February 2023 BIRD NOTES

HIGHLIGHTS: Great Northern Diver, Whooper Swan, Water Rail, Jack Snipe and Marsh Tit.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 12^th unless dated otherwise. 1 Great Northern Diver reported most days till the end of the month, 8 Little Grebe, 24 Great Crested Grebe 27^th, 19 Cormorant 2^nd, 1 Little Egret 5^th, 9^th and 24^th, 4 Grey Heron 9^th, 2 Mute Swan 3^rd, 15^th and 27^th, 14 Whooper Swan 27^th only on site for the single date first group of 4 adults and 6 juveniles left at 08:08 and the remaining 4 left at 08:25, 151 Pink-footed Goose 27^th, 35 Greylag Goose 1^st, 260 Canada Goose 27^th, 35 Barnacle Goose 24^th, 4 Shelduck 6^th, 1 Mandarin 20^th, 161 Wigeon 27^th, 84 Gadwall 12^th, 733 Teal 6^th, 277 Mallard 6^th, 1 Pintail 6^th, 10^th and 12^th, 2 Shoveler 7^th and 20^th, 1 Pochard reported on 7 dates this month, 25 Tufted Duck 16^th, 1 Common Scoter (drake) 12^th, 10 Goldeneye 12^th and 27^th, 4 Goosander 5^th, 1 Water Rail 22^nd and 26^th, 10 Moorhen 22^nd, 135 Coot 27^th.

Raptor sightings included 4 Red Kite 1^st, 4 Sparrowhawk 3^rd, 10 Buzzards 26^th, 2 Kestrel 20^th, 1 Peregrine reported on 11 dates.

Eight species of waders through this month with 12 Oystercatcher 14^th, 16^th and 27^th, 150 Lapwing 1^st and 9^th, 1 Dunlin 10^th and 22^nd, 1 Jack Snipe 6^th, 14^th, 20^th, 22^nd, 23^rd and 26^th, 10 Snipe 16^th, 3 Woodcock 2^nd, 15 Curlew 26^th, 4 Redshank 12^th.

Maximum Gull numbers were Black-headed Gull present all month but not in significant numbers, Common Gull also present this month, 500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 5^th, 20 Herring Gull 10^th, 2 Yellow-legged Gull 9^th, 1 Caspian Gull 6^th, 3 Great black-backed Gull 2^nd.

Perimeter counts were conducted on 7^th and 28^th along with the other species were 1 Tawny Owl heard calling 3^rd and 12^th, 2 Red-legged Partridge 1^st and 5^th, 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker 7^th with 4 drumming, 8 Skylark 15^th, 40 Meadow Pipit 7^th, 4 Grey Wagtails 7^th, 9^th and 21^st, 54 Wren 28^th, 156 Robin 28^th, 93 Blackbird also 28^th, 70 Redwing 28^th, 33 Long-tailed Tit 28^th, 1 Marsh Tit reported on 9 dates this month, 8 Willow Tit 7^th, 15 Coal Tit 7^th, 175 Blue Tit 28^th, 86 Great Tit 7^th, 14 Treecreeper 28^th, 40 Magpie 28^th, 1000 Jackdaw 10^th, 18 Raven 22^nd, 8 Tree Sparrow 16^th, 38 Chaffinch 7^th, 8 Greenfinch 28^th, 75 Siskin 6^th, 80 Linnet 2^nd and 3^rd, 6 Lesser Redpoll 2^nd and 21^st, 24 Bullfinch 7^th, 9 Reed Bunting 22^nd.

The total 93 species noted compares to 92 in 2022, 90 in 2021, 93 in 2020, 92 in 2019, 87 in 2018.

This is the joint second highest total for February only beaten by 96 way back in 2004.

 

December 2022 BIRD NOTES

Wishing everyone a Prosperous New Year

HIGHLIGHTS: Great Northern Diver returns, Marsh Tit, Tree Sparrow, Brambling, Lesser Redpoll.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 11^th unless dated otherwise. 1 Great Northern Diver seen most days after its return on 8^th, 4 Little Grebe 10^th, 37 Great Crested Grebe, 24 Cormorant 8^th, 1 Little Egret noted on 12 occasions, 1 Great White Egret reported from various parts of the reservoir 13 times in total this month, 3 Grey Heron 3^rd and 6^th, 6 Mute Swan 19^th, 8 Whooper Swan 3^rd, 250 Pink-footed Goose 12^th, 200 Greylag Goose 22^nd, 374 Canada Goose 3^rd, 34 Barnacle Goose 24^th, 3 Shelduck 13^th, 134 Wigeon, 110 Gadwall 21^st, 548 Teal, 192 Mallard, 3 Pintail 19^th and 24^th, 3 Shoveler, 12 Pochard 16^th, 64 Tufted Duck 21^st, 10 Goldeneye 7^th, 7 Goosander 21^st, 1 Water Rail, 6 Moorhen 2^nd, 11^th, 21^st and 31^st, 94 Coot 21^st, 1 Kingfisher 5^th, 7^th and 8^th.

Raptor sightings included 7 Red Kite 29^th, 2 Sparrowhawk 4^th and 21^st, 4 Buzzards 20^th and 21^st, 2 Kestrel 1^st, 5^th, 21^st, 24^th and 26^th, 1 Peregrine reported 11 times within the month.

Seven species of waders through this month with 550 Lapwing 25^th, 39 Dunlin 1^st and 2^nd, 11 Snipe 4^th, 3 Woodcock 3^rd, 1 Black-tailed Godwit 2^nd, 3 Curlew 8^th, 9^th and 12^th, 3 Redshank 6^th and 7^th.

Maximum Gull numbers were 1 Mediterranean Gull 2^nd, 5^th and 6^th, 6000 Black-headed Gull 8^th, 2800 Common Gull 8^th, 250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 30^th, 5 Herring Gull 27^th, 4 Yellow-legged Gulls 2^nd (3 adults and 1 first winter), 2 Caspian Gull 7^th, 1 Great black-backed Gull reported 14 dates within the month.

Among other species were 1580 Wood Pigeon recorded flying North East 26^th, 4 Tawny Owl heard calling 1^st, 4^th and 25^th, 2 Red-legged Partridge 6^th and 8^th, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker 5^th, 17^th and 19^th, 75 Meadow Pipit 6^th, 3 Grey Wagtails 21^st, 177 Fieldfare 3^rd, 725 Redwing 3^rd, 1 Chiffchaff 2^nd and 16^th, 8 Goldcrest 1^st, 2 Marsh Tit 30^th, 7 Willow Tit 1^st and 21^st, 70 Carrion Crow 5^th, 15 Raven 20^th, 7 Tree Sparrow 5^th, 1 Brambling 27^th, 100 Siskin 25^th, 5 Lesser Redpoll 30^th, 9 Bullfinch 7^th, 1 Yellowhammer present on 25^th.

The total 98 species noted compares to 97 in 2021, 94 in 2020, 93 in 2019, 87 in 2018, 92 in 2017.

This is the second highest total for December only being beaten by 99 in December 2006

HIGHLIGHTS: Whooper Swan, Garganey, Red-breasted Merganser, Marsh Harrier, Little Stint, Green Sandpiper and Marsh Tit.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 9^th unless dated otherwise. 25 Mute Swan 3^rd, 5 adult Whooper Swan 14^th, 165 Pink-footed Goose 2^nd,150 Greylag Goose 5^th, 126 Canada Goose 22^nd, 2 Barnacle Goose reported 2^nd and 18^th, 1 Mandarin 31^st last reported on site back in May, 111 Wigeon 23^rd, 37 Gadwall 30^th, 480 Teal 5^th, 150 Mallard, 9 Pintail 2^nd, 1 Garganey 8^th, 9^th, 11^th and 25^th, 20 Shoveler, 10 Pochard 29^th, 148 Tufted Duck 17^th, 1 Goldeneye 24^th, 1 Red-breasted Merganser 3^rd and 4^th, 1 Goosander 8^th, 16^th, 29^th and 30^th, 33 Little Grebe 5^th, 45 Great Crested Grebe 5^th, 46 Cormorant, 3 Little Egret 2^nd and 31^st, 4 Great White Egret 10^th  and single birds reported 7 times within the month, 11 Grey Heron 13^th, 6 Moorhen 9^th and 15^th, 34 Coot, 1 Kingfisher 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 11^th, 12^th, 14^th, 17^th and 18^th.

Raptor sightings included 9 Red Kite 30^th, 1 Marsh Harrier 3^rd and 8^th, 3 Sparrowhawk 14^th and 28^th, 8 Buzzards 3^rd and 13^th, 3 Kestrel 5^th, 1 Merlin 3^rd and 6^th, 1 Hobby 1^st, 1 Peregrine reported on 14 dates within the month.

Ten species of waders through this month with 21 Ringed Plover 1^st, 2 Golden Plover 19^th, 191 Lapwing 30^th,1 Little Stint 23^rd and 28^th, 25 Dunlin 22^nd, 1 Jack Snipe 9^th and 11^th, 2 Snipe 11^th, 1 Redshank 2^nd and 17^th, 1 Greenshank 4^th,2 Green Sandpiper 9^th.

Maximum Gull numbers were 3 Mediterranean Gull 27^th, 2000 Black-headed Gull 7^th, 26 Common Gull 5^th, numbers of Lesser Black-backed Gulls seen most days 1 Herring Gull 23^rd and 26^th, 7 Yellow-legged Gulls 22^nd, 1 Caspian Gull 10^th, 18^th, 21^st, 22^nd, 23^rd and 30^th, 1 Great black-backed Gull reported 27 dates within the month.

1 juvenile Arctic Tern flew across the reservoir 9^th.

Among other species were 7450 Wood Pigeon 31^st with large numbers reported flying across the reservoir on 4 different dates.4 Tawny Owl heard calling 26^th, 2 Red-legged Partridge found on Stones Island 30^th, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 3^rd, 8^th, and 23^rd, 12 Swallow 1^st, with the last seen 16^th, 60 House Martins 3^rd, 300 Meadow Pipit 1^st, 1 Rock Pipit 9^th and 13^th, 6 Grey Wagtails 16^th, 63 Pied Wagtail 1^st, 1 Stonechat 12^th, 1 female Wheatear 3^rd and 10^th, 286  Fieldfare 19^th with 130 on 25^th and 105 on 31^st, 29190 Redwing reported 19^th moving over a 6 hour period, 2 Blackcap 6^th, 8 Chiffchaff 1^st and 2^nd, 1 Marsh Tit noted on 9 dates, 4 Willow Tit 12^th and 24^th, 4 Jay 9^th, 500 Jackdaw 1^st, 13 Raven 18^th, 500 Starling 28^th, 8 Tree Sparrow 6^th, 3 Brambling 9^th, 29 Siskin 16^th, 70 Linnet 31^st, 9 Lesser Redpoll 24^th, 1 Yellowhammer 4^th and 25^th.

The total 111 species noted this month is a new record for October (beating the 109 recorded in 2007) and compares to 105 in 2021, 106 in 2020, 103 in 2019, 106 in 2018, 108 in 2017.