News – Page 2 – Carsington Bird Club

BTO BREEDING BIRD SURVEY

The BTO’s Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) monitors the population changes of over 100 species across the UK through the efforts of volunteers who survey their randomly selected 1km square each spring. It is a great way to make your birdwatching count. The only requirement is that you are able to confidently identify the species you are likely to encounter in a given square by sight and sound.

The survey involves a recce visit to assess the habitat, and two early-morning spring visits to count all the birds that you see or hear while walking two 1km lines (transects) across the square, plus nest counts for any colonial species. You can optionally record any mammals that you come across, and visit the square later in the season to look for butterflies. Data can be entered to BBS-Online or paper copies can be returned for input by the BTO.

For BBS purposes, Derbyshire is divided into two regions, North and South. There are currently between 20 and 25 squares available in each region, covering a wide range of habitats. There is also one Waterways BBS stretch available, on the Barlow Brook south of Dronfield. You can find much more information online at https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/breeding-bird-survey.

To see what squares are available in your area, click on ‘Taking part’, look for either Derbyshire (North) or Derbyshire (South) and you will see in which 10km squares there are squares available. You can register your interest online or contact me at simonroddis@yahoo.co.uk, and we’ll try to identify a square which will work for you.

The maps below show the available squares in each part of the county as at 16 December 2022.

Derbyshire North

Derbyshire South

An article by Simon Roddis.

Carsington Bird Club CBC Monthly Bird Notes News

OCTOBER 2022 BIRD NOTES

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.

Carsington Bird Club CBC Monthly Bird Notes News

Bird Notes – August 2022

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.

Carsington Bird Club CBC Monthly Bird Notes News

July 2022 Bird Notes

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