21 other species inc: Willow Warbler 6 s Chiffchaff 2 s Blackcap 1 s Swift a low level screaming party of 5 Jay 2 Mistle Thrush 1 juv Great Spotted Woddpecker 1
Mike Chorley said
Thu Apr 25 3:23 AM, 2013
Both
Keith Mills said
Thu Apr 18 3:36 AM, 2013
Mike Chorley wrote:
13.30 -15.30
Top res: Phesant (1 heard)
Was that a peasant or a pheasant that you heard, Mike?
Mike Chorley said
Thu Apr 18 2:59 AM, 2013
13.30 -15.30
Bottom res: Embden Goose 3 (1m) Mallard 7 (all m) Coot 1 Moorhen 1 Canada Goose 2 (flew in from Top res)
Top res: Mallard 1 Moorhen 2 (1 very 'off-piste') Coot 2 Little Grebe 2
also a pair of Mallard at the bottom of the outfall from the Top res.
Migrants Chiffchaff 1 (s) Willow Warbler 6 (minimum all s) Swallow 4 Blackcap 2 (pair, m s)
Best of the rest (18 species) Bullfinch 1 m Goldcrest 1m 1 f Jay 1 Phesant (1 heard)
Mike Chorley said
Mon Mar 11 9:04 PM, 2013
Given that the top res appeared birdless when I got there 1 of ANYTHING was a good count!
I think the birds had figured out that it was warmer UNDER the water than on top of it. I'll have to head up there again when the icy blast in the wind tunnel has subsided to a mere gale and check again. Brrr
Steve Suttill said
Mon Mar 11 4:48 PM, 2013
Mike Chorley wrote:
A blood-chilling Webs 12.35 -14.00
Top Reservoir: Coot 2 Tufted Duck 4 (2 each m& f) and, back from their winter hols at Lake Suttill Little Grebe 2
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 10th of March 2013 03:56:58 PM
Only two Mike There should be three
Mike Chorley said
Sun Mar 10 3:54 PM, 2013
A blood-chilling Webs 12.35 -14.00
Bottom Reservoir: Embden Goose 3 Canada Goose 3 Mooorhen 3 Mallard 10 (7 of which were males)
Top Reservoir: Coot 2 Tufted Duck 4 (2 each m& f) and, back from their winter hols at Lake Suttill Little Grebe 2
plus:
Jackdaw 12 Woodpigeon 6 (minimum) Carrion Crow 2 Magpie 3 to 5 Black-headed Gull 1(!) over Lesser Black-backed Gull 12 along the edge of the valley Goldfinch 3(heard only) Greenfinch 1 display flight Blue Tit 5 (minimum) Great Tit 3 (minimum) Mistle Thrush Pair Fieldfare, c20 feeding in one of the top horse paddocks with Starling c12 Robin 1 Blackbird 5 (4m) Song Thrush 1 Wren 1 Siskin 1m
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 10th of March 2013 03:56:58 PM
Blue Tit 6 Goldfinch 20 Jackdaw c40 on covered reservoir(?) to west of Bottom Res Magpie 4 Great Tit 2 Goldcrest 2(minimum) Carrion Crow Common Gull 2 (minimum, in the gull flock to west of the reservoirs) Lesser Balck-backed Gull 3 (ditto) Wood Pigeon 4 Robin 2 (minimum) Blackbird 1
Graham Beverley said
Thu Jan 24 7:02 PM, 2013
11.00 Water Rail
Mike Chorley said
Mon Jan 14 12:23 AM, 2013
11.50 - 13-45 (Webs)
Bottom Res Blach-headed Gull 50 Common Gull 1 Moorhen 4 Canada Goose 2 (earliest I can recall seeing any back here) Embden Goose 3 Mallard 14
Top Res: Coot 1 Grey Heron 1 Black-headed Gull C60 (flock seen to be disturbed from top res while I was counting stuff on bottom res)
Jackdaw 16 plus a flock of 60 distantly on the valley skyline, probably disturbed from High Moor Tip) Wood Pigeon 15 Blue Tit 6+ Coal Tit 4 minimum (2 at each end of the valley, also 2 as part of a roving flock, but maybe the lower end pair) Great Tit 4 minimum (ditto) Long-tailed Tit 3 minimum (ditto) Blackbird 5 Magpie 8 Carrion Crow 3 Bullfinch 1 minimum (1 heard upstream of the viewpoint; later male feeding near the old conifers above the dipping pool) Chaffinch 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Jay 1 Nuthatch 1 Robin 2 Dunnock 1 Goldfinch 8 minimum (birds feeding low in the thicket at the school end of Holgate St.
Top Res (25% iced over) Moorhen 1 Black-headed Gull 60
Blue Tit 8 Robin 4 Magpie 6 Chaffinch 6 Goldfinch 24 mostly in larches along waterworks Road Wood Pigeon 6 Jackdaw 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull 8 over in 1's and 2's Great Tit 7 Coal Tit 3 Carrion Crow 3 Wren 2 Long-tailed Tit 5 Sparrowhawk 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Steve Suttill said
Sat Nov 17 6:56 AM, 2012
Mike Chorley wrote:
11.25 - 13.30
Top Res: Moorhen 2 adult Coot 1 adult Little Grebe 1 juvenile (looks like the others have decamped to Lake Suttill for the winter)
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Friday 16th of November 2012 08:42:16 PM
Only one last week, Mike. Will see what this Sunday's WeBS count turns up
Mike Chorley said
Fri Nov 16 8:17 PM, 2012
11.25 - 13.30
Bottom Res: Mallard 32 Embden Goose 3 Moorhen 2 juveniles, plus 3rd in the outflow to Golden Steps. Black-headed Gull 32 Common Gull 1
Top Res: Moorhen 2 adult Coot 1 adult Little Grebe 1 juvenile (looks like the others have decamped to Lake Suttill for the winter)
Magpie 10 Jackdaw 6 (minimum) Woodpigeon 10 Carrion Crow 8 plus 2 overhead mobbing Common Buzzard 1 Great Black-backed Gull 1 overhead Lesser Black-backed Gull 10 overhead, mostly heading for High Moor Tip Robin 8 Jay 1 Blue Tit 3 seen (several more heard) Great Tit 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 heard Long-tailed Tit party heard doing a circuit of the site Mistle Thrush 2 Meadow Pipit c20 in the western horse paddocks Goldfinch 20 Chaffinch 2 Blackbird 1 Wren 2
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Friday 16th of November 2012 08:42:16 PM
Top reservoir: Moorhen 1 Coot 2 Little Grebe 3 (all in winter plumage)
Lapwing 18 over, heading eastwards Grey Wagtail 2 Bullfinch 2 on Holgate Street having a 'call and response' session.
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 16th of October 2012 07:25:19 PM
Mike Chorley said
Tue Oct 2 4:38 AM, 2012
Sunday Sept 30th. 13.05 - 14.30
Very Quite
Bottom Res: Mallard 28 Embden Goose 3 (later 2 juvenile Moorhen and 1 juvenile Grey Wagtail on the Golden Steps)
Top Res: Tufted Duck 1m Little Grebe 2 Coot 2
Best of the usuals: Sparrowhawk 1f Meadow Pipit 1 over (heard only 'invis'? mig)
Mike Chorley said
Wed Aug 29 5:28 AM, 2012
12.40 - 15.10
Bottom Res: Mallard 29 Embden Goose 3 Coot 1 Moorhen 1 (adult) with 2 juvs on the Golden Steps outflow
Top Res: Grey Wagtail 1 M Mallard 6 Tufted Duck 1 eclipse M Coot 2 (no sign of any juveniles) Little Grebe 7 - 2 adult & 2 juveniles plus a distinctly separate group of 3 adults. (Following on from Bill Myerscough's comments elsewhere, I noted that each of the adult/juvenile pairs were well apart at the northern end of the reservoir)
Fairly quiet otherwise, among the more interesting stuff: Willow Warbler 1 contact calls Chiffchaff 2 atleast, with a mixed party of Great & Blue Tits (adult and juvenile), Chaffinch (2+) & Coal Tit (1 adult). Earlier 1 bird heard first contact calling then giving a brief snatch of song Robin 4+ 1 adult with above party, 1 juvenile (begging calls heard) 2 others at least, with snatches of both subsong and sub-subsong() heard Swallow 2 Black-headed Gull C 50 over Bullfinch 1 heard
Mike Chorley said
Wed Jul 11 5:08 AM, 2012
11.35 - 13.05 A soggy slog in prolonged precipitation At least the Frog was probably enjoying the weather
Bottom res: Mallard 28 Coot 1 Embden Goose 3
Top res: Mallard 17 Tufted Duck 2m Little Grebe 1 Coot 4, inc 2 juveniles (good job they're precocious water birds, as the nest is now submerged!)
Not a lot else, unsurprisingly Song Thrush 2, having a sing off (but even they were under cover!) Blackbird, Blackcap, Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff all in song, the last also giving contact calls. Also Long-tailed Tit and Jay
Mike Chorley said
Sun Jun 17 9:46 PM, 2012
12.30 - 15.00 Quite pleasant, despite the dull weather.
Top Res: Mallard 4m(1 already in eclipse) 1f with 4 ducklings Coot pair with at least 2 downy chicks Little Grebe pair Tufted Duck m & f
best of the rest: Grey Wagtail pair (Golden Steps) Chiffchaff 2 singing, contact calls from a 3rd Willow Warbler, Blackbird, Robin,Wren, Song Thrush - several birds singing Wren 2+ juveniles Song Thrush 3 juveniles Coal Tit- alarm calls Blackcap 1 singing
Surprisingly, given the weather, few hirundines House Martin 1 Barn Swallow 2
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 17th of June 2012 09:56:54 PM
Mike Chorley said
Sat May 19 4:12 AM, 2012
Glad to help, Steve
Steve Suttill said
Thu May 17 4:49 PM, 2012
Stridulation
Had to look that one up, Mike - thanks for adding a new word to my vocabulary I'll try and use the word as often as I can
Steve
Mike Chorley said
Thu May 17 5:41 AM, 2012
The work on the new academy meant there was very little vehicular access to the site today, so quiet enough to hear the bumblebees foraging in the rhododendron flowers
Top Reservoir: Little Grebe: pair Coot: pair Canada Goose: pair
First Barn Swallows and Swifts of the year - up to 6 of each Blackcap: 3 singing males Green Woodpecker: 1 heard only Starling: c12, flying to and from the hay meadow with beakfuls of food Wren: 1 seen, carrying food, 6 more heard only Chiffchaff: 2 minimum Willow Warbler:6 minimum Noticed something new (to me) with one of the Willow Warblers. The bird would raise its' wings, not quite shiver them and produce a thin, sharp call, almost like a stridulation. Before I saw the bird I thought it was either a grasshopper/cricket or a shrew. The bird was moving around in the branches doing this every few seconds for a minute or thw, then stopped and began singing. There was only a brief burst of song then it was back to the other display. It reminded me of the begging display I've seen used by female Robins just prior to mating.
Probable Common Buzzard, Bishop's Park area. Large, fairly broad winged bird of prey heading n.w. at 13.35, quite low. The flight seemed quite ponderous, with very short glides between periods of flapping. Seemed to catch and eat something (large insect) in flight. Unfortunately poor light and distance made it difficult to pick out any detail
Mike Chorley said
Tue Apr 10 10:46 PM, 2012
For some reason part of the post has gone missing, despite an edit to correct it It seems the site doesn't like the use of the standard symbol for "increasing to"
Should read 18 - 21 Canada Geese, the largest number I've ever seen here -- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 10th of April 2012 10:47:45 PM
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 10th of April 2012 10:50:56 PM
Mike Chorley said
Tue Apr 10 10:43 PM, 2012
11.50 -14.40. Not exactly warm, but dry and sunny
As this wasn't a Webs visit there was a nice wildfowl record! 18 Bottom Res: Canada Goose: 18 Emben Goose: 3 Mallard: 3 - all males Moorhen: 1 Coot: 1 (although when the Coot got too close to the Moorhen, rather surprisingly, it was Moorhen 1 Coot 0 )
Top Res: Coot: 3 Little Grebe: 2 (pair) Moorhen: 1 Canada Goose: 3 (probably in addition to the 18 on Bottom Res, but, when they disappeared and I re-checked Bottom Res there were only 16 in total)
Also 3 Mallard (f, 2m) paddling in one of the horse paddocks above Top Res.
Best of the rest:
Willow Warbler: 3 singing ChiffChaff: 1 singing Blackcap: 1 singing Wren: 2 singing Long-tailed Tit: 2+ pairs Coal Tit: 1 Reed Bunting: M+F Redwing: c12 Song Thrush: 1 singing (but the most unusual song I've ever heard from one. The double repetition meant that it must have been a Song Thrush, but I didn't recognise many of the usual phrases of these birds' song)
Plants, Mammals etc on t'other thread
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 10th of April 2012 10:44:18 PM
Top Res; Black-headed Gull - 1 Grey Heron - 1 Canada Goose -2 (displayed then flew down to join the pair on Bottom Res.) Tufted Duck - 2 (pair) Coot - 3 Little Grebe - 3
Plenty of Robins in song, plus singing Goldfinch, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Bullfinch & Wren.
Greenfinch in song flight, Curlew overhead, Skylark (distant), Grey Wagtail - 2 (Golden Steps) probably a pair, but still in winter plumage
plus usuals
Mike Chorley said
Mon Feb 13 1:07 AM, 2012
Webs. 12.05 -1.30
Very slippery underfoot, but, apart from the odd Jack Douglas impersonation, made it round unscathed
Bottom Res: 100 % iced over. The ice was thick enough to support a potential Darwin Award Winner and his child. Standing on the ice isn't a brilliant move, but kicking holes in it to test the thickness...
Bottom Res. Inflow: Mallard c50 Embden Goose 3
Top Res: Almost 100% iced over. Moorhen 2 foraging around the benches at the viewpoint.
Best of the other 13 species seen: Long-tailed Tit 4 Bullfinch 4 (inc 1 M)
Good passage of Lesser Black-backed Gulls over en route to High Moss
Giselle Hayers said
Sat Feb 4 9:55 PM, 2012
1030-1200
mixed flock moving through of Great, Blue, Coal and Long-tailed Tits with a single Treecreeper.
38 Fieldfare and 8 Redwing feeding in a field adjacent to the main resevoir.
Dave Colton said
Mon Jan 23 3:08 AM, 2012
Had a walk round both reservoirs this morning 10:30ish, still pretty windy. Not really much happening, highlight being 20ish Long Tailed Tits skitting about in the trees by the path down between the two res.
5 Coot (2 lower, 3 upper) Numerous Mallard 3 Embden Geese 50+ Black Headed Gulls (I think they were all BHG, not brilliant yet with Gulls) 3 Robin Numerous Magpie Several Carrion Crow
The best December count on the top res for several years.
Best of the other 16 species seen: Treecreeper 1 in the old mixed copse on the west side of top res dam Bullfinch 7 minimum (a group of 7 - 4m3F by the old mixed copse, 2M on Holgate St) Sparrowhawk 1Male hunting the culvert leading to the top of Golden Steps
Other wildlife on the appropriate thread
No sign of any Little Grebes, Steve, but one of the regulars heard them at the start of the month. As she said 'It's not a call you could misidentify'.
Mike Chorley said
Fri Nov 25 8:55 PM, 2011
November WAS a long way down, Steve
They certainly seemed to reappear last Spring just about the time the Royal George birds disappeared. I'll have to try and get up there again before the next Webs is due, to see if they've left.
Steve Suttill said
Thu Nov 24 10:20 PM, 2011
Mike Chorley wrote:
Looking back down the thread...
Now why didn't I think to do that? Thanks Mike
Steve
Mike Chorley said
Thu Nov 24 9:23 PM, 2011
Hi Steve.
Impossible to stay. The Black-headed Gull 'loafing' flock was building up and the Grebes, no doubt having learned from past experience, seem to disappear while they're around. There are a couple of feeder streams coming in through a marshy area where they seem to disappear, then emerge when the gulls have gone. I found this out the hard way when I failed to find them on either Atlas visit, only for TWO families to appear the month afterwards.
Looking back down the thread, last year there were still 2 on Nov 14th, but I didn't get up again until after everywhere was frozen, so don't know when they left.
Steve Suttill said
Thu Nov 24 9:44 AM, 2011
Have your Little Grebes all left, Mike?
Would be interesting to know, as Riggers and I both found them at Royal George in Greenfield last week. Seem to remember a similar pattern last year.
Cheers, Steve
Mike Chorley said
Wed Nov 23 10:03 PM, 2011
Belated Webs. 11.50 - 14.50
Bottom Res: Mallard 24 Moorhen 2 Grey Heron 1 (seen from Top res)
Top Res: Black-headed Gull 43 Common Gull 2 (1 adult, 1 1st winter) Coot 2
Otherwise fairly quiet: Jay Goldfinch Grey Wagtail 3 Bullfinch Coal Tit Long-tailed Tit - at least 2 parties, heard but not seen Blackbird -good numbers, despite the attentions of Sparrowhawk 1 male highlights of the other 19 species seen
JamieDunning said
Mon Oct 17 11:12 PM, 2011
The Rhododendron Chainsaw Massacre alongside the Golden Steps has improved that area, just needs the same enthusiasm applying to the birches and willows blocking the view from the viewpoint! Also, initially, just one man and his dog.
Hear hear!
-- Edited by JamieDunning on Monday 17th of October 2011 11:14:00 PM
Top Res: Moorhen 2 Coot 2 Little Grebe 5 - 2 adult & 2 juv on east side, 1 juv on west side Black-headed Gull 1 with several small groups passing over.
Plus all the usuals inc: Long-tailed Tit 2 x parties of 8 Jackdaw 4 with at least 2 parties of about 12 passing straight over and down the valley Greater-spotted Woodpecker 1 coming down the valley from Bishop's Park
Despite the forecast, a quite pleasant morning. The Rhododendron Chainsaw Massacre alongside the Golden Steps has improved that area, just needs the same enthusiasm applying to the birches and willows blocking the view from the viewpoint! Also, initially, just one man and his dog
Good collection of 'other wildlife'
Kath Butterworth said
Sun Sep 18 7:59 PM, 2011
Little Owl on barn above usual wall. Not seen in the area for a long time. Also spotted Mike Chorley
Mike Chorley said
Sun Sep 18 6:15 PM, 2011
12.35 - 15.15.
Webs. Bottom Res. 12.55 - 13.10
Mallard 25 Moorhen 2 Embden Geese 3
Top Res. 13.25 - 13.45 (+ lunch)
Little Grebe 6 - 2x Adult and chick in 1st adult (i.e. winter) plumage; 1 adult & dependant chick, still showing striped head & neck Grey Heron 1 (sub-adult) Moorhen 2 Adult Coot 2 Adult Mallard 7 (3m 4F) Tufted Duck 1F Black-Headed Gull - 24 on res, looked to be actively feeding on a hatch of flies (Also at least 10 overhead)
19 other species inc; Goldcrest 1F Coal Tit 1 Adult Bullfinch 3 (heard only) Grey Wagtail 1M - Golden Steps Sparrowhawk 2, the second being shadowed by a Swallow which was alarm-calling Willow Warbler - 4 at least, 3 heard only (contact calls). The seen bird had a very pale outer primary on the left wing. Long-tailed Tit 10 minimum with Blue Tits and the afore-mentioned Warbler Siskin 4 over -flight calls Common Buzzard 1 heading NW over the Top Res before veering NNW between Moorside and Strinesdale. plus mostly invis. mig of Swallows and Meadow Pipits over. 10 Swallows hawking over top res.
Also: 2 Small White, 1 Brown Hawker, 1 Common Darter (fem/imm), the usual fungi
& 1 Kath & Phil (longtime no see) I didn't get as far as the upper barn, so I'll leave that to you.
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 18th of September 2011 06:16:20 PM
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 18th of September 2011 06:19:11 PM
Mike Chorley said
Thu Aug 25 10:08 PM, 2011
Forgot the Tufted Duck from Tuesday. Back down to 3 again from last month's peak of 6 (site record - for me at least). Then again, only half the number of Mallard so maybe the rest are all keping out of sight while they finish moulting.
Mike Chorley said
Tue Aug 23 10:53 PM, 2011
12.40 - 17.05 -latterly with Riggers & Graham Beverley
Initially, fairly quiet, with more plants, insects etc catching my attention than birds.
Green Woodpecker - independant juvenile in wooded area below lower waterman's cottage
Bottom Res. 3 Embden Geese 18 Mallard 1 Moorhen
Top Res. 1 Grey Heron -sub-adult 3 Coot -2 adult, 1 juvenile 1 Moorhen 4 Mallard 3 Black-headed Gulls 7 Little Grebe - 2 very small chicks (still small enough to ride on their parents' backs ), 3 adults and 2 juveniles. This is the second year running there seems to have been this combination. It could just be that one parent has been predated each year, but is there any evidence of polygamy in Little Grebes?
1 Spotted Flycatcher. In a sheltered area of hawthorn along the western stream flowing into the Top Reservoir, with 7 Willow Warblers, (mostly juvs but one sang a few times), 2 Robins. Wren, Blue & Great Tits. The bird was feeding and seemed settled but unfortunately, just before Riggers arrived, it was disturbed by a young family who decided to wander along the bank of the stream rather than use the footpath. It flew to some Rowans downstream and was lost to view by Graham and myself. Coincidentally, Bill Myerscough's sighting last year, in another part of the site, was on exactly the same date!
In total 21 species of birds, 28 plant sp., 6 butterfly sp., 3 fungi ans assorted bees, wasps, froghoppers & spiders!
Mark Rigby said
Tue Aug 23 8:48 PM, 2011
Spotted Flycatcher early afternoon near inlet on Upper reservoir (info M.Chorley) but there was no sign of it by 1530hrs
Mike Chorley said
Sun Jun 26 5:38 PM, 2011
12.35 - 15-35
Bottom Res:
Mallard: 27 Embden Goose: 3 Moorhen: 1
Top Res:
Little Grebe: 2 Moorhen: 1 Coot: 2 Adult + 2 well-grown chicks Mallard: 8 Grey Heron: 1 - from the neck colouring looked to be a 1st summer bird.
Also:
Willow Warbler: 4 singing + independant juvenile Chiffchaff: 3 singing + independant juvenile Robin: 2 singing, 5 juveniles calling at different locations and a group of 3 juv + 1 adult near dipping pond. Bullfinch: 1 female/juv near top res, 1 male hedge along top channel to Golden Steps Chaffinch: 2 (a pair) Blackcap: 1 - brief burst of song near top res. benches Green Woodpecker: 1 heard
plus usuals, 3 species of butterfly and 2 species of damsel fly.
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 26th of June 2011 05:43:11 PM
Mike Chorley said
Sun May 22 4:38 PM, 2011
12.35 - 15.05
More like March or October with the strong winds, but surprisingly dry.
Top Res: Little Grebe 2 Moorhen 1 Coot 2 Tufted Duck M & F
Also:
Willow Warbler 7 S ChiffChaff 2 S Blackcap 4 S Robin 2 S and 2 juv heard Greater-spotted Woodpecker 1 adult female with food (FF) and juv heard in nest. Reed Bunting 1 S Song Thrush 1 S Bullfinch 2 F Chaffinch 1 S Greenfinch 1 S Goldfinch 6 inc 1 S Blue Tit 7 inc 1 with food (FF) Grey Wagtail 4 at least inc 2 juvs together and 1 adult male. There was a lot of chasing about involving 2 or 3 birds around Golden Steps, while the male was feeding a juv. Later there were the 2 juvs and another bird (only glimpsed) at the top of the steps followed by another chase not involving the juvs. Possibly two families interacting.
Overhead: Swallow 8 minimum Swift 3 Starlings several, some with food (FF)
plus usuals
Mike Chorley said
Sun Apr 17 5:00 PM, 2011
11.40 - 14.30
Bottom Res: Mallard 12m 1f Canada Goose 1pair Embden Goose 3 Moorhen 1 with nesting material
Top Res: Mallard 2 Litle Grebe 2 Coot 1 pair - N Grey Heron 1
Water level alarmingly low - several yards of mud between the water's edge and any suitable cover for nesting waterbirds- but I gather it may have been lowered to effect a repair after the outflow was vandalised
Also: Chiffchaff 3+ Willow Warbler 8+ Blackcap 3 Jay 1 Great Spot 1 Swallow 3 Reed Bunting 1m Song Thrush 1 - channelling Nuthatch! Long-tailed Tit 4 Grey Wagtail pair -Golden Steps Begging courtship display from one of the many pairs of Great Tit
Plus 5 species of butterfly
Mike Chorley said
Mon Mar 28 11:37 PM, 2011
Popped up here for 'lunch hour' today - 10.50 a.m. to 13.10 p.m.
Lower Res. Mallard 10 Embden goose 3 Canada Goose 6 (3 pairs) Moorhen 2 (poss a pair. Birds at either end of the res when I arrived, but two at outflow end later. Maybe they'd had a tiff and made up)
Top Res. Tufted Duck 1m Moorhen 2 Coot 3 (usual 'handbags' over who has which bit of the res) Little Grebe 1!(couldn't see a label saying 'if found please return to S. Suttill but..)
Best of the rest: Song Thrush 1 in good voice Goldcrest 1 singing Skylark 1 singing Chiffchaff 2 singing - probably on their way to Bill M at Piethorn Grey Wagtail 1m - Golden Steps Common Buzzard 1 -being mobbed by 2 Lesser Black-backs, which suddenly left when Peregrine 1 arrived - or maybe it was the 2nd Buzzard
Wildlife sightings on t'other Forum
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 29th of March 2011 12:47:53 AM
Usual suspects inc: Jay Long-tailed Tit (3+) Goldcrest - singing Grey Wagtail - male on outlet to Top res Coal Tit - 2 in widely-separated territories GSW - Male in mature trees by lower car park (drumming heard there earlier) Female at regular location by the top res. called then flew uphill
Fungi & frogs on the Wildlife site (later)
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 13th of March 2011 05:32:50 PM
Top reservoir Mallard 7 Moorhen 1 Coot 1 Goosander 2 (m&f) - seem to be regular here in February
Best of the usuals
Long-tailed Tit 6+ Jay 1
Mike Chorley said
Sun Jan 16 5:42 PM, 2011
Webs (appropriately!) today
Lower Res
Mallard 35 Black-headed Gull 29 Moorhen 1 Embden Goose 3 (must have fallen out with Steve's Canada's)
Grey Heron on pathside pools between Upper & Lower
Upper Res
Mallard 14 Black-headed Gull 26 Moorhen 1 (pos 2 as I later disturbed one roosting in the hawthorns by the benches. Maybe, like the Bennies Rail it was after the fatball) Tufted Duck 3 (2m1f)
Not much else of note: Bullfinch 1 (imm/f) Jay 2 and a singing Goldfinch. Seems a bit early for such a comparatively late breeder
Giselle Hayers said
Sun Jan 9 3:14 PM, 2011
Resevoirs still almost totally frozen, the little bit of open water held 35 Mallard, 6 Black-headed Gull and a single Moorhen.
Female Sparrowhawk mobbed by 2 Carrion Crow Coal Tit Great Tit Treecreeper 2 Jay
Altogether very quiet.
Mike Chorley said
Mon Dec 20 3:55 PM, 2010
stuartherring wrote:
ooohhh far to much christmas spirit mike baaah humbug
Bottom Res:
Canada Goose 2
Embden Goose 3
Mallard 8 (all males)
Top Res:
Mallard 1
Coot 2
Little Grebe 2
21 other species inc:
Willow Warbler 6 s
Chiffchaff 2 s
Blackcap 1 s
Swift a low level screaming party of 5
Jay 2
Mistle Thrush 1 juv
Great Spotted Woddpecker 1
Was that a peasant or a pheasant that you heard, Mike?
Bottom res:
Embden Goose 3 (1m)
Mallard 7 (all m)
Coot 1
Moorhen 1
Canada Goose 2 (flew in from Top res)
Top res:
Mallard 1
Moorhen 2 (1 very 'off-piste'
Coot 2
Little Grebe 2
also a pair of Mallard at the bottom of the outfall from the Top res.
Migrants
Chiffchaff 1 (s)
Willow Warbler 6 (minimum all s)
Swallow 4
Blackcap 2 (pair, m s)
Best of the rest (18 species)
Bullfinch 1 m
Goldcrest 1m 1 f
Jay 1
Phesant (1 heard)
I think the birds had figured out that it was warmer UNDER the water than on top of it. I'll have to head up there again when the icy blast in the wind tunnel has subsided to a mere gale and check again. Brrr
Only two Mike
Bottom Reservoir:
Embden Goose 3
Canada Goose 3
Mooorhen 3
Mallard 10 (7 of which were males)
Top Reservoir:
Coot 2
Tufted Duck 4 (2 each m& f)
and, back from their winter hols at Lake Suttill
Little Grebe 2
plus:
Jackdaw 12
Woodpigeon 6 (minimum)
Carrion Crow 2
Magpie 3 to 5
Black-headed Gull 1(!) over
Lesser Black-backed Gull 12 along the edge of the valley
Goldfinch 3(heard only)
Greenfinch 1 display flight
Blue Tit 5 (minimum)
Great Tit 3 (minimum)
Mistle Thrush Pair
Fieldfare, c20 feeding in one of the top horse paddocks with
Starling c12
Robin 1
Blackbird 5 (4m)
Song Thrush 1
Wren 1
Siskin 1m
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 10th of March 2013 03:56:58 PM
Bottom Res:
Mallard 13
Embden Goose 3
Moorhen 3
Black-headed Gull 19 (at 11.08) increasing to 35 (at 12.12)
Top Res:
Mallard 1 !
Blue Tit 6
Goldfinch 20
Jackdaw c40 on covered reservoir(?) to west of Bottom Res
Magpie 4
Great Tit 2
Goldcrest 2(minimum)
Carrion Crow
Common Gull 2 (minimum, in the gull flock to west of the reservoirs)
Lesser Balck-backed Gull 3 (ditto)
Wood Pigeon 4
Robin 2 (minimum)
Blackbird 1
Water Rail
Bottom Res
Blach-headed Gull 50
Common Gull 1
Moorhen 4
Canada Goose 2 (earliest I can recall seeing any back here)
Embden Goose 3
Mallard 14
Top Res:
Coot 1
Grey Heron 1
Black-headed Gull C60 (flock seen to be disturbed from top res while I was counting stuff on bottom res)
Jackdaw 16 plus a flock of 60 distantly on the valley skyline, probably disturbed from High Moor Tip)
Wood Pigeon 15
Blue Tit 6+
Coal Tit 4 minimum (2 at each end of the valley, also 2 as part of a roving flock, but maybe the lower end pair)
Great Tit 4 minimum (ditto)
Long-tailed Tit 3 minimum (ditto)
Blackbird 5
Magpie 8
Carrion Crow 3
Bullfinch 1 minimum (1 heard upstream of the viewpoint; later male feeding near the old conifers above the dipping pool)
Chaffinch 3
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Jay 1
Nuthatch 1
Robin 2
Dunnock 1
Goldfinch 8 minimum (birds feeding low in the thicket at the school end of Holgate St.
Waterworks Lane
Starling 1
Greenfinch 1
Bottom Res (50% iced over):
Moorhen 1 Adult, 3 juv
Mallard 13
Embden Goose 3
Common Gull 2
Black-headed Gull 171
Top Res (25% iced over)
Moorhen 1
Black-headed Gull 60
Blue Tit 8
Robin 4
Magpie 6
Chaffinch 6
Goldfinch 24 mostly in larches along waterworks Road
Wood Pigeon 6
Jackdaw 3
Lesser Black-backed Gull 8 over in 1's and 2's
Great Tit 7
Coal Tit 3
Carrion Crow 3
Wren 2
Long-tailed Tit 5
Sparrowhawk 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Only one last week, Mike. Will see what this Sunday's WeBS count turns up
Bottom Res:
Mallard 32
Embden Goose 3
Moorhen 2 juveniles, plus 3rd in the outflow to Golden Steps.
Black-headed Gull 32
Common Gull 1
Top Res:
Moorhen 2 adult
Coot 1 adult
Little Grebe 1 juvenile (looks like the others have decamped to Lake Suttill for the winter)
Magpie 10
Jackdaw 6 (minimum)
Woodpigeon 10
Carrion Crow 8 plus 2 overhead mobbing
Common Buzzard 1
Great Black-backed Gull 1 overhead
Lesser Black-backed Gull 10 overhead, mostly heading for High Moor Tip
Robin 8
Jay 1
Blue Tit 3 seen (several more heard)
Great Tit 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 heard
Long-tailed Tit party heard doing a circuit of the site
Mistle Thrush 2
Meadow Pipit c20 in the western horse paddocks
Goldfinch 20
Chaffinch 2
Blackbird 1
Wren 2
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Friday 16th of November 2012 08:42:16 PM
Nicer weather than last time, but just as quiet!
Bottom reservoir:
Mallard 19
Moorhen 3 (1 juvenile)
Embden Goose 3
Black-headed Gull 1
Top reservoir:
Moorhen 1
Coot 2
Little Grebe 3 (all in winter plumage)
Lapwing 18 over, heading eastwards
Grey Wagtail 2
Bullfinch 2 on Holgate Street having a 'call and response' session.
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 16th of October 2012 07:25:19 PM
Very Quite
Bottom Res:
Mallard 28
Embden Goose 3
(later 2 juvenile Moorhen and 1 juvenile Grey Wagtail on the Golden Steps)
Top Res:
Tufted Duck 1m
Little Grebe 2
Coot 2
Best of the usuals:
Sparrowhawk 1f
Meadow Pipit 1 over (heard only 'invis'? mig
Bottom Res:
Mallard 29
Embden Goose 3
Coot 1
Moorhen 1 (adult) with 2 juvs on the Golden Steps outflow
Top Res:
Grey Wagtail 1 M
Mallard 6
Tufted Duck 1 eclipse M
Coot 2 (no sign of any juveniles
Little Grebe 7 - 2 adult & 2 juveniles plus a distinctly separate group of 3 adults. (Following on from Bill Myerscough's comments elsewhere, I noted that each of the adult/juvenile pairs were well apart at the northern end of the reservoir)
Fairly quiet otherwise, among the more interesting stuff:
Willow Warbler 1 contact calls
Chiffchaff 2 atleast, with a mixed party of Great & Blue Tits (adult and juvenile), Chaffinch (2+) & Coal Tit (1 adult). Earlier 1 bird heard first contact calling then giving a brief snatch of song
Robin 4+ 1 adult with above party, 1 juvenile (begging calls heard) 2 others at least, with snatches of both subsong and sub-subsong(
Swallow 2
Black-headed Gull C 50 over
Bullfinch 1 heard
Bottom res:
Mallard 28
Coot 1
Embden Goose 3
Top res:
Mallard 17
Tufted Duck 2m
Little Grebe 1
Coot 4, inc 2 juveniles (good job they're precocious water birds, as the nest is now submerged!)
Not a lot else, unsurprisingly
Song Thrush 2, having a sing off (but even they were under cover!)
Blackbird, Blackcap, Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff all in song, the last also giving contact calls.
Also Long-tailed Tit and Jay
Bottom Res:
Mallard 13m 3 f
Moorhen 1
Embden Goose 3
Top Res:
Mallard 4m(1 already in eclipse) 1f with 4 ducklings
Coot pair with at least 2 downy chicks
Little Grebe pair
Tufted Duck m & f
best of the rest:
Grey Wagtail pair (Golden Steps)
Chiffchaff 2 singing, contact calls from a 3rd
Willow Warbler, Blackbird, Robin,Wren, Song Thrush - several birds singing
Wren 2+ juveniles
Song Thrush 3 juveniles
Coal Tit- alarm calls
Blackcap 1 singing
Surprisingly, given the weather, few hirundines
House Martin 1
Barn Swallow 2
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 17th of June 2012 09:56:54 PM
Had to look that one up, Mike - thanks for adding a new word to my vocabulary
Steve
Bottom Reservoir:
Mallard: 7 all drakes
Moorhen: 1
Embden Goose: 3
Top Reservoir:
Little Grebe: pair
Coot: pair
Canada Goose: pair
First Barn Swallows and Swifts of the year - up to 6 of each
Blackcap: 3 singing males
Green Woodpecker: 1 heard only
Starling: c12, flying to and from the hay meadow with beakfuls of food
Wren: 1 seen, carrying food, 6 more heard only
Chiffchaff: 2 minimum
Willow Warbler:6 minimum
Noticed something new (to me) with one of the Willow Warblers. The bird would raise its' wings, not quite shiver them and produce a thin, sharp call, almost like a stridulation. Before I saw the bird I thought it was either a grasshopper/cricket or a shrew. The bird was moving around in the branches doing this every few seconds for a minute or thw, then stopped and began singing. There was only a brief burst of song then it was back to the other display. It reminded me of the begging display I've seen used by female Robins just prior to mating.
Probable Common Buzzard, Bishop's Park area.
Large, fairly broad winged bird of prey heading n.w. at 13.35, quite low. The flight seemed quite ponderous, with very short glides between periods of flapping. Seemed to catch and eat something (large insect) in flight. Unfortunately poor light and distance made it difficult to pick out any detail
Should read 18 - 21 Canada Geese, the largest number I've ever seen here
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 10th of April 2012 10:47:45 PM
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 10th of April 2012 10:50:56 PM
As this wasn't a Webs visit there was a nice wildfowl record! 18
Bottom Res:
Canada Goose: 18
Emben Goose: 3
Mallard: 3 - all males
Moorhen: 1
Coot: 1 (although when the Coot got too close to the Moorhen, rather surprisingly, it was Moorhen 1 Coot 0
Top Res:
Coot: 3
Little Grebe: 2 (pair
Moorhen: 1
Canada Goose: 3 (probably in addition to the 18 on Bottom Res, but, when they disappeared and I re-checked Bottom Res there were only 16 in total)
Also 3 Mallard (f, 2m) paddling in one of the horse paddocks above Top Res.
Best of the rest:
Willow Warbler: 3 singing
ChiffChaff: 1 singing
Blackcap: 1 singing
Wren: 2 singing
Long-tailed Tit: 2+ pairs
Coal Tit: 1
Reed Bunting: M+F
Redwing: c12
Song Thrush: 1 singing (but the most unusual song I've ever heard from one. The double repetition meant that it must have been a Song Thrush, but I didn't recognise many of the usual phrases of these birds' song)
Plants, Mammals etc on t'other thread
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 10th of April 2012 10:44:18 PM
Bottom Res:
Moorhen - 1
Canada Goose - 2
Embden Goose - 3
Mallard - 11
Top Res;
Black-headed Gull - 1
Grey Heron - 1
Canada Goose -2 (displayed then flew down to join the pair on Bottom Res.)
Tufted Duck - 2 (pair)
Coot - 3
Little Grebe - 3
Plenty of Robins in song, plus singing Goldfinch, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Bullfinch & Wren.
Greenfinch in song flight, Curlew overhead, Skylark (distant),
Grey Wagtail - 2 (Golden Steps) probably a pair, but still in winter plumage
plus usuals
Very slippery underfoot, but, apart from the odd Jack Douglas impersonation, made it round unscathed
Bottom Res:
100 % iced over. The ice was thick enough to support a potential Darwin Award Winner and his child. Standing on the ice isn't a brilliant move, but kicking holes in it to test the thickness...
Bottom Res. Inflow:
Mallard c50
Embden Goose 3
Top Res:
Almost 100% iced over.
Moorhen 2 foraging around the benches at the viewpoint.
Best of the other 13 species seen:
Long-tailed Tit 4
Bullfinch 4 (inc 1 M)
Good passage of Lesser Black-backed Gulls over en route to High Moss
mixed flock moving through of Great, Blue, Coal and Long-tailed Tits with a single Treecreeper.
38 Fieldfare and 8 Redwing feeding in a field adjacent to the main resevoir.
5 Coot (2 lower, 3 upper)
Numerous Mallard
3 Embden Geese
50+ Black Headed Gulls (I think they were all BHG, not brilliant yet with Gulls)
3 Robin
Numerous Magpie
Several Carrion Crow
Bottom Res:
Moorhen 2
Coot 2
Embden Goose 3
Mallard 24
Black-headed Gull 110
Top Res:
Coot 2
Mallard 8
Black-headed Gull 90
Little Owl 1 (Strines)
plus most of the usuals (no Bullfinch)
Wildlife etc on the appropriate thread
Bottom Res:
Malllard C20 ( some lurking in the reeds)
Embden Goose 3
Black-headed Gull 18
Top Res:
Mallard 40
Coot 2
Moorhen 2
Grey Heron 1
Black-headed Gull 1
The best December count on the top res for several years.
Best of the other 16 species seen:
Treecreeper 1 in the old mixed copse on the west side of top res dam
Bullfinch 7 minimum (a group of 7 - 4m3F by the old mixed copse, 2M on Holgate St)
Sparrowhawk 1Male hunting the culvert leading to the top of Golden Steps
Other wildlife on the appropriate thread
No sign of any Little Grebes, Steve, but one of the regulars heard them at the start of the month. As she said 'It's not a call you could misidentify'.
They certainly seemed to reappear last Spring just about the time the Royal George birds disappeared. I'll have to try and get up there again before the next Webs is due, to see if they've left.
Now why didn't I think to do that?
Steve
Impossible to stay. The Black-headed Gull 'loafing' flock was building up and the Grebes, no doubt having learned from past experience, seem to disappear while they're around. There are a couple of feeder streams coming in through a marshy area where they seem to disappear, then emerge when the gulls have gone. I found this out the hard way when I failed to find them on either Atlas visit, only for TWO families to appear the month afterwards.
Looking back down the thread, last year there were still 2 on Nov 14th, but I didn't get up again until after everywhere was frozen, so don't know when they left.
Would be interesting to know, as Riggers and I both found them at Royal George in Greenfield last week. Seem to remember a similar pattern last year.
Cheers, Steve
Bottom Res:
Mallard 24
Moorhen 2
Grey Heron 1 (seen from Top res)
Top Res:
Black-headed Gull 43
Common Gull 2 (1 adult, 1 1st winter)
Coot 2
Otherwise fairly quiet:
Jay
Goldfinch
Grey Wagtail 3
Bullfinch
Coal Tit
Long-tailed Tit - at least 2 parties, heard but not seen
Blackbird -good numbers, despite the attentions of
Sparrowhawk 1 male
highlights of the other 19 species seen
Hear hear!
-- Edited by JamieDunning on Monday 17th of October 2011 11:14:00 PM
Bottom Res:
Mallard 57
Moorhen 2
Black-headed Gull 19
Embden Goose 3
Grey Heron 1 over
Top Res:
Moorhen 2
Coot 2
Little Grebe 5 - 2 adult & 2 juv on east side, 1 juv on west side
Black-headed Gull 1 with several small groups passing over.
Plus all the usuals inc:
Long-tailed Tit 2 x parties of 8
Jackdaw 4 with at least 2 parties of about 12 passing straight over and down the valley
Greater-spotted Woodpecker 1 coming down the valley from Bishop's Park
Despite the forecast, a quite pleasant morning. The Rhododendron Chainsaw Massacre alongside the Golden Steps has improved that area, just needs the same enthusiasm applying to the birches and willows blocking the view from the viewpoint! Also, initially, just one man and his dog
Good collection of 'other wildlife'
Webs. Bottom Res. 12.55 - 13.10
Mallard 25
Moorhen 2
Embden Geese 3
Top Res. 13.25 - 13.45 (+ lunch
Little Grebe 6 - 2x Adult and chick in 1st adult (i.e. winter) plumage; 1 adult & dependant chick, still showing striped head & neck
Grey Heron 1 (sub-adult)
Moorhen 2 Adult
Coot 2 Adult
Mallard 7 (3m 4F)
Tufted Duck 1F
Black-Headed Gull - 24 on res, looked to be actively feeding on a hatch of flies
(Also at least 10 overhead)
19 other species inc;
Goldcrest 1F
Coal Tit 1 Adult
Bullfinch 3 (heard only)
Grey Wagtail 1M - Golden Steps
Sparrowhawk 2, the second being shadowed by a Swallow which was alarm-calling
Willow Warbler - 4 at least, 3 heard only (contact calls). The seen bird had a very pale outer primary on the left wing.
Long-tailed Tit 10 minimum with Blue Tits and the afore-mentioned Warbler
Siskin 4 over -flight calls
Common Buzzard 1 heading NW over the Top Res before veering NNW between Moorside and Strinesdale.
plus mostly invis. mig of Swallows and Meadow Pipits over. 10 Swallows hawking over top res.
Also: 2 Small White, 1 Brown Hawker, 1 Common Darter (fem/imm), the usual fungi
& 1 Kath & Phil (longtime no see) I didn't get as far as the upper barn, so I'll leave that to you.
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 18th of September 2011 06:16:20 PM
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 18th of September 2011 06:19:11 PM
Initially, fairly quiet, with more plants, insects etc catching my attention than birds.
Green Woodpecker - independant juvenile in wooded area below lower waterman's cottage
Bottom Res.
3 Embden Geese
18 Mallard
1 Moorhen
Top Res.
1 Grey Heron -sub-adult
3 Coot -2 adult, 1 juvenile
1 Moorhen
4 Mallard
3 Black-headed Gulls
7 Little Grebe - 2 very small chicks (still small enough to ride on their parents' backs
1 Spotted Flycatcher. In a sheltered area of hawthorn along the western stream flowing into the Top Reservoir, with 7 Willow Warblers, (mostly juvs but one sang a few times), 2 Robins. Wren, Blue & Great Tits. The bird was feeding and seemed settled but unfortunately, just before Riggers arrived, it was disturbed by a young family who decided to wander along the bank of the stream rather than use the footpath. It flew to some Rowans downstream and was lost to view by Graham and myself. Coincidentally, Bill Myerscough's sighting last year, in another part of the site, was on exactly the same date!
In total 21 species of birds, 28 plant sp., 6 butterfly sp., 3 fungi ans assorted bees, wasps, froghoppers & spiders!
Bottom Res:
Mallard: 27
Embden Goose: 3
Moorhen: 1
Top Res:
Little Grebe: 2
Moorhen: 1
Coot: 2 Adult + 2 well-grown chicks
Mallard: 8
Grey Heron: 1 - from the neck colouring looked to be a 1st summer bird.
Also:
Willow Warbler: 4 singing + independant juvenile
Chiffchaff: 3 singing + independant juvenile
Robin: 2 singing, 5 juveniles calling at different locations and a group of 3 juv + 1 adult near dipping pond.
Bullfinch: 1 female/juv near top res, 1 male hedge along top channel to Golden Steps
Chaffinch: 2 (a pair)
Blackcap: 1 - brief burst of song near top res. benches
Green Woodpecker: 1 heard
plus usuals, 3 species of butterfly and 2 species of damsel fly.
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 26th of June 2011 05:43:11 PM
More like March or October with the strong winds, but surprisingly dry.
Bottom Res:
Mallard 7 all males
Embden Goose 3
Moorhen 1
Top Res:
Little Grebe 2
Moorhen 1
Coot 2
Tufted Duck M & F
Also:
Willow Warbler 7 S
ChiffChaff 2 S
Blackcap 4 S
Robin 2 S and 2 juv heard
Greater-spotted Woodpecker 1 adult female with food (FF) and juv heard in nest.
Reed Bunting 1 S
Song Thrush 1 S
Bullfinch 2 F
Chaffinch 1 S
Greenfinch 1 S
Goldfinch 6 inc 1 S
Blue Tit 7 inc 1 with food (FF)
Grey Wagtail 4 at least inc 2 juvs together and 1 adult male. There was a lot of chasing about involving 2 or 3 birds around Golden Steps, while the male was feeding a juv. Later there were the 2 juvs and another bird (only glimpsed) at the top of the steps followed by another chase not involving the juvs. Possibly two families interacting.
Overhead:
Swallow 8 minimum
Swift 3
Starlings several, some with food (FF)
plus usuals
Bottom Res:
Mallard 12m 1f
Canada Goose 1pair
Embden Goose 3
Moorhen 1 with nesting material
Top Res:
Mallard 2
Litle Grebe 2
Coot 1 pair - N
Grey Heron 1
Water level alarmingly low - several yards of mud between the water's edge and any suitable cover for nesting waterbirds- but I gather it may have been lowered to effect a repair after the outflow was vandalised
Also:
Chiffchaff 3+
Willow Warbler 8+
Blackcap 3
Jay 1
Great Spot 1
Swallow 3
Reed Bunting 1m
Song Thrush 1 - channelling Nuthatch!
Long-tailed Tit 4
Grey Wagtail pair -Golden Steps
Begging courtship display from one of the many pairs of Great Tit
Plus 5 species of butterfly
Lower Res.
Mallard 10
Embden goose 3
Canada Goose 6 (3 pairs)
Moorhen 2 (poss a pair. Birds at either end of the res when I arrived, but two at outflow end later. Maybe they'd had a tiff
Top Res.
Tufted Duck 1m
Moorhen 2
Coot 3 (usual 'handbags' over who has which bit of the res)
Little Grebe 1!(couldn't see a label saying 'if found please return to S. Suttill but..)
Best of the rest:
Song Thrush 1 in good voice
Goldcrest 1 singing
Skylark 1 singing
Chiffchaff 2 singing - probably on their way to Bill M at Piethorn
Grey Wagtail 1m - Golden Steps
Common Buzzard 1 -being mobbed by 2 Lesser Black-backs, which suddenly left when
Peregrine 1 arrived - or maybe it was the 2nd Buzzard
Wildlife sightings on t'other Forum
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 29th of March 2011 12:47:53 AM
Bottom res:
Moorhen 1
Embden Geese 3
Mallard
Top res:
2x
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Goosander
Canada Goose
Moorhen
Coot
Black-headed Gull
Usual suspects inc:
Jay
Long-tailed Tit (3+)
Goldcrest - singing
Grey Wagtail - male on outlet to Top res
Coal Tit - 2 in widely-separated territories
GSW - Male in mature trees by lower car park (drumming heard there earlier)
Female at regular location by the top res. called then flew uphill
Fungi & frogs on the Wildlife site (later)
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 13th of March 2011 05:32:50 PM
Bottom reservoir
Mallard 24
Moorhen 2
Black-headed Gull 92
Embden Goose 3
Top reservoir
Mallard 7
Moorhen 1
Coot 1
Goosander 2 (m&f) - seem to be regular here in February
Best of the usuals
Long-tailed Tit 6+
Jay 1
Lower Res
Mallard 35
Black-headed Gull 29
Moorhen 1
Embden Goose 3 (must have fallen out with Steve's Canada's
Grey Heron on pathside pools between Upper & Lower
Upper Res
Mallard 14
Black-headed Gull 26
Moorhen 1 (pos 2 as I later disturbed one roosting in the hawthorns by the benches.
Maybe, like the Bennies Rail it was after the fatball)
Tufted Duck 3 (2m1f)
Not much else of note:
Bullfinch 1 (imm/f)
Jay 2
and a singing Goldfinch. Seems a bit early for such a comparatively late breeder
Female Sparrowhawk mobbed by 2 Carrion Crow
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Treecreeper
2 Jay
Altogether very quiet.
Otherwise known as 'anti-freeze'!