large numbers as it approaches. It operates by repeatedly landing on the selected bird, trying to drown it. On 20^th it was seen to kill and eat a female tufted duck and the following day was seen feeding on a different tufted. An adult and a first winter Mediterranean Gull were in the roost on 2^nd. The gull roost also held 4000 Black-headed Gull on 7^th, 282 Common Gull on 22^nd, 3500 Lesser Black-backed Gull on 7^th, 30 Herring Gull on 21^st, 6 Yellow-legged Gull on 14^th, and a Kittiwake on 8^th. The Kittiwake was an adult wearing colour rings, most probably being the French ringed bird seen recently around the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire areas.

A first winter male Black Redstart was found on 18^th at Millfields end of the dam wall. It was last seen on 22^nd and is the third record for this site, the previous one being in November last year. Other records included 200 Woodpigeon flying south on 6^th, a Barn Owl on 13^th and 20^th, a Little Owl on 23^rd, a Kingfisher on 1^st and rest of the month, a Green Woodpecker landed on Sheepwash Hide window sill briefly on 9^th, 10 Skylarks flew over 6^th, 50 Meadow Pipits on 1^st, 25 Blackbirds on 22^nd, 75 Redwing on 29^th, 200 Starling on 2^nd, 18 Tree Sparrow on Sheepwash car park feeder on 28^th, 2 Brambling on 6^th, 40 Siskin on 1^st, 14 Lesser Redpoll on 22^nd, 15 Bullfinch on 29^th and a Yellowhammer on 7^th, 14^th and 23^rd.

96 species recorded compared with the best November ever of 104 in 2009, 94 in 2008, 98 in 2007, 97 in 2006, 97 in 2005, 95 in 2004 and 92 in 2003.

Carsington Bird Club

Oct 2010 Bird Notes

OCTOBER 2010 BIRD NOTES

October Highlights: Whooper Swan, Red Kite, Osprey, Firecrest and Great Grey Shrike.

Following September’s near record month, this month has matched the biggest October ever with some quality birds among the 109 species recorded, and November is looking good with a Bearded Tit on its first day. The formal Wildfowl Count on 17^th included: 47 Little Grebe, 49 Great Crested Grebe, 27 Mute Swans, 781 Wigeon, 38 Gadwall, 89 Teal, 103 Mallard, 91 Pochard, 741 Tufted Duck and 972 Coot. Seven Whooper Swans were near the dam at 0800hrs on 22^nd and 3 flew south on 28^th. Pink-footed Geese movements included 300 west at 1440hrs on 11^th, 45 on 13^th and 46 west at 1730hrs on 30^th. Other wildfowl maximum counts were 61 Great Crested Grebe on 28^th, 62 Cormorant on 6^th, 26 Barnacle Geese on 30^th, 5 Shelduck on 12^th, 5 Pintail on 28^th, 7 Shoveler on 19^th, 2 Red-crested Pochard on 21^st, 4 Common Scoter on 25^th, 4 Goldeneye on 25^th and 17 Goosander on 28^th.

Raptors included a Red Kite drifting below the dam at 1015hrs on 19^th, a male Goshawk in the wood in Tail Bay on 16^th, 2 Sparrow Hawk on 11^th and 19^th, 8 Buzzard on 4^th, a late Osprey on 2^nd, a Merlin on 5^th and 18^thand Peregrine on several dates. A hunting male Sparrow Hawk flew through the open door of the Wildlife Centre at 0930hrs on 27^th. He was quickly caught and released outside before he sustained any damage from his attempted exit through closed windows.

A good range of wader sightings included 2 Ringed Plover on Stones Island up to 6^th, 17 Golden Plover on Stones Island on 23^rd, 2 Grey Plover flying over calling on 3^rd, 182 Lapwing on 17^th, 1 Knot flying north on 10^th, 6 Dunlin on 5^th, 2 Snipe at the Wildlife Centre on 4^th, a Woodcock on 27^th, 1 Curlew on 22^nd, a Redshank from 27^th, a Common Sandpiper attacked by a Sparrow Hawk on 6^th and a Turnstone on Stones Island from 1705hrs on 14^th.

The Gull Roost held an adult Mediterranean Gull from 16^th, a second winter Little Gull on 12^th, 4000 Black-headed Gull and 3500 Lesser Black-backed Gull with one showing characteristics of ‘Fuscus’ on 28^th, a site record 20 Yellow-legged Gull and a Caspian Gull on 16^th and 3 Great Black-backed Gull on 20^th.

Autumn movement brought a few surprises this year and included 13 Skylark over on 27^th, 2 late Swallow on 18^th, big numbers of Meadow Pipit with 80 on 28^th, 3 Rock Pipit on 5^th and lesser numbers on other dates, a White Wagtail on 9^th, 1 Fieldfare on 19^th and 30 on 27^th, 50 Redwing on 10^th and 23^rd and 4 Chiffchaff on 6^th. A Firecrest was found on Stones Island at 1730hrs on 14^th and was calling until 1800hrs. At this time of year many firecrests move south, mostly down the east and south coasts. There have been two previous records of this species during 1996 (see annual report for details) and 1997. A week later and a Great Grey Shrike was observed from the Wildlife Centre at 1500hrs on 21^st. The bird was on top of the large ash tree to the right of Shiningford Farm for 5 minutes before flying into the wooded creek and lost to sight. This is the third record of the species at Carsington; the second stayed for 5 months and was last seen in April 2005. The first autumn Brambling was on Stones Island on 17^th, 20 Siskin were near the Sailing Club on 4^th, 8 Linnet and a Lesser Redpoll on 4^th and a Yellowhammer flew over on 16^th.

109 species recorded this October compared with 108 in 2009, 94 in 2008, 109 in 2007, 99 in 2006, 99 in 2005, 91 in 2004, 94 in 2003 and 103 in 2002.