Sightings August 2009
Monday 31st August
Large numbers of Swallow, House Martin and smaller numbers of Sand Martin near Beeston Weir this afternoon. 1 Kingfisher on Holme pit and 1 Hobby over Clifton Wood. Small numbers of Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Common Whitethroat in the hedge-row near the Rough Wood.
Sunday 30th August
Still a small number of common Warblers moving through the area, but otherwise very quite today.
Saturday 29th August
Still a large passage of Warblers moving through the area this morning with 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Garden Warbler, and many Common Whitethroat,Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler. Also this morning was a very impressive 10 Common Buzzard and the Red-tailed Hawk all in the air together over Branshill Wood.
Red-tailed Hawk
On a return visit this afternoon 2 Juvenile Peregrine were present over Branshill Wood for over two hours unsuccessfully hunting Wood pigeon. The speed of these birds is something else, it was just a shame that the light was so bad as they both showed very well. Also this afternoon was a brief sighting of a single Barn Owl.
Juvenile Peregrine
Friday 28th August
A Juvenile Peregrine was seen this morning at 8.00am over Branshill Wood. It was continuously mobbing 2 Common Buzzard before it flew off over towards Clifton Wood. Also on Branshill Ponds this morning were 23 Gadwall. An adult Hobby was seen perched on fence posts near the horse paddocks in Barton village but flew off when i approached.
Juvenile Peregrine - Branshill Wood
On a return visit this afternoon There was obviously some migration taking place with large numbers of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff in the hedgerow between the Rough Wood and Branshill Wood. Walking up and down the hedgerow for the next 2 hours checking for passerines finally paid off with a single Spotted Flycatcher found sheltering from the wind and rain. This is still a very scarce passage migrant here and is the first August record. It was still present when i left at 3.30pm.
Spotted Flycatcher - near the Rough Wood
Thursday 27th August
A walk from Clifton Bridge to the Grove this evening produced a covey of 33 Grey Partridge. This is by far the largest number that i have ever seen in 10 years of watching the area. All 33 birds were seen feeding distantly in the field behind the Fairham Brook outlet but soon disappeared into the vegetation. The majority of the covey were Juveniles with at least 8 adult birds.
Monday 24th August
2 adult Hobby again over Branshill Wood hawking Dragonflies this evening. 12 Gadwall on Branshill Ponds and the adult female leucistic Mallard with 4 young, first seen on Holme Pit on the 27th June. 2 Juvenile Goldcrest and a few Common Whitethroat in the hedgerow near the Rough Wood but no other warblers seen this evening.
Common Whitethroat
Sunday 23rd August
A large movement of common warblers through the area this evening with large numbers of Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and 3 Lesser Whitethroat all in the hedgerow between the Rough Wood and Branshill Wood. 1 Hobby hawking dragonflies over the set-aside in front of the Rough Wood and 1 Barn Owl in the area.
Saturday 22nd August
1 adult Hobby hunting hirundines this morning over the Rough Wood. 6 Common Buzzard over Clifton Wood. 2 female Blackcap and 1 Willow Warbler in the hedgerow between the Rough Wood and Branshill Wood.
Wednesday 19th August
A good variety of common Warblers (Blackcap, Whitethroat, and Chiffchaff) this evening in the hedgerow between the Rough Wood and Branshill Wood feeding on elder berries. Also this evening was a large gathering of Hirundines over the Rough Wood which attracted the 2 Hobby that have been in the area for the last week.
female Blackcap near the Rough Wood
Tuesday 18th August
A single Kingfisher this evening on the Fairham Brook outlet near Clifton Bridge, also several Common Whitethroat along the river and c120 Lesser Black backed Gull over to the North en-route to roost
Monday 17th August
2 adult Hobby again over Branshill Wood hawking Dragonflies but staying distant over the top of the wood. Juv Common Buzzard over Barton Flash and 4 adults over Branshill Wood. 3 Grey Partridge in the newly harvested Wheat field in front of Branshill Wood. 12 Common Teal on Cottages Flash near the river and up to 200 Canada's,Greylags and 7 Egyptian Geese.
Juvenile Common Buzzard - Barton Flash
Saturday 15th August
3 Hobby again over Branshill Wood hawking Dragonflies plus 4 Common Buzzard and the Red-tailed Hawk. Very little else around today with no visible migration yet in the area
Thursday 13th August
2 Hobby hawking dragonflies high over Branshill Wood this evening but always distant. 1 Juvenile Shelduck high over The Rough Wood heading South. A single Barn Owl was seen leave its roost site at 8.00pm but stayed distant.
Tuesday 11th August
4 Hobby hawking dragonflies this evening over Branshill Wood showing well all evening but distant. Also 1 Barn Owl briefly near the river. c60 Herring Gull high over to the North.
Monday 10th August
7 Grey Wagtail feeding on the stepson Beeston Weir this evening consisting of 2 adults and 5 Juveniles. Breeding has been suspected in this location for the last few years, this is also a new site record for the number of birds seen together. 8 Reed Warbler on Holme Pit and the Mute Swan pair now with only 4 remaining Cygnets.
Sunday 9th August
Very quite this morning with just a single Kingfisher near Barton Island and 2 Juvenile Common Buzzard and the Red tail near Barton Flash.
On a return visit this evening there were 3 Barn Owl hunting on an undisclosed large set-aside area showing well from 8.00pm till dusk. Also this evening were 2 calling Tawny Owl in Branshill Wood, c250 Lesser-Black backed, c10 Great-Black backed and c500 Black-Headed Gull all high over en-route to roost over the river towards Attenborough.
Barn Owl - site undisclosed
Saturday 8th August
1 Barn Owl this morning hunting distantly over the set-aside behind Barton Flash. 2 Juvenile Common Buzzard and the Red-tailed Hawk also near Barton Flash. 5 Egyptian Geese on Cottages Flash but nothing else of interest on the flash. The Juvenile Great Crested Grebe still on the river near Barton Island. 2 Lesser Black backed Gull and several Common Tern on Beeston Weir.
Wednesday 5th August
1 Little Owl again near Barton flash but very flighty. Adult and Juvenile Great Crested Grebe on river near Barton Island plus Kingfisher flying past. Spent a few hours watching over Cottages Flash in the corner of the field with cows near the river to see if any Waders dropped in but only 1 female Teal, 4 Egyptian Geese and 4 Grey Heron
Adult and Juvenile Great Crested Grebe - Barton Island
Monday 3rd August
1 Little Owl this evening in ash tree behind Barton Flash, 63 Northern Lapwing in fields near the flash and 1 Kingfisher in willows on Barton Island.
Sunday 2nd August
5 Juvenile Common Tern on Beeston Weir this morning. 8 Common Buzzard all in the air together over Branshill Wood with at least 4 Juvenile birds, also the Red-tailed Hawk up with the buzzards.
Saturday 1st August
A single Little Egret was flushed from the side of the river this morning near the flash at Barton-in-Fabis. This is likely to be one of three birds that have been present over the river at Attenborough for the last couple of weeks, but very nice to see on the patch. Also today were 78 Northern Lapwing over Barton Flash, Kingfisher near Barton Island and a Common Buzzard being dive-bombed by 3 Kestrel over Branshill Wood. On a visit to Clifton Pastures this evening there was a adult Peregrine seen make two unsuccessful stoops into a Wood pigeon flock
Little Egret - Barton-in-Fabis