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.