2010 Archive
Sightings March 2010
Tuesday 30th March
A single male Northern Wheatear sheltering from the wind and rain under the hedge that border's the ploughed field facing Branshill Ponds late afternoon. 2 Oystercatcher on the fields near Cottages Flash and 2 Wigeon and 2 Teal on the flash.
Sunday 28th March
An increase in Chiffchaff and Blackcap numbers with birds heard singing throughout the Grove and Clifton Woods this morning. Still a few Redwing in the area with 8 birds in the hedgerow near the Rough Wood. 6 Common Buzzard and the Red-tail over Branshill Wood and a further 3 Buzzard over Clifton Wood.
Saturday 27th March
The first Swallow was seen this morning over the river near Barton Flash, there was also a steady passage of Sand Martin through to the east mid morning. A significant increase in Meadow Pipit numbers, with C80 found feeding in fields behind Barton Flash before all headed off north/east. A single male Northern Wheatear was found in fields behind Cottages Flash late morning. 6 Wigeon and 2 Teal also on the flash. 3 Corn Bunting in hedge-row on Barton Lane early afternoon.
Norther Wheatear - near Cottages Flash
Meadow Pipit - Barton Flash
Friday 26th March
Very quite late afternoon with nothing in the ploughed field in front of Branshill Pond, and only 2 Teal and 8 Wigeon on Cottages Flash. A small number of Fieldfare and 3 Redwing in trees by the river-side Chalet between the two flash's. 2 Corn Bunting were present in the hedgerow on Barton Lane late pm.
Thursday 25th March
A brief search around Barton Lane and The Gotham Road for a couple of hours late afternoon for Corn Bunting produced 5 singing males. 2 were singing just off the Gotham Road near Clifton, 1 in the Gotham Road layby and another 3 along Barton Lane.
I would also like to thank everyone that emailed to confirm my susptions that the Gull species that I saw on Beeston Weir on Saturday 20th March was a 3rd W Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis. This uncommon annual visitor to Nottm has been seen on a few occasions over the river at Attenborough Nature Reserve, and was always seen as a potential addition to the Systematic List.
Wedensday 24th March
An excellent couple of hours between 4.00pm-6.00pm with 2 singing Chiffchaff in Branshill Wood, 4 male Northern Wheatear and 2 White Wagtail on the newly ploughed field in front of Branshill Ponds. Also 15 Pied Wagtail and 23 Meadow Pipit on the ploughed Field. The last time this field was ploughed when it coincided with the spring migration was in late march early April 2006. It then attracted over 20 Northen Wheatear, 11 White Wagtail and the only record of Blue-headed Wagtail. Therefore it will be well worth keeping an eye on this field for the next couple of weeks. Also this afternoon were 2 Oystercatcher on the river side field next to Cottages Flash, 12 Wigeon and 2 Teal on the Flash and a single Barn Owl over Branshill Moor. Earlier this afternoon was 1 Corn Bunting singing in the Gotham Layby.
male Northern Wheatear
White Wagtail
Monday 22nd March
A single singing Corn Bunting on Barton Lane late afternoon. Very quite around the river this afternoon with no sign of any migration. 1 Wigeon,3 Teal and 2 Pied Wagtail on Cottages Flash. 4 Gadwall on Branshill Ponds. C250 Greylag in field in front of Branshill Wood including the ringed individual C7U that was rung as a gosling in York back in 2006. A female Ruddy Shelduck was also with Canada Geese in the sheep field near Barton Flash.
Greylag (C7U) - Barton-in-Fabis
Sunday 21st March
2 Common Shelduck were found this morning on a very foggy Cottages Flash, also on the flash were 7 Gadwall, 5 Teal, 23 Wigeon and a single Oystercatcher. No sign of any visible migration throughout but fog was hampering viewing. A quick check on the 2 Little Owl sites produced 2 birds at each sight plus a very vocal male bird that was heard calling for over 15mins at a different location. C100 Fieldfare and a count of 28 Redwing in fields behind Holme Pit.
Highlight of the day was a female/imm Merlin seen on a return visit this afternoon at 3.00pm. It was seen in pursuit of a Skylark over Branshill Moor but was soon lost as it flew over the hedgerow bordering the sheep fields. At 4.00pm it was seen again distantly from Barton Flash flying low across the sheep fields heading towards Cottages Flash. The first Northern Wheatear of the year was found feeding on the newly worked field in front of Branshill Wood at 5.00pm. The Oystercatcher was also back on the sheep fields this afternoon and was surprisingly very approachable.
Oystercatcher - near Cottages Flash
Saturday 20th March
4 male Corn Bunting in full song along Barton Lane this morning at 6.40am. 2 singing Blackcap in Clifton Wood and a singing Chiffchaff near the Rough Wood. 4 Sand Martin through to the east over Cottages Flash. 7 Goosander and 2 Goldeneye on the river near Beeston Weir. 25 Wigeon on Cottages Flash. 4 Little Grebe and a single Kingfisher on Holme Pit. A second Little Owl site was found this morning with one bird present in a tree hole with a second nearby.
A possible 3rd w Yellow-legged Gull was seen on Beeston Weir this morning but soon flew off down river. Looking at the photo's this bird show's a dark mantle, extensive dark on the wing tips and with little or no mirror on P10. My past experience of 3rd w Herring Gull Larus argentatus always seemed to show slightly large mirrors on P9-P10. The bill is a dull yellow with extensive dark markings and legs were a pinkish/yellow. A very good candidate for Y.L.G, and a potential new record for the area.
Any opinions on this bird would be appreciated as this is the first time I have come across a 3rd winter and have very little experience with this species.
3rd w Yellow-legged Gull -Beeston Weir
Friday 19th March
A single Chiffchaff in the trees by the bend in the Trent below the weir this morning(R.Gimson). This is the earliest record of Chiffchaff recorded in the area beating the 2005 record by one day.
2 Oystercatcher's feeding in fields next to Cottages Flash on a late afternoon visit. Also 7 Teal, 25 Wigeon and a single Common Gull on the Flash.
News of a Common Crane (Rarebird Alert & Attenborough Website) seen to appear from the N/W flying S/E over Clifton Pit Attenborough Nature Reserve and appeared to drop down as if it was landing on this side of the river at 5.35pm. I myself was in the area of Cottages Flash from 4.30-5.45pm, I am sure that I would have noticed a Common Crane flying over or landing in this part of the area. So I presume that it flew over further along the river. The exact location to where it possibly landed is unknown, but if it flew over Clifton Pit it must have gone over the area somewhere between Barton Island and the fields between Barton and Thrumpton.
Thursday 18th March
2 Sand Martin seen feeding over the river near Barton Island late afternoon were the first returning birds of the year. Also still small numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare in the area near Barton Flash. 32 Wigeon on Cottages Flash and 4 Common Gull with C40 Black-headed Gull.
Tuesday 16th March
2 Oystercatcher were seen flying down the river from Cottages Flash at 4.30pm. A count of 48 Wigeon, 45 Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Gull,3 Grey Heron, 1 Little Grebe and 4 Egyptian Geese also on the flash. 7 Redwing and C30 Fieldfare in trees by the chalets near Barton Island. 2 Common Buzzard and the Red-tail over Branshill Wood. A distant Barn Owl was seen hunting over fields near the Rough Wood at dusk.
Wigeon - Cottages Flash
Sunday 14th March
2 Little Owls this morning with one of the owls sat out in full view in the morning sun. Still evidence of a Common Snipe movement through the area with 3 birds flushed from the dyke near Branshill Ponds and a further 7 birds flushed from the dyke in front of the Rough Wood on Branshill Moor. A single Woodcock this morning was flushed from right under my feet from the bottom of the Rough Wood. 42 Wigeon, 4 Northern Lapwing and small numbers of Black-headed Gull on Cottages Flash. 32 Northern Lapwing and a single Golden Plover in fields near the ponds to the west of Barton plus a herd of 58 Mute Swan.
A Peregrine was seen flying very high over holme pit at around 1pm, along with several meadow pipit flying over.
Little Owl - Site undisclosed
Saturday 13th March
A large influx of snipe throughout the area this morning with 27 Common Snipe and a single Jack Snipe. 15 Common Snipe were flushed from the dyke on Branshill Moor, 2 on the Yellow Gate Pond, 3 on Barton Flash, 2 Branshill Ponds and 5 on the wet marsh area behind Holme Pit. The Jack Snipe was flushed from the dyke on Branshill Moor near the small pond opposite the Rough Wood. A male Ruddy Shelduck was found early morning in fields with Canada Geese between Barton Flash and the Chalets. 3 Goldeneye were on the river near Barton Island. A Count of 48 Wigeon were feeding on Cottages Flash plus 2 Common Gull with larger numbers of Black-headed Gull. 5 Common Buzzard and the Red-tailed Hawk over Branshill Wood.
male Ruddy Shelduck - near Barton Flash
Friday 12th March
Little Egret, 40+ Wigeon on Barton Flash (Attenborough website). I presume that the location is Cottages Flash as viewing Barton Flash from Attenborough is very restricted through the trees, also Wigeon very rarely visit Barton Flash.
A Peregrine was seen this afternoon at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station at 4.10pm. It was seen to fly low over the golf course and was lost from view as it went up towards the cooling towers (D.Roots).
Thursday 11th March
A single Barn Owl this evening hunting fields at the rear of Holme Pit. Also on Holme Pit were 3 Teal and a single Shoveler.
Tuesday 9th March
A Peregrine was seen in pursuit of a Feral Pigeon this afternoon, across Clifton Pastures from the brook area to the small wood. The Peregrine made several attempts at it before the pigeon vanished into the wood. Also on the Pastures were 3 Common Buzzard, 4 Skylark, 1 Reed Bunting along the brook, small group of Linnet and 42 Golden Plover over toward barton-in-fabis. (J.Christmas).
Monday 8th March
A Little Owl was seen sitting on a fence post near the flooded dyke at the end of the hedge row that runs from Barton flash towards Branshill moor, also today were two RuddyShelduck seen flying down the river at Barton island towards Barton-in-Fabis (R.Gimson).
It now seems that there are two new Ruddy Shelduck visiting the area, and yesterdays sighting may not have been the Attenborough bird as I had presumed.
Sunday 7th March
A Ruddy Shelduck was seen to circle Barton Flash this morning before flying back over to Attenborough, it is possible that this is the resident Attenborough bird on an "away-day outing". Also on the flash were 3 Common Snipe and 8 Meadow Pipit. An influx of Fieldfare in the area today with over 200 birds in fields near Barton Flash. 2 Goosander and 1 Pochard on the river near Barton Island. Lots of Drumming Great spotted Woodpecker this morning in Clifton Woods but no sign of yesterdays lesser spotted. No sign of any Little Owls at the regular roost site due to a pair of Stoat been present in the roost site tree hole.
Ruddy Shelduck - over Barton Flash
Stoat - in the Little Owl roost site hole
Saturday 6th March
A Lesser-spotted Woodpecker was heard calling and drumming this morning for over 30mins, but couldn't be located. It was somewhere high in tree tops in Clifton Woods behind Clifton Hall. A single female Pochard, male Shoveler,3 Teal, 3 Little Grebe, 12 Tufted Duck and 2 calling Water Rail on Holme Pit. 5 Siskin with 12 Goldfinch feeding on Alders near the exit of Clifton Wood. 2 Wigeon and 3 Northern Lapwing on Cottages Flash. 6 Fieldfare and 3 Redwing on fields between the two flashs. A single Barn Owl at its roost site. 4 Goldcrest with Long-tailed Tit in the Rough Wood. 3 Common Buzzard over Clifton Woods.
Goldcrest - The Rough Wood
Thursday 4th March
A Red Kite was reported over Branshill Wood and was seen on three different occasions between 12.40-2.30pm (Nott's Birdline).
A mixed flock of Golden Plover and Northern Lapwing in newly ploughed fields in West Leake, also belated news of a Peregrine in late January circling near the cooling towers at Ratcliffe-on-Soar (D.Roots)
Tuesday 2nd March
A visit to the area west of Barton-in-Fabis late afternoon produced a count of 52 Mute Swan, a mixed flock of C40 Linnet and Greenfinch and 68 Northern Lapwing.