News – Carsington Bird Club

News Items

********** Membership News **********

From 1st January 2025, membership joining fees have changed – see link here.

CBC Meeting Schedule for 2025/26 commences in September

Indoor meetings are held in the Carsington Water Visitor Centre – starting at 19.30h.

TBA

If you need a lift – or for any more information – contact Chris Lamb [ cflamb@yahoo.co.uk ], who will be able to offer help.

Other Activities

– First Sunday of the month – Birdwatching for Beginners – Meet Visitor Centre (10am-12 noon)

Please Note:

Almost invariably held on the first Sunday of the month (meet in the courtyard at 10am – but please book with reception if you intend to come).

Outdoor Activities

For Severn Trent’s spring programme, it’s often sensible to book a place with the visitor centre (on 01629 540696).

Carsington Bird Club Educational Events Member Reports News

Recent Activities Reports

Springtime Songbird Walk – Sunday 11th May 2025

In stark contrast to the wet weather which curtailed last year’s walk, the group of 13 CBC members who joined us on Sunday 11th May for our annual Springtime Songbird walk at Carsington Water were treated to a very sunny morning. We are once again extremely grateful to Simon Roddis, one of our expert bird recorders, who led the walk.

Ironically the warm weather and clear skies kept most of the hirundines at higher altitudes, but a few Swallows were spotted soon after our arrival, along with a couple of Swifts flying away into the distance. Setting off along the causeway to Stones Island, the first singing warbler we came across was a Garden Warbler, which is often hard to see, but we did eventually get a good view of it. Sedge Warblers on the other hand are usually more visible and quite a few were noted singing on the top of bushes. The descending cadence of a Willow Warbler was soon heard, and Chiffchaffs and a pair of Blackcaps were also spotted.

Probably the star bird of the morning was not a songbird at all though. An Osprey was spotted flying over the northern end of the reservoir, initially chased by a pair of Oystercatchers before a number of Black-headed Gulls took up the pursuit. We enjoyed a good look at this very handsome bird of prey as it circled back over the water before disappearing from view.

Moving round to the Wildlife Centre, we spent a short time looking at the various ducks and geese, while taking in the cacophony of noise and activity of the Black-headed Gulls nesting on Horseshoe Island. Finishing off at Wildlife Centre Creek, Simon’s sharp ears picked out the song of a distant Redstart, but it remained elusive and could not be seen. By the end of the morning 33 species had been collectively recorded by the group.

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Common Pochard, Pheasant, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Osprey, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Swift, Swallow, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Wren, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting.

Chris Lamb

Drakelow DWT Reserve – Sunday 18th May 2025

The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reserve at Drakelow was the destination for our latest walk on Sunday 18th May. Most of the 10 CBC members who came along had not been there before, so it was a good experience to visit a fairly local reserve for the first time. As we met in the car park a distant Cuckoo was calling, a sound we heard again, but never near enough to try and see it.

Drakelow is well known for its breeding Cormorant colonies and from the hide nearest the car park we counted at least 65-70 on nests in the trees around the lake. Ducks and geese were far less plentiful though, and a pair of Oystercatchers were the only waders on show. Two juvenile Grey Herons were patrolling the water’s edge, later joined by an adult, and both a Great White and a Little Egret and were spotted during the morning.

Walking around the reserve we picked out the songs of many of our summer visiting warblers, with Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff the most numerous. We enjoyed especially good views of a Garden Warbler, singing from an exposed tree branch, and a Whitethroat sat obligingly for some time on top of a nearby bush. Reed Warblers were singing from within the reedbeds, and the scolding sound of a Cetti’s Warbler was heard two or three times, but as is often the case for this species was not seen.

In total 29 species were recorded. It was perhaps mildly disappointing that there weren’t a few more on the list, particularly raptors and hirundines, and also no waders apart from Oystercatchers. You can only see what’s on offer though, and all birds are a delight at the end of the day.

Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Oystercatcher, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Cuckoo, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Wren, Long-tailed Tit, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Dunnock, Robin, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting.

Chris Lamb

Carsington Bird Club News

March Bird Sightings

March 2023 BIRD NOTES

HIGHLIGHTS: Black-necked Grebe, record Skylark numbers, Sand Martin, Swallow, Stonechat, Wheatear, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.

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, 4 Little Grebe 3^rd and 8^th, 40 Great Crested Grebe 8^th, 8 Black-necked Grebe 8^th 6 in summer plumage and 2 in winter plumage a record number for Derbyshire, 15 Cormorant 4^th, 2 Little Egret 20^th, 21^st and 22^nd, 5 Grey Heron 7^th, 20^th and 22^nd, 3 Mute Swan 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd, 20 Greylag Goose 7^th, 200 Canada Goose 7^th, 20 Barnacle Goose 8^th, 3 Shelduck 6^th, 3 Mandarin 12^th and 13^th, 100 Wigeon 12^th, 56 Gadwall, 210 Teal, 145 Mallard, 6 Pintail 13^th and 22^nd, 2 Shoveler 7^th, 26 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Scoter 16^th (immature male), 12 Goldeneye, 2 Goosander 12^th and 20^th, 6 Moorhen, 126 Coot, 1 Kingfisher 12^th and 13^th.

Raptor sightings included 4 Red Kite 21^st and 22^nd, 3 Sparrowhawk 12^th, 18 Buzzards 17^th, 2 Kestrel 4^th and 16^th, 2 Peregrine 5^th and 13^th.

Ten species of waders through this month with 12 Oystercatcher 11^th and 12^th, 1 Little Ringed Plover 21^st, 28^th and 31^st, 1 Golden Plover 17^th, 78 Lapwing 6^th, 4 Dunlin 21^st, 1 Jack Snipe 15^th, 11 Snipe 12^th, 2 Woodcock 5^th, 43 Curlew 8^th, 6 Redshank 29^th.

Maximum Gull numbers were 2 Mediterranean Gull 22^nd, Black-headed Gull present all month but not in significant numbers, Common Gull also present this month, 130 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 5^th, 17 Herring Gull 4^th, 1 Caspian Gull 4^th, 11^th, 12^th, 13^th and 14^th, 2 Great black-backed Gull 8^th, 11^th, 22^nd, 29^th and 30^th, 1 Kittiwake 13^th seen off Stones Island for around 15 minutes before departing.

Along with the other species were 966 Wood Pigeon 17^th, 1 Barn Owl 12^th, 16^th and 21^st seen in the Sheepwash/Tail Bay area early in the morning, 2 Tawny Owl 18^th, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th, 130 Skylark 12^th, 40 Sand Martin 30^th, 40 Swallow 30^th, 65 Meadow Pipit 17^th, 4 Grey Wagtails 17^th, 1 Stonechat 12^th, 13^th, 14^th, 15^th and 18^th, 3 Wheatear 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd, 44 Fieldfare 16^th, 100 Redwing 3^rd and 6^th, 13 Chiffchaff 20^th, 1 Willow Warbler 31^st, 1 Marsh Tit reported on 7 dates this month, 6 Willow Tit 2^nd, 8^th and 16^th, 6 Raven 19^th and 21^st, 200 Starling 3^rd, 5 Tree Sparrow 8^th, 4 Greenfinch 3^rd and 17^th, 10 Siskin 8^th, 50 Linnet 7^th,11 Lesser Redpoll 23^rd, 10 Bullfinch 15^th, 8 Reed Bunting 2^nd.

The total 102 species noted compares to 106 in 2022, 102 in 2021, 95 in 2020, 100 in 2019, 102 in 2018.

Carsington Bird Club CBC Monthly Bird Notes News

Bird Notes – February 2023

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.