Recorder: Robert Chadwick: rob.chadwick322@gmail.com

March 2022 BIRD NOTES

 HIGHLIGHTS: Scaup, Great Northern Diver, Red-necked Grebe, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Mediterranean Gull and Blackcap

On 20^TH WeBS count 23 species were recorded which helped towards an end of month total of 107 species being noted.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 20^th unless dated otherwise. 15 Mute Swan 11^th, 14 Whooper Swan (flew West) 7^th,1 Pink-footed Goose 5^th, 13^th, 20^th, 26^th and 31^st, 45 Greylag Goose 5^th, 222 Canada Goose, 44 Barnacle Goose 1^st, 8 Shelduck 4^th, 2 Shoveler 31^st, 38 Wigeon 22^nd, 2 Pintail 8^th, 22 Gadwall, 68 Mallard, 10 Teal, 3 Mandarin 15^th, 2 Pochard 10^th, 1 Scaup (female) 11^th and 12^th, 51 Tufted Duck, 2 Common Scoter 4^th and 20^th,13 Goldeneye 4^th, 1 Goosander, 1 Great Northern Diver present all month, 22 Little Grebe, 93 Great Crested Grebe 26^th, 2 Red-necked Grebes reported most days till month end, 24 Cormorant 11^th, 1 Little Egret 7^th, 8^th, 30^th and 31^st, 7 Grey Heron 29^th, 1 Water Rail 11^th and 18^th, 14 Moorhen, 130 Coot, 1 Kingfisher 8 dates within the month including on the WeBS count.

Raptor sightings included 1 Osprey 21^st, 10 Buzzards 19^th, 4 Red Kite 6^th, 2 Sparrowhawk on 9 dates within the month, 3 Kestrel 6^th, 1 Merlin 29^th, 1 Peregrine reported 6 dates within the month.

Eleven species of waders through this month with 12 Oystercatcher 12^th, 2 Avocet 5^th and a single 25^th, 2 Little Ringed Plover on 7 dates within the month, 1 Ringed Plover 12^th and 31^st, 45 Lapwing 4^th, 4 Dunlin 4^th, 2 Woodcock 2^nd, 1 Jack Snipe 21^st, 15 Common Snipe 10^th and 21^st, 51 Curlew 7^th, 8 Redshank reported on the Webs.

Maximum Gull numbers were 1 Mediterranean Gull 10^th, 7000 Black-headed Gull 7^th, 102 Herring Gulls 28^th, 2 Yellow-legged Gull 30^th, 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 4^th, 4 Great black-backed Gulls 24^th, Common Gulls present most of the month.

Among other species were, 9 Great Spotted Woodpecker 29^th, 2 Tawny Owl 2^nd, 3 Skylark 24^th, First Sand Martin 13^th with 3 on 30^th, 29 Meadow Pipit 31^st, 4 Grey Wagtails 22^nd and 29^th, 44 Pied Wagtail 31^st, 41 Dunnock of which 27 were singing 29^th, 132 Robin with 101 singing also on 29^th, 296 Fieldfare 19^th, 350 Redwing 31^st, 40 Song Thrush 29^th, 14 Mistle Thrush 29^th, first Blackcap 22^nd, 148 Chiffchaff 29^th, 5 Goldcrest 9^th, 15 Long-tailed Tit 2^nd, 7 Willow Tit 24^th with a pair seen excavating a nest hole, 3 Coal Tit 4^th, 5^th and 15^th, 5 Treecreeper 27^th and 29^th, 5 Jay 29^th, 103 Carrion Crow 30^th, 7 Raven 5^th, 750 Starling 12^th, 11 Tree Sparrow 7^th, 28 Chaffinch 29^th, 38 Goldfinch 29^th, 8 Greenfinch 29^th, 15 Siskin 5^th, 10 Linnet 23^rd, 3 Lesser Redpoll 1^st, 12^th and 22^nd, 15 Bullfinch 29^th, 9 Reed Bunting also 29^th.

A total 107 species for this month compared to 95 in 2020, 100 in 2019, 102 in 2018, 110 in 2017 and 108 in 2016.

FEBRUARY 2022 BIRD NOTES

HIGHLIGHTS: Great Northern Diver, Red-necked Grebe, Mediterranean Gull and Turnstone

On 26^TH WeBS count 27 species were recorded which helped towards an end of month total of 93 species being noted.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 26^th unless dated otherwise. 13 Mute Swan 23^rd, 170 Pink-footed Goose flew Northwest 10^th, 41 Greylag Goose 11^th, 133 Canada Goose, 45 Barnacle Goose 9^th, 2 Shelduck 3^rd, 50 Wigeon, 6 Pintail 6^th, 148 Gadwall 7^th, 157 Mallard, 205 Teal 7^th, 21 Pochard 7^th, 86 Tufted Duck 7^th, 16 Goldeneye 16^th, 2 Goosander 3^rd and 15^th, 1 Great Northern Diver present all month, 31 Little Grebe 7^th, 65 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Red-necked Grebes reported most days till month end, 20 Cormorant 7^th and 12^th, 2 Little Egret 6^th, 3 Grey Heron 21^st, 1 Water Rail 4^th, 7^th, 15^th and 26^th, 19 Moorhen 7^th, 714 Coot 7^th, 1 Kingfisher 7 dates within the month including on the WeBS count.

Raptor sightings included 10 Buzzards 7^th and 26^th, 5 Red Kite 3^rd and 26^th, 3 Sparrowhawk 8^th and 22^nd, 2 Kestrel 7^th, 1 Merlin 4^th and 6^th, 1 Peregrine reported 7 dates within the month.

Seven species of waders through this month with 12 Oystercatcher 23^rd,650 Lapwing 3^rd, 5 Dunlin 25^th and a single bird reported 16^th, 52 Common Snipe 11^th, 1 Turnstone 15^th, 38 Curlew 27^th, 5 Redshank reported on the Webs.

Maximum Gull numbers were 21 Herring Gulls 21^st, 1 Yellow-legged Gull 2^nd, 22^nd and 24^th, 300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 21^st, 2 Great black-backed Gulls 8^th, 2000 Common Gulls 1^st, 1 Caspian Gull 6^th, 1 Kittiwake 23^rd, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull in summer plumage 21^st.

Among other species were 3 Woodcock 12^th, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 27^th, 4 Tawny Owl 12^th, 12 Skylark 22^nd, 30 Meadow Pipit 11^th in Tail Bay below the dam wall, 4 Grey Wagtails 26^th, 6 Pied Wagtail 6^th, 370 Redwing 14^th, 10 Song Thrush, 6 Mistle Thrush 4 Goldcrest 21^st, 15 Long-tailed Tit 2^nd, 5 Willow Tit 15^th, 4 Coal Tit 5^th, 4 Treecreeper, 3 Jay 14^th, 70 Rook 1^st, 8 Raven 8^th, 200 Starling 23^rd,10 Tree Sparrow 10^th, 30 Goldfinch 5^th and 8^th, 5 Greenfinch 26^th, 107 Siskin 5^th, 3 Linnet 22^nd, 5 Lesser Redpoll 9^th, 5 Bullfinch 1^st, 10^th and 28^th.

A total 93 species for this month compared to 93 in 2020, 92 in 2019, 87 in 2018 (no Birdnotes for 2021).

In  line with the recent government announcements, all visitors to the Carsington Water Visitor Centre will be required to wear a face covering unless exempt, in accordance with the retail setting. This applies to all areas of the centre, including integrated café areas, where only seated visitors are not required to wear face coverings. All hides will be open in accordance with government Covid measures and we are requesting that in keeping with all other indoor settings that visitors wear a face covering.