CBC Newsletters – Page 12 – Carsington Bird Club

CBC Newsletter – No.3 August 2014

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

KNOW YOUR COMMITTEE – Here are the club officials and their contact details……..

Committee Post	Name	Telephone	Email Address

Chairman/Indoor Meetings	Peter Gibbon	01629 534173	peter.gibbon@w3z.co.uk
Secretary	Paul Hicking	01773 827727	paulandsteph@hicking.plus.com
Treasurer	John Follett	01332 834778	john@jlf.demon.co.uk
Recorder	Dave Newcombe and Clive Ashton	(TBA)	(TBA)
Newsletter Editor	Gary Atkins	01335 370773	garysatkins@aol.com
Outdoor Trips	Peter Oldfield	01629540510	peter.oldfield2011@gmail.com
Membership	(Position open)
Ex-officio	Jon Bradley	01773 852526	jonathan.bradley4@btinternet.com
…..and the website address – http://www.carsingtonbirdclub.co.uk
Webmaster	Richard Pittam		Contact Richard via the website

CBC Newsletters

CBC Newsletter No.2 – May 2014

CHAIRMAN’S THOUGHTS

After two weeks ‘down under’ in April, I had an experience that was new to me. I was holidaying in Australia with my brother-in-law and his family, who live 200 miles south of Perth, and it was obviously their autumn. That meant a totally new avifauna for me and a totally different season from what I had left behind in the UK. Birds had bred and some were in eclipse plumage including the aptly-named Splendid Fairy-wren, which is a vivid metallic blue when breeding.

The coastal wader passage had not started and there was a lull that we, too, experience in late summer. It was still spectacular, though, with much to marvel at. I am nearly always away at Easter but either in this country or Europe so the birds and the seasonal changes are not that different when I return home, but this time it was totally different. While I was at the other end of the world, things were changing here in Derbyshire; so much so, that when I came back to green grass, leaves on trees, bluebells in bloom and reports of Osprey and other passage delights at Carsington, it all seemed spectacularly ‘NEW’.

This, of course, happens every year but when I’m around it’s a gradual process – whereas this was literally like a different world in a way I had not imagined it to be. It all seemed lovelier than ever with Dippers feeding fledged young at Lea Bridge and Grey Wagtails feeding at the nest at Cromford Canal. I saw hardly any butterflies in Australia and yet within a week had seen several species in Holloway. Candles on Horse Chestnut and blossom on Hawthorn, frogspawn and newts busy in ponds, a dawn chorus of liquid notes rather than being woken by the ridiculously incomparable noise of the Kookaburra – and it had all come so suddenly … or so it appeared to me after my holiday.

It sometimes takes such a dramatic change to make you realise that what we take for granted in our spring is so wonderful and to be experienced as fully as possible while it lasts. So my decision has been to do just that and get out more than ever and see what is happening.

Peter Gibbon

MIGRATION AND SUMMER ARRIVALS PRODUCE THE UNUSUAL – AS USUAL!

Since the last issue, it’s been that exciting time of year when our summer visitors arrive and breed, and passage rarities drop in to swell our annual numbers.

Rare records over the past couple of months included the Great Grey Shrike spotted atop bushes at Shiningford on 4 April and the Cattle Egret that briefly dropped onto Stones Island five days later. Cuckoo, Short-eared Owl and Green Woodpecker were unusual species (for Carsington Water, at least) gracing the site during May.

April’s total of 119 species was the second best ever since records began in 1992, and included an Osprey that generated many sightings over three days from the 6^th and then two birds were seen on the 8^th before flying off north together on the 9^th. Two more Ospreys drifted through in mid-May and early June, and other raptor highlights included three Red Kite sightings, as many as seven Buzzards and three Peregrines aloft at any one time, while a Hobby staged two evening hunting missions in early May.

Chiffchaff sightings started on 1 March with a single bird, but this had swelled to 50 during a single walk around the reservoir in May, when the same number of Blackcaps was also counted. Sand Martins arrived on cue on 21 March, and two days later the first Swallow passed through – equalling the earliest site record for this hirundine species. Before March was out, Willow Warblers were being heard and seen.

As April dawned, the arrivals came thick and fast with Wheatear (1^st), Yellow Wagtail (7^th), House Martin and Redstart (11^th), Lesser Whitethroat (14^th), Garden and Sedge Warblers (21^st), Whitethroat (22^nd), and Reed Warbler (23^rd). Always last, the Spotted Flycatcher finally joined the party on 16 May. Breeding is now well under way with the young of more than a dozen passerine species noted.

Waders fared less well, with only single Lapwing and Redshank broods and deluge of rain washing away one of three Oystercatcher nests. Thirty-eight Black-headed Gull nests were counted on Millfield Island, with a further nine observed on the raft in Wildlife Centre Bay. Thirteen Mallard broods have been counted so far – but since waterfowl breeding is still evolving, we’ll bring you up to date on breeding success in the next newsletter.

The wader passage was busy enough, though, as Bar- and Black-tailed Godwit were recorded, along with Golden Plover, Sanderling, Turnstone, Greenshank, Whimbrel and Common Sandpiper, and one day small groups of Dunlin totalled 36 birds. Up to 38 Curlew were counted on passage, while exactly the same number of Common Snipe were noted keeping a low profile on the site. Meanwhile, an unusually brash Jack Snipe put on a show for observers from 30 March to 8 April.

Caspian Gulls were a surprising addition to the gull roost a number of times in March and April, and Kittiwakes showed up in both March and May. Little Gulls were spotted no fewer than four times during April, one staying two days, the others moving through with terns. The tern passage began with a single Sandwich Tern on 2 April, but quickly grew in regularity and size with flocks of up to 55 Arctic Terns and 10 Common Terns.

SAVING SWIFT NEST SITES

I know a number of our members are also members of Derbyshire Ornithological Society (DOS), of which I serve as representative for Carsington Water, so I’d like to tell you a little about an initiative to reduce the vulnerability of nesting Swifts in the UK.

These iconic birds are at risk through the loss of nest sites as buildings are refurbished, but advice is available to protect them during such developments. We would like all DOS members to record Swift sightings, so that we can track important nesting areas, and encourage developers and contractors to install Swift nesting boxes as part of their building plans.

Critically, we need the addresses of buildings where Swifts are seen entering (a sure sign of nesting) or the name of streets and towns where ‘screaming parties’ are seen below roof-height (indicating nest sites are close by). If you could add these details to Swift records sent in to DOS, we can use them to further their conservation.

We are also keen to hear from members interested in acting as ‘Swift Champions’ to look after the Swift nest sites in their local area, working in conjunction with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust (DWT). Champions can help in a number of ways such as identifying precise nest sites, promoting how local people can help Swifts and alerting DWT of any risks to Swift nest sites. More information can be sent to you on request.

For more information contact Richard Winspear by e-mail (at richard.winspear@rspb.org.uk) or phone/text 07943 399781 (but be aware this phone can rarely be answered during working hours).

Paul Hicking

BEMPTON PROVIDES ITS USUAL THRILLS AND SPILLS

Sandwiched between two distinctly damp weeks, outdoor trips organiser Peter Oldfield had managed to pick a wonderfully warm and bright weekend for the club’s day trip to Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire.

It was sunshine all the way as 13 members turned up in four cars and unloaded their rucksacks, packed lunches, scopes and binoculars to enjoy the delights of this RSPB reserve with its astonishing array of sea birds packed precariously on narrow nest platforms on the high white cliffs. Gannets, Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Fulmars, along with flocks of Rock Doves and the odd Herring Gull are the main occupants of this well-established breeding colony, which is thought to contain 200,000 birds at the height of the nesting season.

There are five excellent viewing platforms, plus numerous other good vantage points of the birds as they gather nesting material and food and prepare for the arrival of their young. There’s constant activity, noise – and smell!

It’s not all about the sea birds, though, as quieter paths lead into farmland where an interesting selection of passerines can be found. In fact my two birds of the day were Corn Buntings (which I see regularly abroad but rarely in the UK) whose ‘jangling keys’ call is diagnostic, and a Grasshopper Warbler that suddenly jumped onto a piece of low vegetation close to the path and starting its reeling call, which went on for several minutes, making it easy for me to pick it up in the binoculars. Six species of butterfly and a Roe Deer completed my tally.

I can’t be sure of the CBC group’s collective total but I managed to log 31 bird species on the day. As well as those already mentioned, I saw Goldfinch, Linnet, Greenfinch, Tree Sparrow, Blackbird, Whitethroat, Jackdaw, Skylark, Woodpigeon, Swift, Stock Dove, Meadow Pipit, Carrion Crow, Swallow, House Martin, Reed Bunting, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Dunnock and Lapwing … and three partridges which I saw so briefly I couldn’t identify but was told were likely Grey (though I suspect they were actually Red-Legged!).

Gary Atkins

SANCTUARY SAVED – NOW LET’S HELP RETURN IT TO THE BIRDS FOR GOOD

It doesn’t take long for nature to resume where human interference left off – and already since March, 46 bird species have been logged at The Sanctuary, the local nature reserve (LNR) right in the middle of Derby, a sizeable section of which was under threat of development to make way for a planned cycle track. A concerted campaign earlier this year by the wildlife lobby – spearheaded by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust – led to Derby City Council withdrawing its planning application. Things now are, slowly, returning to normal.

CBC was part of the wildlife ‘coalition’ that lobbied to save the reserve, and as many birdwatchers as possible are now being encouraged to visit, watch the birds from the limited vantage points at the perimeter of the reserve and submit any records to DOS (Derbyshire Ornithological Society) – or to thesanctuaryLNR@gmail.com – in order to prove the genuine interest the public at large has in the reserve and its wildlife.

And that should be no hardship. This spring, among the returning regulars were Little Ringed Plover, Sand Martin, Skylarks and Lapwings. Migrants dropping in have included Ring Ouzel, Yellow Wagtail, a succession of Wheatears, a Reed Warbler singing from the reedbed, plus a male Redstart, a first for the reserve.

Things are far from perfect, though, as the boundary fence is regularly broken down by poachers, and there is a mass of litter around the perimeter. Moreover, the next challenge is to find a means of getting the council to reinstate the ‘skylark grassland’ at the north end of the site, where the track was being prepared and which remains as mounds of bulldozed topsoil and rubble.

This area is, unsurprisingly, devoid of bird life, and DOS chair Bryan Barnacle recently wrote to the leadership of the City Council and the two main opposition groups, expressing the coalition’s desire to begin discussions on helping them restore and manage the LNR in future.

Among other coalition plans and ideas are a birdwatch and litter-pick, and more significantly, a longer-term goal is to form a ‘Friends Group’ to support the reserve.

Meanwhile, people wishing to visit the LNR can get a good view of the lake and Sand Martin bank from the old park and ride car park, which is now part of the velodrome building site but can be accessed by asking the gateman who will happily sign you in (note this is only during the working week: Monday-Saturday morning).

At the far end of the old car park there is a ramped viewing platform overlooking the southern end of the reserve. Do approach with caution, however, as the Little Ringed Plover is nesting around here and, as a Schedule One bird, should be subject the minimal disturbance during the breeding season.

SPRING PROVES A BUSY TIME FOR STW RANGER TEAM

This spring we’ve enjoyed largely warm sunshine with the occasional shower: it’s been, dare I say, spring-like! The incredibly wet weather experienced last winter is now a distant memory, evident only in the water levels, which have remained much higher than usual at this time of year.

The wet weather hampered lots of site work we are usually able to do in the winter and, as a result, a few things have taken longer than expected. One example of this is the pond at the Wildlife Centre, which, despite being dry for many years, has gathered water each and every time we have pond work scheduled.

Those of you who have watched the site for some time may recall the days when this pond was completely full, surrounded by thick vegetation and was a great place to get close views of Water Voles. In recent years a hole in the pond lining meant the water remained lower, drying up completely in hot weather. Our Volunteer Rangers have been working hard on plans for the pond: They met with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to discuss the creation of a Water Vole bank and are looking at lining the pond with clay to ensure it remains both water tight and allows plants to colonise below the waterline.

You may also have noticed work under way to rebuild the screen at the entrance to the Wildlife Centre. While the lack of screening was popular with visitors (and allowed fantastic views of April’s very obliging Jack Snipe!), the proximity to Horseshoe Island means something is needed to ensure species like Lapwing can nest free from disturbance. It is hoped a new extended screen should balance the need for undisturbed nesting sites with the demand for wildlife watching opportunities.

Another project we’ve been busy working on – less evident to the visitor – is the introduction of our social media accounts. You can now find us on both Facebook at www.facebook.com/stwcarsington and Twitter at www.twitter.com/stwcarsington. Managed by the ranger team, these not only provide more ways for visitors to contact us, give feedback and ask questions, but also allow us to broadcast more site news, events and information about facilities at Carsington. Initial feedback has been really positive and we’ve enjoyed reaching a new audience. As a team we’ve particularly enjoyed having the opportunity to talk about the site, what we do and the work of our excellent volunteers.

As you might expect wildlife news and sightings are always popular. While continuing to direct sightings to the Bird Club website, we are also able to share wildlife news, advice, photos and blog links – so do please feel free to send us your efforts and ‘follow’ or ‘like’ us to find out more about what’s going on at Carsington Water.

John Matkin, STW Ranger

RICHARD PRODUCES VERY OWN COFFEE-TABLE BOOK

Club Webmaster Richard Pittam is a very fine photographer who has some of his images reproduced on public/commercial websites as well as his own personal site, but the vast majority sit around hidden on hard disks. Like most of us, he’s often wondered what to do with them … but unlike most of us, he actually did something about it by publishing a one-off coffee table book containing the best of his images taken in 2013.

“Most of us don’t print our images anymore,” says Richard, “but I was chatting about the subject to a friend and fellow photographer, who suggested the book, adding that he did one every year for all his images. I was concerned about quality, but he pointed me at www.blurb.co.uk which is a brilliant website describing how to self-publish, what type of book to choose and all the tips and tricks of the trade.”

Richard downloaded the ‘Booksmart’ application software to his PC and got stuck into what became an all-consuming pastime – time-consuming but very interesting as it meant he had to revisit all those ‘forgotten’ images. “First I had to choose a book size and, since no-one else was going to buy it, I went for a 13”x11” hardback coffee-table style, with dust cover. The system was easy to use: basically, I chose the layout for each page, sized the images accordingly, added text here and there to break it up a bit, and finally added a contents page, dedication page and front and back page images.”

While working through the process, though, warns Richard, be careful to back up your work regularly, and take advantage of the book preview options, before you commit to print.

“For a hardback 13×11, an e-book and high-resolution PDF, the total cost was £76,” adds Richard. “Not cheap, but it is brilliant quality and looks really nice – and it was fun to do!” So, if you don’t know what to do with YOUR hundreds of unloved images and are interested in seeing how it can turn out, take a look at Richard’s book at http://www.blurb.co.uk/b/4999908-travel-images-from-2013.

ANNUAL REPORT – A CORRECTION

As club members, you should all now have your 2013 annual report – and some may have noticed we mistakenly included the 2012 ‘Treasurer’s Report’. To put that right, here is the 2013 report from John Follett …

We had a very positive 2013, where the club's financial position improved to its strongest for some years. From a balance of £4934.50, carried forward from 2012, the year-end balance sheet showed £5670.96 – an asset increase of £736.46, the result of surplus income over expenditure. As in previous years, membership income fell, with 2013's receipts of £714.50 disappointingly 22% down on 2012. However, a ‘one-off’ fund-raising quiz, organised by John Bland and Sue Jones, produced a most sizeable and welcome contribution of £666.00 to club income, and a generous grant of £140 towards bird food by Derbyshire Ornithological Society was an increase of £20 on 2012.

The one field trip in 2013 – to Paxton Pits, Cambridgeshire – received a subsidy of £39.50 (income £318.00; costs £357.50) as the bus departed with two empty seats. Indoor meetings, despite income being £51.72 less than 2012, at £254.40, were only subsidised by £31.26 (£278.19 in 2012) due to reduced cost – the most significant being a £252 saving following the move to the Carsington Visitor Centre from Hognaston Village Hall. The costs of speakers, (£222.00) and refreshments (£63.66) resulted in a combined saving of £47.65 on the previous year.

Despite continued upward pressure on the cost of bird food, savings were achieved by product change and Roger Carrington's determination to avoid giving the local Pheasant population a free dinner. Costs associated with the yearly report were again contained and showed a slight reduction at £265.00. The other most important factor in our reduced 2013 expenditure was that the previous year's accounts had a non-repeated cost of £470.98 associated with equipment purchased to promote the club at Severn Trent Water’s Open Day.

Finally, the Committee decided in February 2013 to spend £500 on planting specialist berry-bearing trees for winter visiting birds. This work is to be undertaken as soon as the right conditions present themselves, but this was not possible before the year end. Therefore, the 2013 accounts do not include this cost and as such the £736.46 surplus, mentioned above, does not reflect this expenditure.

WHAT’S ON

The Bird Club’s 2014-15 indoor season will begin again in September.

The first three illustrated talks (all beginning at 7.30pm in the Henmore Room at Carsington Water Visitor Centre) are as follows:

September 16 'Svalbard – Land of the Polar Bear’ by Carol Taylor

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

November 18 ‘The Gambia’ by Chris Ward

Severn Trent Water events, including regular activities, are as follows (often advisable 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

15 June Carsington Cycle Challenge Visitor Centre 10am-4pm

KNOW YOUR COMMITTEE – Here are the club officials and their contact details ……

Chairman/ Indoor mtgs Peter Gibbon 01629 534173 peter.gibbon@w3z.co.uk

Secretary Paul Hicking 01773 827727 paulandsteph@hicking.plus.com

Treasurer John Follett 01332 834778 john@jlf.demon.co.uk

Recorder Roger Carrington 01629 583816 rcarrington_matlock@yahoo.co.uk

Newsletter editor Gary Atkins 01335 370773 garysatkins@aol.com

Outdoor trips Peter Oldfield 01629 540510 peter.oldfield2011@gmail.com

Membership Dave & Sue Edmonds 01335 342919 sue@axgb.com

Ex-officio Jon Bradley 01773 852526 jonathan.bradley4@btinternet.com

… and the website address: www.carsingtonbirdclub.co.uk

(website maintained by: Richard Pittam richard.pittam@ntlworld.com)

CBC Newsletter No.4 – March 2014

CHAIRMAN’S THOUGHTS

A belated Happy New Year to everybody. I am sure all of you will know about (and have experienced) the record rainfall since our last newsletter and I suspect the same might be said for temperatures. The effects of this weather on our birdlife is not yet clear but one presumes there will losers, while those species that have gained an early spring breeding could be well under way by the time you read this.

Certainly birdsong has been evident for some weeks now. For a handful of birds, like Tawny Owl, Mistle Thrush and Dipper, nesting may have begun in February, but numbers of these three early breeders are falling rapidly according to the BTO Bird Trends report (13 Feb 2014). Data from the BTO Nest Record Scheme provides strong evidence of shifts towards earlier laying in a range of species, linked to climatic change. They have now identified 42 species that, on average, are laying between one and 31 days earlier than in the mid 1960s, while only six species exhibit significant trends towards later laying.

For some species, however, this shift towards earlier laying may be insufficient to match seasonal advances in the peaks of food availability. Lower level organisms, on which birds feed, are thought to respond quicker to climatic change than higher level ones like birds. This could cause shortages of food, possibly leading to the aforementioned population declines. February also saw BTO nestbox week (7^th to 14^th), so if you haven’t already cleaned out old ones or put up new ones, it’s time to do so!

Soon after mentioning two seminal books in the last newsletter, I received the first of these in the post – the totally brilliant ‘Bird Atlas 2007-11’ from the BTO. It measures 34 x 24 x 4 cms and weighs in at 3 kgs – so many thanks to my postman! Chris Packham neatly sums up its significance: “Nowhere else on earth is as well known in terms of bird distribution and populations thanks to the astonishing effort of accomplished volunteers and the BTO". At £69.99 (that’s less than a penny for each of its 720 pages!) it is a remarkable bargain and the most wonderful source of information on British and Irish birds.

And if that was not enough, this month I received the second book, also well worth waiting for. The Birds of Derbyshire’, edited by Roy Frost and Steve Shaw of Derbyshire Ornithological Society, is the match of the first book in terms of its professional appearance – and is purely about those birds on our patch. It is the culmination of over 17 years' work by a dedicated team of local experts, photographers and artists and represents the most important project ever carried out by DOS (and, I suspect, any county society) to date. It contains 376 pages (and, for the record, is 30 x 22.5 x 3.5 cms, weighs 2 kg and costs £45), including 319 accounts of species that have been reliably recorded in the county – with distribution maps of almost all breeding species – and sections on the history of Derbyshire ornithology and DOS itself, plus detailed accounts of the natural areas of Derbyshire.

I sincerely congratulate everybody on its production and can thoroughly recommend it to anyone considering buying it. If the weather doesn’t improve either book could be the ideal thing for ‘indoor ornithology’ – and details of how to purchase them can be found on the BTO and DOS websites, respectively.

Finally, can I remind you firstly that it’s time to renew your membership, so if you’ve not yet paid your 2014 ‘subs’, Dave and Sue Edmonds look forward to hearing from you, and secondly to watch out for our club trip in June.

FAR FROM QUIET WINTER IS QUIET TIME FOR BIRDS

Damaging winds and record rainfall has had its effect on wildlife and both December and January saw only 82 bird species recorded on site, the lowest for those corresponding months in around a decade. There have been some highlights, nonetheless, including the return of one – and, for a short period, a second – Great Northern Diver.

GANNETS, GUILLEMOTS AND PUFFINS GALORE!! ….. Join the club trip to old favourite Bempton Cliffs planned for Sunday, 1 June. See below for more details and how to book

The first arrived on 9 November and was still around in late February, but the second stayed just a month. A period which has been very thin for raptors was more productive for gulls, with up to 3,000 Black-headed, 1,000 Common and 600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls among the roost. Three Mediterranean Gulls were noted in the roost on 10 February, and a week later a Little Gull spent some time around Hopton End, with a Kittiwake making a brief appearance a few days later.

Coot numbers hovered just under the 1,000 mark in December and January but were down to 391 when the February WeBS count was undertaken. The number of ducks was also down this month, following over 500 Pochard and almost that number of Tufteds being counted in January. Scaup were seen regularly throughout the winter period, along with up to 18 Goldeneye and several Goosander.

Only two or three Little Grebes have been counted on any given day (despite the over-wintering Yellow-legged Gull not being seen since 19 January!), but Great-crested numbers are on the rise with up to 40 counted in February. After a visit by 21 Whooper Swans flying over the reservoir on 12 January, the sight of 67 dropping onto the reservoir in late February was even more spectacular.

Wader sightings have included Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Woodcock, while Snipe have been seen in large numbers – up to 77 along Wildlife Centre Creek – but most pleasing of all has been the large flock of Lapwings circling the skies over Carsington, with as many as 945 individuals counted at one time.

Two Chiffchaffs, clearly deciding it was mild enough to stay put, were recorded at Lane End in December, and more typical winter visitors have included Fieldfare, Redwing, Siskin, Redpoll and Brambling, while other passerines regularly noted – particularly around the feeders – have been Goldfinch, Linnet, Willow Tit, Tree Sparrow and Reed Bunting.

Meanwhile, for sheer profusion, it was hard to beat the 1,050 Woodpigeons that flew through in a 45-minute period on 4 December.

BIRD OF THE ISSUE: KITTIWAKE

The RSPB begins its description of this medium-sized gull as “strictly coastal”, which goes to illustrate why Kittiwakes are a relatively irregular sight at Carsington. They are, though, long-distance fliers as they spend much of the winter at sea after breeding, so do spend a fair bit of time on the wing en route to or from nesting sites.

With a name that reflects their call, Kittiwakes can be identified by their relatively small size, yellow bill, dark eye. black legs and solid black wing tips, unlike other gulls. They look neat with grey wings and pure white belly.

They feed on shrimps, fish, and marine worms such as sand eels. With an estimated UK breeding population of 380,000, Kittiwake numbers are actually declining – possibly due to the increasing scarcity of some food sources.

They live in large noisy colonies, and will nest on virtually any ledge where they can build a nest (and, indeed, will be one of the birds on offer at Bempton Cliffs when the club visits in June!). They often use old buildings but even have a liking for modern architecture: In Newcastle upon Tyne, the roads and pavements below the Tyne Bridge and the Sage Centre need to be regularly cleaned of Kittiwake ‘guano’.

BATTLE FOR SANCTUARY CONTINUES AFTER HIGH COURT RULING

It’s been a dramatic few months for The Sanctuary local nature reserve on Pride Park in the centre of Derby, but after seemingly destined to become a shadow of its former self – after the City Council gave the go-ahead to build a cycle track through the middle of it – a legal order lodged by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has for the time being stopped work on the development, pending a judicial review.

It is ironic that the LNR – containing valuable open mosaic grassland habitat used by ground-nesting and rare migrant birds such as sand martins, skylarks, snipe, stonechats, pipits, lapwings and various wildfowl (and even a Dartford Warbler has popped up there!) – was originally created by the Council that is now seeking to damage it by building on a large proportion of the reserve.

After an outcry by local wildlife enthusiasts on hearing of the Council’s plans, a remarkable campaign involving 16 local environmental groups – including Carsington Bird Club and spearheaded by DWT – was waged that ultimately led to the legal challenge. Far more people objected than supported the plans, but their concerns were overlooked as the scheme was voted in; approved by the closest of votes by the Council’s planning committee in January.

However, concerned both for fate of The Sanctuary and the precedent the situation set more widely, DWT lodged an injunction to stop the development (work on clearing the site had begun with indecent haste the day after the council’s vote) and on 24 February a hearing in the High Court confirmed an earlier interim ruling that work should be suspended. A full judicial review will now be held within the next three months.

Mrs Justice Lang, announcing her ruling, said she believed a serious issue is being tried in this case – with, she added, the risk of permanent environmental harm to an area of county-level significance.

LOCAL OWLS DESERVE HELPING HAND TO ARREST RECENT DECLINES

The return of summer sunshine last year after a run of cool, grey and sometimes damp summers led to a good spell for British wildlife, with hard-hit species like bees and butterflies able to bounce back. As the year went on, it was easy to forget the awful March we endured, bringing some of the deepest snow drifts in living memory.

Returning migrant birds suffered and the delayed spring affected aphid-dependant birds such as blue tits. Locally, owls were hit particularly hard by a March that was far colder than the preceding ‘winter’ months – and sadly dead tawny owls were noted around the site.

Little owls and barn owls were already struggling and the lack of reported sightings on site in 2013 is perhaps an indication of the effect the extreme weather had on these birds. Just how the site’s tawny owls have fared in the last 12 months is more difficult to assess as their nocturnal habits mean they are often underreported. A few pairs were heard calling during autumn and winter, but we can assume that for our owls 2013 was a year of replacing losses rather than booming numbers.

Year on year habitat management reflects natural changes around the site as the plantation woodland has matured, resulting in less ground cover, but the extremes of weather we seem to experience more frequently combined with changes in the wider countryside are likely responsible for population fluctuations and declines.

And with this winter’s record rainfall and high winds taking a toll of several mature trees, the situation for Carsington’s owls has become potentially more difficult still – but, while we can’t change the weather, there are some things we can do to make life a bit easier for them.

In 2014 we’re hoping to erect several tawny owl boxes around the site and we’re working with the Carsington Bird Club to find the best places to position these within existing tawny territories. These will hopefully provide safe nest sites and sheltered roost sites for our owls in places where standing dead wood and mature trees are at a premium.

Through our partnership with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust we also ran a ‘Barmy about Barn Owls’ family day during the February half-term holidays. The event was fully booked and gave young visitors the chance to learn more about these intriguing birds through owl crafts and by dissecting owl pellets. They were even able to meet a live Barn Owl and learn more about their decline here and elsewhere.

With our ever-fluctuating water levels and changing weather we’re all familiar with how much of an effect the weather has on us and our wildlife, just as we educate our visitors about the things we can do to save water we’re also keen to teach people about our wildlife and the problems some of our species face.

Whilst winter is not yet over here’s hoping for a pleasant 2014 and hopefully one that’s a bit kinder to our wildlife, particularly those owls.

John Matkin, Severn Trent Water Ranger

WHAT’S ON

Carsington Bird Club’s 2013-14 indoor season concludes on Tuesday 18 March, when old favourite John Gardner returns to the Visitor Centre with an enigmatically-titled talk on ‘Batting for Yorkshire’.

During the early summer, we are also planning a trip – to RSPB Bempton in Yorkshire – so don’t forget that one (details/booking form are on the next page). Meanwhile, the club has also arranged all the remaining illustrated talks for 2014; listed below, they all start at 7.30pm in the Henmore Room of the Visitor Centre:

16 September ‘Svalbard – high Arctic wildlife’ by Carol Taylor

21 October ‘Trinidad and Tobago’ by Ian Newton

18 November ‘The Gambia’ by Chris Ward

16 December Club’s Xmas party – with talk on ‘Eastern Europe’ by Richard Pittam

KNOW YOUR COMMITTEE – Here are the club officials and their contact details ……

Tel e-mail

Chairman/ Indoor mtgs Peter Gibbon 01629 534173 peter.gibbon@w3z.co.uk

Secretary Paul Hicking 01773 827727 paulandsteph@hicking.plus.com

Treasurer John Follett 01332 834778 john@jlf.demon.co.uk

Recorder Roger Carrington 01629 583816 rcarrington_matlock@yahoo.co.uk

Newsletter editor Gary Atkins 01335 370773 garysatkins@aol.com

Outdoor trips Peter Oldfield 01629 540510 peter.oldfield2011@gmail.com

Membership Dave & Sue Edmonds 01335 342919 sue@axgb.com

Ex-officio Jon Bradley 01773 852526 jonathan.bradley4@btinternet.com

… and the website address: www.carsingtonbirdclub.co.uk

(website maintained by: Richard Pittam richard.pittam@ntlworld.com)

___________________________________ xxxx ___________________________________

CLUB TRIP: BEMPTON CLIFFS – SUNDAY, 1 JUNE 2014

In late spring, this RSPB site on the Yorkshire coast is one of the most exciting, busy, noisy – and smelly – birding sites imaginable. It is particularly noted for up to 200,000 cliff-dwelling birds that call those precipitous ledges home for a few months each year. Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Gannets and Puffins are virtually guaranteed, along with a range of gulls and other sea-going species such as Cormorant.

Raptors are sometimes in evidence, with Peregrine using the cliffs as a useful larder, Red Kite sightings on the increase, and a Short-eared Owl regularly seen patrolling the flat farmland back from the cliffs, where a range of summer visitors are also to be found. On the club’s last trip to Bempton five years ago, Whitethroat, Linnet, Sedge Warbler and Corn Bunting joined resident Tree Sparrows, Reed Buntings, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks among the ploughed fields, scrub and hedgerows.

As well as several cliff-top viewpoints, there is a visitor centre with feeding stations that attract the usual seed and nut eaters including various tits, sparrows and finches. While most visitors are content with these viewing stations, the more energetic souls may fancy walking down to Flamborough Head … and don’t worry, we won’t forget you!

Transport will leave from Carsington Water Visitor Centre at 7.45am.

The cost is expected to be around £15-20 (under-16s £10). Please send a £10 deposit per person, along with the booking form, to secure your place.

I/we would like to attend this trip. Please reserve the following number of seats:

Adults ………………… Children ………………

Name ……………………………… Address .…………………………………………………………………………….

Tel No ……………………………… e-mail ……………………………………………………………………………… I enclose a cheque (payable to Carsington Bird Club) / postal order for £ ……………

Please return the slip/deposits by 30 April to:

Peter Oldfield, Owslow Farm, Carsington, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 4DD.

If you have any further queries on this trip call Peter on 01629 540510 or e-mail him at peter.oldfield2011@gmail.com.

Carsington Bird Club CBC Newsletters

CBC Newsletter No.4 – November 2013

CHAIRMAN’S THOUGHTS

As I write this in mid-November, I’ve had to resort to my ice scraper for only the second time since last winter. Yes, the adult Great Northern Diver is back with us and there are Redwing and Fieldfare around but in no great numbers, and I have just been watching a mixed flock of tits picking food from leaves still left on my apple tree, so winter is around the corner but has not seemed in any great hurry to arrive.

But the weathermen have warned it will be much colder next week, with chill winds sweeping down from the Arctic (by the time you read this, we’ll know whether they were right!) – so it looks like the birds will really be needing our help with feeding from now on so stock up.

The other gift that the clement weather provided was a prolonged exit of summer birds on migration like the long-staying Garganey at the reservoir. Two Swallows were spotted at Knoll Beach in Dorset yesterday. Together with stormy weather bringing sea birds inland, all this has added up to a rich variety of birds passing through Derbyshire this autumn, especially for those observers who had not only forecast the weather patterns’ effects but who were hardy enough to venture out in the wind and rain to see what was about. It seems an age now since ‘Autumn Watch’ was on the television!

So what can we look forward to this winter in and around Carsington? Well, with 22 Great Northern Divers seen recently from a cliff-viewing spot in County Mayo, Ireland, it would be reasonable for us to hope a few more divers might come our way. A longer-shot might be White-billed Divers, two of which were seen in Shetland.

Reports posted from Scotland described sizeable flocks of Waxwing and, closer to home, five Whooper Swans were at Kedleston. I have noticed a larger amount of beech ‘mast’ covering the woodland floor near me at Holloway, which was welcomed by some Brambling feeding on it. Great Grey Shrike, recently spotted at Beeley, is no stranger to Carsington, so one might just turn up. Meanwhile, good-sized Starling flocks have been flying around Carsington. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they all assembled for another huge roost like they did at Kirk Ireton one year recently?

Also on their way are two eagerly-awaited books: The BTO’s Atlas of Breeding and Wintering Birds has been promised for this autumn, and The Birds of Derbyshire, published by DOS, is also about to appear on the bookshelves. If you haven’t ordered them, and still have a space on your Christmas present list, they can be obtained via those organisations’ websites. Certainly I’m looking forward to some happy reading when perhaps the winter weather is too awful to go out or the days simply get too short.

Peter Gibbon

RESERVOIR’S RARE OLD OCTOBER!

Once the calm and warm summer finally moved aside, strong easterly and northerly winds arrived to play havoc with a few birds’ navigation systems – resulting in one of the most exciting Octobers on record at Carsington Water. Among more than a dozen site rarities that showed up that month were four species on the Derbyshire rarities list.

Only the sixth and seventh site records of Gannet were logged when young birds turned up briefly on the 12^th and 18^th. The fourth appearance at Carsington of a Green-winged Teal was enjoyed by quite a few birders, since it stayed for nine days, and a visit from a Grey Phalarope – viewable from Sheepwash and Lane End hides on the 19^th – was only the sixth record for Carsington. Meanwhile, two Great Skuas (aka Bonxies) wheeled in for 20 minutes on the 11^th, followed two days later by another that stayed around for two hours before flying off to the north-east.

As well as those county rarities, a Whooper Swan was seen on the 13^th and 19^th, a Brent Goose popped in on the 1^st, a Little Egret stuck around three days from the 6^th, a drake Common Scoter was viewed from Sheepwash on the 12^th, while the following day six Red-breasted Mergansers could be seen from the same vantage point.

Other unusual visitors to site included a Garganey that had arrived on 16 September and stayed six weeks, and during October two Rock Pipits, a male Stonechat and two Crossbills were also recorded.

For once, this frenetic period of activity perhaps rather overshadowed the return of our winter favourite – the Great Northern Diver, which dropped in on 9 November and looks set to stay a while once again.

Since the last newsletter we’ve seen summer birds depart, replaced by some winter arrivals. The last Sand Martins were recorded on 19 September, two days before the final Wheatear on site, while it was more than a month later than a solitary Swallow flew through. The latest ever Arctic Tern at Carsington, a juvenile, was seen on 20 October.

While the last Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler were logged over five days in early September, as many as 17 Chiffchaffs were still around on 11 September. Three Chiffchaffs were noted on 21 October, and nine days later a Blackcap was seen, so they seem likely to be overwintering birds.

Arrivals included Fieldfares and Redwings (63 and 465, respectively, were recorded on 20 October), and Siskin and Lesser Redpoll have been noted, as was a Brambling on 1 November. Meanwhile, Starling have been increasing in numbers with as many as 400 seen in a single flock.

September’s wader passage was good, with 15 species noted, including Curlew Sandpiper, Little Ringed and Grey Plovers, both Godwits, Ruff and flocks of up to 300 Lapwings. A Jack Snipe was spotted on 22 November.

Wildfowl numbers spiked as usual in the autumn with 1,184 being the highest count of Coot so far, along with up to 462 Teal, 448 Tufted Ducks, 324 Wigeon and 255 Pochard, and smaller numbers of Goosander, Pintail, Scaup and Shoveler. A Red-crested Pochard was in residence for two weeks in September, and both Great-crested (after a good breeding season) and Little Grebes were around in reasonable numbers.

The gull roost incorporated as many as 4,000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and at various times has included two Kittiwakes, plus Little Gulls both in September and October. Perhaps less welcome is the return of ‘Brutus’, our cannibalistic Yellow-legged Gull who ate a young Black-headed Gull in front of an audience. We’re hoping those Little Grebes keep their heads down this year!

An Osprey passing through in early September topped the raptor chart, though two Hobbys heading south on 13 September and Peregrines logged both in September and November were also good sightings. Sparrowhawks were a fairly regular sight, including on consecutive days in mid November.

BIRD OF THE ISSUE: GREY PHALAROPE

Grey Phalaropes breed in the Arctic and spend much of their lives when not breeding well out to sea, feeding, on marine plankton – so when we see them they are most likely to have been blown off course by a storm. In North America they are known as ‘Red’ Phalaropes because of their vibrant crimson-red breeding plumage.

Only around 200 are seen in the UK each year, usually between October and January, mostly around the coast, so to have had one at Carsington this autumn is something of a prize. ‘Our’ bird was in non-breeding plumage – a quite distinctive grey and white. They tend to be quite tame and approachable, which is a distinct advantage for the bird-watcher who may not get many chances to view Phalaropes.

On their breeding grounds, Phalaropes feed on insects and aquatic animals and, interestingly, in this species, like all Phalaropes, the breeding roles are reversed. Females are larger and more brightly coloured, they pursue the males, compete for nesting territory and will aggressively defend their nests and mates – and, once the eggs are laid, they leave the incubation and raising of the young to the males.

BIRDING ON THE MOVE …

As we batten down the hatches for winter, it’s refreshing to look back at some of our members’ experiences on holiday. Here are two accounts of the rich (and sometimes baffling) bird-life found in farther-flung locations…

BORNEO – A WILDLIFE HAVEN

Malaysia emerged top of the pile when my wife and I decided to go ‘somewhere a bit different’ for our 35^th wedding anniversary – and through our excellent travel company, Selective Asia, I was able to make sure the itinerary included Sabah, one of the two Malaysian provinces on the island of Borneo, noted for its wildlife, most particularly as one of the last refuges of the iconic Orang-Utan.

We also took in three locations on mainland Malaysia, including Kuala Lumpur, and each boosted my growing bird list, but there can be no doubt that our first destination, Borneo, was the main highlight. Magical is an overused adjective, but the view from our balcony at Borneo Rainforest Lodge – overlooking a garden, meadow and river, with the jungle’s living tapestry as a backdrop – was, well, quite simply magical.

I’d pored over field guides and trip reports before setting off, in an attempt to research which birds I might see, but as well as species, there were families I’d never heard of, such as sibias, minlas, trogons and fulvettas, so I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Furthermore, bird-watching somewhere so totally alien demands different techniques, since virtually all birds spotted were new to me!

So, after my trusty bins, the most important tool was a notebook in which I scribbled each bird’s distinctive features before dashing back to my room at the end of each session to pore over the field guide and see if I could work out what I’d just seen! Guides in two locations were a great help, and without them I may not have managed the 118-strong total of my final list.

The most awesome bird of the trip was almost certainly the Rhinoceros Hornbill, which is four feet long and competes with the cicadas as the noisiest thing in the jungle. I saw four hornbill species in all, including at Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge a pair of ‘Oriental Pieds’ that evidently roosted in the same tree every night.

Among several raptors, the White-bellied Sea Eagle was probably the most impressive, while for stunning colours the Black-naped Orioles that patrolled a city-centre park in Kuala Lumpur were hard to beat, though the electric blue Large Niltava ran them close, each Kingfisher on view was a riot of colour, and the Whiskered Treeswift’s markings were exquisite.

Bulbuls and Drongos were lively, the Black-thighed Falconet (a sparrow-sized raptor!) was delightful, and species with unlikely names like Fluffy-backed Tit Babbler , Silver-eared Mesia and Black-throated Wren Babbler have now made it onto my ‘life list’.

A few acquaintances from previous Asian trips popped up again, including the Oriental Darter, Spotted Dove, Brahminy Kite and Large-billed Crow, and the ubiquitous Mynas were everywhere. Even more familiar were the small handful of birds I also see in the UK – like Grey Wagtails, Common Sandpipers and Tree Sparrows, which seemed to have displaced their ‘House’ cousins as the most regularly seen ‘town’ bird.

But it wasn’t all about birds and Orangs: Borneo boasted other exciting primates – such as gibbons, macaques, langurs and the odd-looking proboscis monkey. Their haunting calls – along with the immense din generated by cicadas at dusk – brought the jungle alive.

Then there were reptiles and insects, including hand-sized butterflies sipping nectar. We also saw flying squirrels and a slow loris during a night drive, and several monitor lizards, one of which lumbered across a golf course I’d decided to investigate.

And if I had to choose a single spellbinding moment it didn’t actually involve a bird. It came when I stealthily mounted a canopy walk for a spot of quiet bird-watching; I’d gone only a few paces when, looking to my right, I spotted a mother and baby Orang-Utan relaxing in a tree top not 30 yards from me. Doing as I’d been told by our guide, I switched off my camera’s flash and, in those valuable few seconds, the orange beasts had silently slipped out of sight. No picture – but a magic memory!

Gary Atkins

A CRANE-FEST IN HUNGARY

Our Webmaster Richard Pittam’s love of birding and photographing birds was rewarded during a trip to Hungary in September, which he’d organised through regional specialists, Saker Tours.

The quest for good photographs meant each of his five days in Hungary saw Richard ensconced in a hide – two days in Crane hides, two at a passerine drinking pool and another at a Pygmy Cormorant hide. Though birds were his main target, other wildlife gave him some good opportunities, including Roe Deer and a number of Red Squirrels that were closer to black than red!

Common Cranes turned up each time they were expected, and Richard managed to get some fine shots of these impressive birds. Other water birds that posed nicely for Richard’s unseen lens were Great White Egret, Water Rail, Little Crake (“a tick”, adds Richard), Wood Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank, with Bearded Tit, Marsh Harrier, Reed Warbler and Hobby also showing up in their natural habitat.

While a pair of Sparrowhawks were also willing models at the drinking pool, they were also a pest as they tended to scare away some of the smaller birds Richard hoped to capture on film. Nevertheless, he saw Greater, Lesser and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, and a pair of Hawfinches, one of which when startled flew right into the window of the hide. With that sturdy beak, it was a surprise the glass didn’t break!

A lot of the good birds were seen during his day in the cormorant hide, when Pygmy Cormorant duly arrived, along with Coot, a number of ducks – and those reliable cranes once again. His first day in the crane hide also produced some good non-water species, including Turtle Dove, Hooded Crow and Red-backed Shrike.

To read Richard’s own words on this trip – and to view some of Richard’s brilliant shots in Hungary go to http://www.richardpittam.com/wildaperture/blog/?p=2725

TREES AND TATTOOS ON TALKS AGENDA

Turkey, Morocco and the fate of our own British woodlands were the topics on the agenda during our talks over the past three months.

Noted photographer and regular Carsington guest speaker Paul Hobson talked eloquently and passionately about what is happening to the woodland on our own doorsteps. As with most habitats there was bad as well as good news, and his photos spoke volumes on their own. His main focus was birds, but he also higlighted mammals, insects – particularly moths and butterflies – and funghi, describing how important each was to the long-term future of woodland habitats.

Chris Ward took us to Morocco – which contains a variety of landscape that would surprise most of us, from snow-capped peaks to the arid fringes of the Sahara Desert. His brilliant photographs would do nothing but encourage anyone contemplating a trip to north Africa, and Chris painstakingly described where to go and what to see in the best habitats.

Perhaps the most unusual talk came from Tristan Reid – aka The Inked Naturalist – who was on a two-pronged mission: firstly he showed us some of the brilliant birdlife found off the main tourist trails in Turkey … and secondly he told us about his extreme ventures in support of a local conservation organisation that is concerned about the damage to globally-important biodiversity sites that will result from the Turkish government selling off its waterways to private sector companies.

In an attempt to raise awareness of this issue – and funds – he has already had his arms and torso tattooed with 24 of his favourite ‘local’ birds, and next year he plans to begin a 4,000-kilometre walk from west to east across Turkey to celebrate the country’s wondrous wildlife. Needless to say his fee went straight into the charity pot.

BUTTERFLIES – THE FINAL SCORE

Last issue we said what a fine year it was turning out to be for butterflies. Well, the mild and warm conditions ensured that this continued throughout the late summer in much the same vein, and on the two formally-prescribed Carsington ‘transects’ alone more than 1,150 butterflies were recorded, representing an increase of around 250 per cent on last year’s grand total.

Around the Shiningford transect, the 758 butterflies seen was the second highest transect aggregate since Carsington records began in 1994, and more than tripled last year’s total. Eighteen species were identified, including a site ‘first’ in the shape of the delightful Dark-Green Fritillary.

Sheepwash transect registered 399 butterflies, which though more modest was still an increase of 66 per cent over 2013. Overall 26 species – roughly half those likely to be seen in the UK – have now been recorded at Carsington Water. And if this year’s trend continues, it’s quite possible a couple more new species might be recorded in the next year or two.

WHAT'S ON

Our winter programme of illustrated talks is now under way, and we’ve had some real variety already (see report above). Next it’s our Christmas party, with our AGM scheduled for January. As the newsletter went out, we’d still to finalise speakers for our February and March meetings. If you can get along to any of the forthcoming dates, remember we usually begin meetings at 7.30pm (but note AGM begins at 7pm) and it’s £2 for members and £2.50 for non-members.

17 December 2013 – Food and drink at the Bird Club’s Xmas party, including a look at Borneo’s wonderful wildlife by Gary Atkins – Henmore Room 7.30pm

21 January 2014 – Annual General Meeting, followed by Ornithological Fraud by Peter Gibbon –Henmore Room 7pm

The regular Severn Trent Water events – which will continue into 2014 – are listed below, and on 14 December there is also an RSPB optics demonstration day, when people contemplating buying binoculars and telescopes can try them out for size. And remember, some events need booking, so it's always worth checking with the Visitor Centre on 01629 540696 before going along.

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

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

First Tuesday each month – ‘Nature tots’ – a series of learning events for youngsters run by the DWT/SWT Partnership (contact 01773 881188 for places) – 10-11.30am

Last Saturday each month – Sheepwash Spinners (learn about traditional wool spinning with demonstrations, from fleece to gifts to garments) – Visitor Centre 11am-3pm.

KNOW YOUR COMMITTEE – Here are the club officials and their contact details ……

Tel e-mail

Chairman/ Indoor mtgs Peter Gibbon 01629 534173 peter.gibbon@w3z.co.uk

Secretary Paul Hicking 01773 827727 paulandsteph@hicking.plus.com

Treasurer John Follett 01332 834778 john@jlf.demon.co.uk

Recorder Roger Carrington 01629 583816 rcarrington_matlock@yahoo.co.uk

Newsletter editor Gary Atkins 01335 370773 garysatkins@aol.com

Outdoor trips Peter Oldfield 01629 540510 peter.oldfield2011@gmail.com

Membership Dave & Sue Edmonds 01335 342919 sue@axgb.com

Ex-officio Jon Bradley 01773 852526 jonathan.bradley4@btinternet.com

and the website address: www.carsingtonbirdclub.co.uk

(website maintained by: Richard Pittam )