August 2022 BIRD NOTES

HIGHLIGHTS: Pomarine Skua, Garganey, Sanderling, Spotted Redshank, Osprey, Grasshopper Warbler, Marsh Tit.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 14^th, unless dated otherwise. 33 Mute Swan reported on 11 dates within the month, 1 Pink-footed Goose 19^th, 21^st and 26^th, 139 Greylag Goose 25^th, 733 Canada Goose 29^th, 2 Barnacle Goose reported 11 dates within the month, 1 Ruddy Shelduck reported 7 times, 1 Shelduck 1^st, 14^th and 27^th, 8 Wigeon 31^st, 75 Gadwall 29^th, 143 Teal 13^th and 14^th, 394 Mallard, 3 Garganey reported on 8 occasions within the month, 17 Shoveler 31^st, 20 Pochard 24^th, 29^th and 30^th, 476 Tufted Duck, 4 Goosander 19^th, 23 Little Grebe, 74 Great Crested Grebe, 57 Cormorant 13^th, 20 Little Egret 21^st second time this month that the site record has been broken, 1 Great White Egret 10^th, 11^th, and 24^th, 16 Grey Heron 15^th, 23 Moorhen, 647 Coot, 1 Kingfisher 9^th, 14^th, 23^rd and 25^th.

Raptor sightings included 8 Red Kite 1^st with at least a single bird seen 29 dates this month, 2 Sparrowhawk 9^th, 11^th, 16^th and 19^th, 9 Buzzards 28^th, 1 Osprey 15^th and 23^rd, 5 Kestrel 29^th, 1 Merlin photographed over the Dam wall 26^th, 1 Hobby 4^th, 10^th and 24^th, 2 Peregrine 29^th.

Fifteen species of waders through this month with 2 Oystercatcher reported on 9 dates, 9 Little Ringed Plover including 2 chicks 19^th, 22 Ringed Plover 29^th, 55 Lapwing 1^st, 1 Sanderling 5^th, 5 Dunlin 19^th, 11 Snipe 30^th, 4 Black-tailed Godwit 21^st, 1 Curlew 29^th and 31^st, 2 Spotted Redshank 30^th and 31^st, 8 Redshank 27^th, 2 Greenshank 15^th, 3 Green Sandpiper 11^th, 8 Common Sandpiper 15^th, 1 Turnstone 18^th.

Maximum Gull numbers were 1 Mediterranean Gull 2^nd, Black-headed Gull present all month, 3 Common Gull 2^nd, 4538 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 19^th, 1 Herring Gull 29^th, 5 Yellow-legged Gulls 7^th, 1 Great black-backed Gull reported 19 dates within the month.

1 Pomarine Skua 2^nd, Second bird to be reported at Carsington (1993), 5 Common Tern 18^th, 22 Arctic Tern (mostly juveniles) 25^th, 5 Black Tern 25^th.

Among other species were 1 Tawny Owl 9^th, 19^th and 26^th, 5 Swift 3^rd, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1^st, 20 Sand Martin 20^th and 25^th, 150 Swallow 22^nd, 75 House Martins 17^th, 1 Tree Pipit 26^th and 27^th, 5 Yellow Wagtail 22^nd, 5 Grey Wagtails 20^th, 150 Pied Wagtail 18^th, 4 Redstart 6^th and 9^th, 1 Wheatear 25^th, 28^th, 29^th and 30^th, 1 Juvenile Grasshopper Warbler 20^th, 6 Sedge Warbler 6^th and 9^th, 4 Reed Warbler 10^th, 4 Lesser Whitethroat 11^th, 2 Whitethroat 19^th and 20^th, 4 Garden Warbler 7^th, 32 Blackcap 7^th, 6 Chiffchaff 26^th, 4 Willow Warbler 5^th and 7^th 3 Spotted Flycatcher 1^st and 21^st, 1 Marsh Tit 1^st, 19^th and 28^th, 7 Willow Tit 1^st, 5 Tree Sparrow 9^th and 30^th, 200 Goldfinch 25^th, 100 Linnet 6^th.

A total 119 species for this month is the highest count for August in 11 years and the joint second highest for the month since records began.

Previous years 107 in 2021, 111 in 2020, 112 in 2019, 113 in 2018, 114 in 2017.

July 2022 BIRD NOTES

HIGHLIGHTS: Purple Heron, Marsh Tit, Arctic and Black Tern, Green Sandpiper, Garganey, Ruddy Shelduck.

The Juvenile Purple Heron was seen over Stones for around 4 minutes before flying away. This is a first for Carsington Water.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 23^rd, unless dated otherwise. 31 Mute Swan 31^st, 300 Greylag Goose 5^th, 846 Canada Goose 6^th, 2 Barnacle Goose reported most dates within the month, 1 Ruddy Shelduck reported on 13 occasions, 7 Shelduck 10^th, 34 Gadwall 30^th, 20 Teal 24^th, 343 Mallard, 3 Garganey 31^st, 1 Shoveler on 7 dates, 12 Pochard 21^st, 346 Tufted Duck, 28 Common Scoter 31^st, 15 Little Grebe, 81 Great Crested Grebe 30^th, 36 Cormorant 28^th, 9 Little Egret 30^th, 2 Great White Egret 29^th, 14 Grey Heron, 1 Purple Heron 28^th, 26 Moorhen 30^th, 665 Coot, 1 Kingfisher 7^th and 21^st.

Raptor sightings included 5 Red Kite 24^th, 1 Sparrowhawk on 8 different dates this month, 6 Buzzards 20^th and at least one individual seen most dates, 1 Osprey reported on 27^th, 5 Kestrel 28^th but with 2 and 3 birds seen for most of the month, 2 Peregrine 13^th.

Fifteen species of waders through this month with 12 Oystercatcher 6^th, 7 Little Ringed Plover 7^th and 8^th, 1 Ringed Plover 9^th, 28^th, 29^th and 31^st, 100 Lapwing 3^rd, 3 Knot 21^st, 4 Dunlin 25^th, 1 Ruff 9^th, 7 Snipe 31^st, 8 Black-tailed Godwit 14^th, 2 Whimbrel 21^st, 3 Curlew 21^st and 29^th, 13 Redshank 21^st, 1 Green Sandpiper 13^th, 14 Common Sandpiper 5^th, 2 Turnstone 22^nd, 23^rd and 29^th.

Maximum Gull numbers were 250 Black-headed Gull 6^th, 4 Common Gull 29^th and 30^th, 115 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 12^th with 92 reported on 28^th, 1 Herring Gulls 17^th and 25^th, 3 Yellow-legged Gull 12^th, 22^nd and 29^th, 2 Great black-backed Gulls 10^th.

30 Common Tern 22^nd, 6 Arctic Tern 21^st, 6 Black Tern 22^nd.

Among other species were 25 Swift 14^th, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 5^th and 27^th, 3 Skylark 30^th, 20 Sand Martin 24^th, 100 Swallow 30^th, 30 House Martins 30^th, 2 Yellow Wagtail 20^th, 9 Grey Wagtails 13^th, 150 Pied Wagtail 28^th, 4 Redstart 9^th and 31^st, 1 Wheatear 30^th, 8 Sedge Warbler 30^th, 5 Reed Warbler 27^th, 1 Lesser Whitethroat 8^th, 10^th, 25^th and 30^th, 1 Whitethroat 10^th, 4 Garden Warbler 10^th, 10 Blackcap 5^th and 14^th, 13 Chiffchaff 5^th, 4 Willow Warbler 27^th, 1 Spotted Flycatcher 9^th, 11^th, 23^rd, 25^th and 31^st, 2 Marsh Tit 5^th (first since 2013), 7 Willow Tit 8^th, 7 Tree Sparrow 25^th.

A total 110 species for this month compared to 95 in 2021, 108 in 2020, 104 in 2019, 107 in 2018, 105 in 2017.

This is the highest total for July since the records started back in 1993

HIGHLIGHTS: Spotted Flycatcher, Ruddy Shelduck, Red-crested Pochard and Osprey.

 The Breeding season is now in full swing with busy adults and fledged young seen both on the water and in the woods around the reservoir.

Water bird maxima were from the WeBS count on 20^th, unless dated otherwise. 24 Mute Swan 26^th, 290 Greylag Goose 24^th, 1187 Canada Goose, 4 Barnacle Goose 13^th, 1 Ruddy Shelduck reported on 5 dates, 47 Gadwall 10^th, 5 Teal 25^th and 26^th,136 Mallard, 1 Shoveler 12^th and 14^th, 1 Red-crested Pochard (Drake) reported on 16 Dates within the Month, 4 Pochard 14^th, 123 Tufted Duck, 6 Little Grebe 24^th, 60 Great Crested Grebe 10^th, 25 Cormorant 25^th, 1 Little Egret reported on 9 dates, 11 Grey Heron, 11 Moorhen, 308 Coot, 2 Kingfisher 12^th reported with young.

Raptor sightings included a single Red Kite noted on 8 dates, 1 Sparrowhawk 6^th, 8^th, 20^th, 22^nd and 26^th, 6 Buzzards 26^th and 5 noted 3 times, 1 Osprey reported in a hide diary 18^th above Hall Wood, 1 Kestrel 6 occasions, 1 Hobby 5^th, 1 Peregrine 14^th reported by the Wildlife Centre Volunteers.

Nine species of waders through this month with 14 Oystercatcher 25^th, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover 4^th, 55 Lapwing 26^th, 5 Sanderlings 5^th, 1 Dunlin reported on 7 dates, 2 Curlew 26^th, 7 Redshank 4^th, 3 Common Sandpiper 5^th, 6^th and 28^th.

Maximum Gull numbers were 630 Black-headed Gull 16^th, 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 13^th, 3 Herring Gulls 11^th, 1 Yellow-legged Gull 16^th, 20^th, 25^th and 26^th, 2 Great black-backed Gulls 4^th and 22^nd.

Two reports of single birds this month for Common Tern 11^th and 16^th.

Among other species were, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 10^th, 13^th and 15^th, 1 Tawny Owl 11^th, 30 Swift 6^th, 2 Skylark 16^th, 230 Sand Martin 25^th, 10 Swallow 22^nd, 26 House Martins 25^th, 5 Grey Wagtails 25^th, 32 Pied Wagtail 25^th, 7 Redstart 26^th, 6 Sedge Warbler 8^th, 6 Reed Warbler 16^th, 2 Lesser Whitethroat 8^th, 16^th and 22^nd, 2 Whitethroat 4^th, 5 Garden Warbler 25^th, 7 Blackcap 16^th, 6 Chiffchaff 12^th, 5 Willow Warbler 10^th, 2 Spotted Flycatcher 6^th, 7 Willow Tit 6^th,

A total 94 species for this month compared to 99 in 2021, 101 in 2020, 94 in 2019, 91 in 2018, 97 in 2017.