2010 Archive
Sightings May 2010
Monday 31st May
Most of this morning was spent visiting various nest sites to collect information for the BTO Nest Monitoring program. Some very good results, but I still haven't managed to locate where the Corn Buntings are nesting despite spending over eight hour's this weekend watching territories of 5 different singing males.
Also today the male Little Ringed Plover was still on Cottages Flash plus a single Gadwall. 2 Grey Partridge near Beeston Weir.
male & female Reed Bunting - near nest site
Sunday 30th May
The first Juvenile warblers were seen in the area this morning with Juvenile Chiffchaff and Common Whitethroat both seen. Also both pairs of Little Owls were seen to be activly taking insects and earth worms to the nest holes. Also this morning were two pairs of Reed Bunting found feeding young at seperate locations.
Friday 28th May
No sign of the Red-Backed Shrike on a late afternoon visit but a Pink-footed Goose was with the Greylags near Cottages Flash and the male Little Ringed Plover again on the flash. The Pinkfoot was apparently present near the flash yesterday, seen by birders on the Attenborough side of the river. 2 Little Owl near the nest site but no sign of any Owlets yet.
Thursday 27th May
A female Red-Backed Shrike possibly a first summer bird was found this evening at 5.30pm on fence posts near the river-side chalet at Barton-in-Fabis. A very striking bird that showed very well on and off till dusk, and was seen by at least 20 other birders after I quickly put the news out. It favored the hedgerow at the corner of the field by the yellow farming machinery facing Branshill wood and was last seen to drop down into the hedgerow presumably to roost.
Red-Backed Shrike - Barton-in-Fabis
Wednesday 26th May
Lots of Barn Swallow catching insects over Holme Pit late afternoon with several landing on the fencing bordering the pit. As I began to take some photos one of the birds began to simulate feeding the other that was constantly begging for food, possibly a pair bonding. This lasted for several minutes before they flew off. Also this afternoon were several singing Reed & Sedge Warbler on Holme Pit plus a pair of Reed Bunting. 2 Yellow Wagtail on the Weir Field (very scarce near the river this year) and 5 adult Lapwing but no sign of any chicks on the field.
Barn Swallow - Holme Pit
Sunday 23d May
A very quite day in the area today with the spring passage now starting to slow down, and all common migrants now fully established in the area. A few Yellow Wagtail and Reed Bunting were seen in various locations on Clifton Pastures and Gotham Moor this morning but otherwise very quite.
A late afternoon visit along the river at Barton was also very quite with nothing on the flash or riverside fields. A visit to one of the Little Owl sites also drew a blank with no sign of any owls. The rest of the afternoon was spent photographing Common Tern but I still haven't got the desired shot.
Common Tern - Barton-in-Fabis
Saturday 22nd May
Arrived in the area this morning at 4.30am for the "Dawn Chorus" always an amazing experience. The walk through Branshill Wood to the ponds was full of birds in full song. At the ponds Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Wren and Robin were all in full song. Walking across Branshill Moor towards the Rough Wood several Reed Bunting singing from the brook. The Hedgerow between Branshill Wood and the Rough Wood was again full of singing Warblers. A Barn Owl was seen fly across Branshill Moor towards its roost site. I ended the morning at Holme Pit where singing Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler were singing from the reed-beds. An amazing morning and well worth the 4.30am start.
Sedge Warbler - Branshill Moor
Thursday 20th May
The male Little Ringed Plover was back on Cottages Flash this evening, also 2 Lapwing and a single Gadwall. 2 Garden Warbler singing near Branshill Ponds plus a single Sedge Warbler.
Tuesday 18th May
2 Hobby hawking insects over Branshill Wood this evening but distant. Three pairs of Northern Lapwing in fields oposite Manor Road Barton-in-Fabis with several newly hatch chicks. Calling Tawny Owl Clifton Wood at dusk.
Monday 17th May
Not a lot happening this evening, apart from large numbers of Common Tern, Black-headed Gull and Hirundines snatching huge numbers of knats that had just hatched on the river. It did however provide me with an opportunity to get some flight photography practice.
3 Corn Bunting and a single Yellow Wagtail were seen on Barton Lane as I drove home.
Black-headed Gulls & Common Tern
Sunday 16th May
A Ring-tailed Hen Harrier was reported this morning seen from the A453 quartering over a oil seed rape field near to the Barton-in-Fabis turning (Birdguides/Notts Bird News). This is the second spring record of Hen Harrier in the area following a 3rd c year male seen last year on the exact same date as today's Ringtail.
The third Whinchat of the spring, another fine male was found early morning on fence posts at the back of the Yellow Gate Pond, but flew off over towards Holme Pit and couldnt be relocated. A count of 7 singing Reed Warbler and 5 Sedge Warbler in the reed-beds on Holme Pit.
The male Little Owl was heard calling this morning and was found a few metres away from the nest site this morning giving excellent views. A Hobby was seen briefly as it flew high over Branshill Wood. Also the Red-tailed Hawk was seen circling Branshill Wood with a Rabbit, and then doing a mid-air food pass to a Common Buzzard.5 singing Corn Bunting, 12 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Grey Partridge and several Reed Bunting on A late afternoon visit to Clifton Pastures.
Little Owl - site undisclosed
Saturday 15th May
A Peregrine was in the area of Branshill Wood this morning unsuccessfully hunting Wood pigeon for over 20 min's before drifting off towards Clifton Pastures. A careful check on one of the Little Owl nest sights produced both birds present at the sight. 2 Grey Wagtail in the area of Beeston Weir also good numbers of Common Tern on the river.
A late afternoon visit to Gotham Moor and Clifton Pastures saw a abundance of Yellow Wagtail in the area. Yellow Wagtail has been very scarce this year in the Trent valley region of the area, but there are very good numbers on both Gotham Moor and the Pastures. Also of Gotham Moor were up to 15 different Yellowhammer in full song along Moor Lane. 5 singing Corn Bunting were found on the Pastures and another 4 singing males on Barton Lane and the Gotham Road.
Yellow Wagtail - Gotham Moor
Little Owl - site undisclosed
Peregrine - Branshill Wood
Wednesday 12th May
Large numbers of Common Swift feeding over Clifton Wood this evening with well over 500 birds. Nothing at all on Cottages Flash or the River-side fields. 2 singing Willow Warbler near Branshill Ponds.
2 Corn Bunting in full song in the Gotham Lay-by also 2 Yellow Wagtail in the area.
Tuesday 11th May
Two Dunlin (first sight record) wereflushed from Cottages Flash this evening, as I approched the flash along the Hedge-row. Both birds were feeding on the nearside of the flash but flushed just before I noticed them, and flew over the river to Attenborough. Both birds were only in view for seconds but were seen to be both in full summer plumage.
Also this evening the Greenland Wheatear still on the weir Field but staying distant. 2 Little Owl again showing well at the breeding site and a single Barn Owl hunting over Branshill Moor.
Sightings this morning from R.Gimson .. 8 Swifts near the farm at Barton on the New Road, 5 Common Whitethroats in front of the Rough wood. Lots of Reed Warblers around the sides and on the island at Holme pit, also 1 Little Grebe. Lots of Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers in the scrub below Beeston weir. 1 Wheatear on the weir field, at the edge of the ploughed field half way along Fox covert lane.
Sunday 9th May
A different male Wheatear was found on the Weir field this morning and was much paler that the striking male that was in the same location yesterday. It is most likely that this bird is also of the race Leucorhoa but a much paler individual. The ssp Leucorhoa is always a very tricky species to identify but the late migration date of this bird favors this ssp. Northern Wheatear O.oenanthe tend to show two main spring passage/arrival periods from the second week of March and a second arrival from April 22-29th. Birds of the Greenland race tend to arrive in Nottm from the last week of April to around the 20th May.
Also today were 10 adult Northern Lapwing on the weir field and on closer inspection showed that there were at least 6 lapwing chicks that had survived the ploughing of the field on the 5th. A pair of Grey Wagtail were found to be successfully breeding for the third year in a row and a check on the Little Owl pair also looks promising. Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and all the other commoner warbler species were all heard singing this morning.
Sightings from Clifton Pastures sent in by J.Christmas were
3 corn bunting in the lay-by area this afternoon,other sightings on the pastures today were...3 common buzzard, 2 pairs of linnet, 12 skylark, 2 reed bunting, 1 common whitethroat in brambles close to houses. 1 yellow wagtail flew over to the drift, 4 meadow pipit nr fairham brook, 4 mallard,1 grey heron. Also today 30+common swift and 10 swallow and 2 red legged partridge.
Greenland Wheatear - The Weir Field
Saturday 8th May
3 Wheatear possibly all of the race Leucorhoa, were found this afternoon on the fencing & fence posts around the Yellow Gate Pond. The male bird was a stunning well marked Greenland bird, a very bright individual, with a bright orange breast and very white forehead with tinged brown bluish grey upperparts. The 2 females present were on the same scale as the male with tawny coloured underparts and were also possibly of the race Leucorhoa. All 3 birds were last seen fly over to the weir field where they continued to feed in the middle of the field.
Also today was a single Oystercatcher in the cow drink area just behind the Yellow Gate Pond the first record of this species in this part of the area. 5 Tree Sparrow near the riverside chalet and the Ross's Goose again with the Graylags on the sheep field. 3 singing Garden Warbler near Branshill Ponds and 1 Sedge Warbler. 8 singing Reed Warbler were counted on Holme Pit from the main reed-bed.
male Greenland Wheatear - The Yellow Gate Pond
both females - the Yellow Gate Pond
Thursday 6th May
Little Egret againon Cottages Flash early morning, also the male Whinchat still present on fence posts near the river-side chalet (P.Buxton).
Wednesday 5th May
No sign of any egrets on Cottages Flash this morning between 5.45am and 7.00am.
A walk over towards Barton Flash produced a stunning very approachable male Whinchat on the barb wire and fencing of the sheep-pen next to the riverside chalet. It was feeding in the general area of the sheep-pen and was still in the area at 7.45am.
C30 Sand Martin still around the river-bank facing Barton Island but no evidence of any nesting colony, also a single Kingfisher and 6 Grey Heron on the Island. 6 singing Garden Warbler near Branshill Ponds with one individual watch nest building in brambles. 2 singing Sedge Warbler also near the ponds in brambles. A male Yellow Wagtail was in full song in trees in the Gotham layby and 3 singing Corn Bunting on Barton Lane.
On a return visit late afternoon the Weir Field had just been ploughed and there was mass panic with the Northern Lapwings that have been nesting on the field. 8 adults were calling repeatedly and on closer inspection there were a least 14 young Lapwing chicks running up and down the furrows all in different locations on the field. With no cover and obviously lost these chicks don't stand much chance of survival. Why these farmers have to go ploughing up fields in the nesting season is beyond me.
Sightings today from R.Gimson..Several skylarks on Clifton pastures, 1 Northern Wheatear possibly of the race Leucorhoa on the first foot-bridge on the pastures. 2 Yellow Wagtails and 5 Corn Buntings in Barton lane. Lots of Warblers especially both Whitethroatsin the hedge rows on Branshill moor. 3 Linnets and 1 Siskin in hedge just past the Rough wood.
male Whinchat - Barton-in-Fabis
Tuesday 4th May
A Great White Egret was found on Cottages Flash this morning by P.Buxton just before 7.30am. A Little Egret was first seen to fly up from the flash and then this big beauty stuck its head up, and was seen to be in full breeding plumage. It then took off and flew towards the village and then up river towards Long Eaton Gravel Pits. (P.Buxton)
Monday 3rd May
A very quite morning with little sign of any migration apart from a large influx of Common Swift into the area. A return visit was pretty much the same as this morning in very windy conditions.
Frustratingly the introduction of cattle onto Cottages Flash has now failed a breeding attempt by the Little Ringed Plover pair. I observed these birds mating several times, and the first breeding attempt here looked very promising. But since the arrival of cattle onto the flash both birds have now moved on.
Sunday 2nd May
c150 Swift through to the west from Clifton Pastures early morning, also 6 Yellow Wagtail including 2 singing males. 2 singing Corn Bunting in the Gotham Layby and a further 3 along Barton Lane.
Reeling Grasshopper Warbler in brambles near Branshill Ponds but elusive in windy conditions. 2 singing Garden Warbler and several Lesser Whitethroat in the hedgerow near the Rough Wood. A single calling Oystercatcher was seen high S/W over Branshill Wood.
Saturday 1st May
Arriving back from Norfolk late afternoon I decided to pay the area a short visit. A single Oystercatcher and a pair of Gadwall were present on Cottages Flash, walking along the river a Common Sandpiper was feeding along the riverbank and the escaped Ross's Goose was still present with the Greylags. Walking back to the car I received a phone call informing me that a cream crowned Marsh Harrier was present on Clifton Pastures/Gotham Moor hunting up and down Fairham Brook. I quickly drove up to the Gotham Road layby and began scanning over towards the brook where the Harrier was immediately located quartering fields near to Fairham Brook. Walking across the pastures to the brook gave better views of this stunning bird but rather distant for any photos apart from a few record shots. The Harrier ranged widely and at one point was over the houses at the top end of Clifton, but it seemed to favor the area around the brook. The Harrier was in the area until dusk when it appeared to drop down into a ditch near the brook possibly to roost. Also this evening was a Whinchat on Gotham Moor(D.Kerman) a small covey of 8 Grey Partridge flushed near the Fairham Brook and 2 singing Corn Bunting near the Gotham Road layby. A big thank you to David Kerman for letting me know of the Harriers presence so quickly.
Marsh Harrier - Clifton Pastures/Gotham Moor