Ringing Recoveries
One of the young Black-headed Gulls ringed in 2016 has just been seen at the RSPB Conway Reserve in Wales; and Common Tern C15 was sighted on the 9th August at Seaforth, Merseyside. This is the second one to be seen there this summer.
Updates:
30th August – record updated
20th August – record updated
Future work party dates added
15th August – record updated
10th August 2018 – photographs added
9th August 2018 – records updated
8th August 2018 – photograph added
3rd August 2018 – records added.
31st July 2018 – update to record.
1st August – updated.
Work Party Dates:
September 11th – 6 pm
October 13th – 2 pm
November 10th – 2 pm
December 8th – 2 pm
31 August 2018
Cool but sunny start, light north easterly
The hint of east in the wind has helped passage today and there was a Tree Pipit along the central streamline this morning and a Greenland type Wheatear and three Yellow Wagtails in the Tip field (opposite the car park amongst the cattle). Hirundines were moving through on a regular basis with a 15 minute sample count between 9.30am and 9.45am producing 30 Swallows, five Sand Martins and a House Martin. There were at least two Little Egrets on site as well.
What was presumed to be yesterday’s Greenshank spent much of the morning on Car Park Pool with a Green Sandpiper on Railway Pool. There was a fourth Yellow Wagtail on the flood plain at 10.45, which flew off towards Hampton, a Little Ringed Plover also on Railway Pool, a Nuthatch in the Oak by the crop field, a Treecreeper along the Old Road and a Whitethroat by the underpass. There were also two Rooks amongst the corvids on the flood plain.
At 2pm, two Hobbies were hawking high over the pools at least one of which was an adult.
30 August 2018
Overcast start, brightening later, light north easterly
In the morning by the mobile phone mast there was a feeding flock of 30 Swallows and ten House Martins and in the hedgerows there was a flock of 17 Goldfinch, a Blackcap and two Common Whitethroats.
A late Swift went through and on the pools there was a Curlew, a Little Ringed Plover and a Greenshank.
29 August 2018
Wet overnight, overcast morning leading to sunny thereafter, light north westerly
A Greenshank was moving between the Pools this morning and spent much of the time between 12pm and 1pm on the Dragonfly Pool. There was a Common Sandpiper on Car Park, a Green Sandpiper on Railway Pool and the Mute Swan flock has now reached 39.
Two House Martins flew north west at 8.30am and a further six along with two Swallows went through a little later.
By 12.45pm there were five House Martins feeding distantly over Siden Hill Wood and a further three Swallows went north west. A pair of Goldcrest were feeding at least one recently fledged juvenile near to the Car Park in the Old Road hedge and there were at least three Chiffchaffs by the Old Road game crop.
There were a pair of Southern Hawkers quartering the Old Road, just north of the cottages this morning and there were at least five Common Darters along the Old Road.
In the evening a 50-60 strong flock of House Martins plus two Sand Martins, dropped into feed over Railway Pool and in the lea of the central streamline.
The pair of Whooper / Mute hybrids appeared for the first time in many weeks and the Teal flock has increased to 31. There were also six Shoveler.
28 August 2018
Mostly overcast
A search of the area around the mobile phone mast yielded 9 Goldfinches, three Greenfinches, three Chaffinches, five Blackcaps, six Blue and three Long-tailed Tits, three Song Thrushes, two Blackbirds and five Swallows. On the main Reserve there was just a single Common Sandpiper and a further seven Swallows went south.
27 August 2018
Overcast but dry, north westerly.
There was a single late Swift in the morning and another one with 12 House Martins at 6.30pm. Otherwise most of the action was around the Car Park feeder with, amongst other things, a Collard Dove, seven Goldfinches, four Greenfinches and three Reed Buntings.
26 August 2018
West most of the day.
The wet conditions brought in at least 100 hirundines this morning, mostly House Martins. Waders were limited to singles of Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover and Snipe.
Wigeon numbers increased slightly to five, Teal to 42, Mute Swans to 37 and Shoveler to 12.
There were still two lingering juvenile Common Terns, probably those raised late on one of the Car Park Pool islands. In addition, there were six Little Egrets, six Herons and a Cetti’s Warbler in the Reed bed.
25 August 2018
Sunny and warm
Today’s counts were as follows: Now 35 Mute Swans (30 adults and five juveniles), 346 Greylags, five Canadas, two Farmyard Geese and two Greylag-Canada hybrids, two drake Wigeon, 82 Gadwall, another increase in Mallard numbers to 138, 30 Teal, ten Shoveler, 32 Tufted, nine Little Egrets, six Herons, 11 Cormorants, eight Little Grebes plus three chicks (one on Car Park Pool and two in front of River Hide on Railway Pool), 33 Moorhens, 85 Coots, two Little Ringed Plovers, 90 Lapwings, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, three Common Terns, 34 Black-headed Gulls, three Lesser Black-back Gulls, two Ravens over Siden Hill Wood and minimum numbers of hirundines as follows; 25 House Martins, one Sand Martin and three Swallows.
A probable Hobby was perched in one of the dead trees in Siden Hill Wood but it was too distant to be clinched.
24 August 2018
Showery and cool
A Greenshank was on Railway Pool briefly this morning and at least two Swifts went south. There were still four Common Terns present and two Ravens were seen again around Siden Hill Wood. A Kingfisher flew across the pools, Wigeon numbers have increased to three and there were at least six Chiffchaffs along the Old Road.
The Mute Swan flock has increased to 27 adults and five juveniles. There was a report of a female Pintail which would be very early and both Peregrine and Sparrowhawks also put in appearances.
23 August 2018
Overnight rain, sunny intervals throughout the day and then more rain in the evening.
There were five Little Egrets, four Common Terns , two Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper today along with a Hobby , 23 Mute Swans, a Water Rail from the causeway and three Swallows south.
22 August 2018
Overcast, south westerly
Early on in the day there was a Common Sandpiper, four Common Terns, five Little Egrets, Kingfisher and two Ravens.
In the late afternoon and evening, five Little Ringed Plovers appeared on site (one adult and four juvenile). A Hobby was also seen and there was a steady trickle of hirundines through with up to 20 Sand Martins and 25 Swallows at any one time.
60 Starlings were present at dusk although it is not clear whether they roosted on site. Teal numbers had increased to 36.
21 August 2018
Mostly overcast light south westerly.
Both Green and Common Sandpipers were seen today, the former on the Reed-bed Pool and the latter around the Car Park. Mute Swans had increased to 30 and there were still at least four Little Egrets.
20 August 2018
Sunny intervals.
Two Greenshank put in a brief appearance on Railway Pool this morning but soon flew off south. At 9.30 am a presumed third Greenshank was found on the Reedbed Pool. There was also a Common Sandpiper on Car Park and a relatively late Swift feeding over the streamline. Five Sand Martins and a Swallow flew south over Car Park Pool this morning. There were four Little Egrets and last but not least a male Bullfinch on the Causeway. The latter species appears to have been scarce over the last few weeks.
19th August 2018
Mostly overcast, occasional sunny periods.
Today’s counts were as follows: 20 Mute Swans and five cygnets, 287 Greylags, one Greylag / Canada, two Farmyard Geese, five Canada Geese, a drake Wigeon, 69 Gadwall, 124 Mallard, 17 Teal, 31 Tufted, nine Little Egrets, two Herons, 12 Cormorants, one Great Crested Grebe, ten Little Grebes (comprising seen adults, three fledged juveniles and two chicks, one on each pool), 29 Moorhen, 58 Coots, four Common Terns (one adult and three juveniles), 190 Black-headed Gulls, eight Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Nuthatch in the back gate copse, at least 20 Sand Martins and one Swift, 70 Lapwing and a Green Sandpiper at Patrick Bridge.
Other waders throughout the day included a juvenile Little Ringed Plover in the morning, a Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper in the evening and, finally, a Hobby was seen twice during the day, once just south of the Reserve and a second time in the evening over the causeway.
18th August 2018
Mostly overcast, south-westerly wind.
In the overcast conditions today there were at least 25 Sand Martins at any one time but birds were coming and going throughout the morning at least. There were also half a dozen Swifts. Three Snipe were visible from River Hide on Railway Pool and there were still three Common Terns. A Nuthatch called from the Railway Hide area and a Raven went over.
A ringing session in the evening of the 17th and into the early morning of the 18th, yielded a Sparrowhawk, three Chiffchaffs, one Lesser Whitethroat, one Wren, one Sedge Warbler, two Reed Warblers, one Goldcrest, 25 Blackcaps and singles of Great Tit, Blue Tit and Long-tailed Tit.
17th August 2018
Warm, windy from the south-west and bright but cloudy
A Greenshank made a relatively brief appearance on Car Park Pool today and in the breezy conditions there was a steady trickle of Sand Martins moving through with up to 20 at any one time. Two Swifts joined them at 4 pm and a Green Sandpiper went over.
There was a party of four Green Woodpeckers on the grass by Car Park Hide this morning and a Raven also went over. There were also eight Little Egrets today.
16 August 2018
Mostly wet start, sunny intervals pm, south-westerly wind.
There was an adult Little Ringed Plover on the islands on Railway Pool this morning and still five Common Terns lingering. A female Wigeon showed well at the end of the Marsh, along with a few Gadwall and one of the juvenile Cetti’s Warbler showed very well and was quite vocal (calling as opposed to singing) at the junction between the causeway path and the central stream. There were no Sand Martins early on but numbers began to build from about 8.30 and by 9.15 had reached at least 42 birds.
As the day unfolded, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover joined the adult and there were nine Little Egrets in total. A Peregrine Falcon came through, as did three Swifts and a Raven.
15th August 2018
A Greenshank was present on Car Park Pool for three hours this morning before departing south at just after 10 am. There were also adult and juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, seven Little Egrets and a Polish ringed Black-headed Gull, the final details of which are awaited.
In the evening, the juvenile Mediterranean Gull put in another appearance and there were 20 Mute Swans, 20 Teal, a drake Wigeon, one Shoveler, two adult and six juvenile Common Terns, six Swifts, 20 Sand Martins, four Little Grebes and one half grown chick on Car Park Pool; and finally, over 70 Lesser Black-backed Gulls went over to the east at dusk.
Greenshank Car Park Pool – Photograph by John Hunt
14th August 2018
Mostly overcast, light south-westerly wind.
A Wood Sandpiper put in a 20 second appearance at 8 am this morning before disappearing to the north – frustrating for both the finders and those turning up later. With birds being seen elsewhere in the locality, it was hoped that one would appear at Marsh Lane but not for such a short time!
Sand Martins – mid air food pass – Photograph by Max Silverman
A Swift went through at 9.10 am and there were up to five Sand Martins briefly feeding over the pools before they too moved on. A Lesser Whitethroat called and showed well by the car park gates at much the same time with at least one Chiffchaff there and another by the cottages.
The juvenile Mediterranean Gull also appeared mid-morning.
Juvenile Mediterranean Gull (Railway Pool) – photograph by John Hunt
13th August 2018
High cloud, occasional sunny intervals
The juvenile Mediterranean Gull appeared earlier than yesterday and roosted on the gravel bar between Oak Hide and River Hide. A Kingfisher flew over the causeway, there was a Raven over Siden Hill Wood and, later in the morning, there were two Little Egrets, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, probably yesterday’s Dunlin again, this time on Car Park Pool and a Green Sandpiper on the Dragonfly Pool.
15 adult and seven immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls came in to wash and preen on Railway Pool and there was a Green Woodpecker around the Oak Hide feeder which remains busy.
12th August 2018
Overcast and showery from the south-west, about 16 degrees.
Yesterday’s Dunlin lingered on Railway Pool until the birds were spooked by a juvenile Peregrine which came in at 9.30 and caught a Sand Martin. It landed on one of the Islands in front of Oak Hide and showed well before it was driven off by the Common Terns and took it into Siden Hill Wood.
Sand Martin numbers began to build up from early morning with at least 50 present by 10 am but there was just a single Swallow amongst them.
A Green Sandpiper and two Little Egrets showed well on the Dragonfly Pool and there were again plenty of Warblers on site. These included at least five different Blackcaps along the Old Road, a probable Lesser Whitethroat feeding a fledged young near the cottages, at least three Chiffchaffs by the muck heap and a Reed Warbler by the car park. Two of the juvenile Whitethroats from yesterday had moved down to the south-west pond. A juvenile Cetti’s Warbler again showed well in the channels in the north causeway bay and a separate bird sang from the Reedbed.
At the car park feeder there were juveniles of Goldfinch, Dunnock and Greenfinch (two).
In the late morning a juvenile Mediterranean Gull came in with the Black-headed Gulls to roost in front of Oak Hide. Two Ravens perched in the trees along the central streamline and there was a second Green Sandpiper on Railway Pool. Water Rails were seen or heard in the north causeway bay and in the pond by the car park.
Lastly, the Dunlin, having been flushed by the juvenile Peregrine when it grabbed a Sand Martin, came back in but was duly flushed again by another sortie by the same Peregrine.
11th August 2018
Sunny a.m., overcast p.m., rain from 6 p.m.
Today’s more notable birds comprised a Dunlin on Railway Pool, two Green Sandpipers, six Little Egrets and, again, good numbers of Sand Martins with at least 40 at any one time during the morning but birds moving through throughout much of the day.
There were again plenty of Warblers for those who are patient enough to wait for them. A family party of five Whitethroats showed well behind Oak Hide, there were at least three Blackcaps on the railway embankment with a further two along the Old Road associating with a Willow Warbler. A Water Rail again showed well from the north causeway hide and there were at least 13 Common Terns on site.
Other counts today were 15 Mute Swans, 286 Greylags, 49 Canadas, the Greylag / Canada cross, 40 Mallard, 39 Gadwall and nine broods of 35 ducklings, eight Teal, 40 Tufted and 17 broods of 53 ducklings, five Herons, six Cormorant, seven Little Grebe (four adults and three juvenile) plus two broods (Car Park Pool two half grown young, Railway Pool two half grown young), 14 Moorhen, 58 Coot, 78 Lapwing, 45 Black-headed Gulls, eight Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one Sparrowhawk and two Stock Doves.
In the late afternoon / evening, Sand Martins had reached at least 60 but they were dispersed by a male Sparrowhawk.
A Broad-bodied Chaser and a Red Admiral were also noted in the book.
10 August 2018
Sunny but cool start, showery later.
As Sand Martin numbers built up from 10 to 40 prior to 9am, a Hobby came in low over Car Park Pool in pursuit of them, at 6.30 am but seemed to be unsuccessful. This species has been scarce at the Reserve this year, so far. By mid-morning the Sand Martin numbers had built up to 100 along with six each of House Martin and Swallow but most of these had moved on by 11 am. As for yesterday, some of the Sand Martins cooperatively perched on the fence by Car Park Hide.
There were at least four Little Egrets and two Green Sandpipers on site today. A Willow Warbler showed along with Tree Creeper and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers along the Old Road and there was a female Pheasant, with at least one well grown juvenile by the car park.
Sand Martins – Photographs by Max Silverman
The bushes by Railway Hide were active with Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff there, with Reed Warblers calling by the causeway hides as well. A juvenile Common Gull went through mid-morning.
9 August 2018
Mostly overcast, north westerly
A Whinchat showed briefly from Oak Hide at 8.40am but was lost to view soon after and was not re-found. A Kingfisher flew past and a Cetti’s Warbler showed well, if briefly, from the North Causeway hide.
Today’s cooler conditions meant that they were many more hirundines about with at least 12 House Martins feeding over the streamline, a minimum of 75 Sand Martins feeding over Car Park Pool (including many perching on the wires to the fence by Car Park Hide) and a further 25 over Railway Pool at the same time. There were also a few Swallows.
Three juvenile Whitethroats showed well with at least one juvenile Goldfinch in the scrub behind Oak Hide. There were four Little Egrets and at least ten Common Terns on site.
In the afternoon, Little Egret numbers increased to seven and there were also two Ravens over, a Peregrine perched in Siden Hill Wood and at least 20 Common Terns.
8 August 2018
Sunny intervals, more cloud and cooler. Heavy showers in the evening.
Four Black-tailed Godwits put in a brief appearance on Car Park Pool this morning. They arrived at about 9.30 but soon moved on. At least 15 to 20 Swallows were feeding around the barns at Patrick Farm and 50 more over the Aeromodellers and the Old Road game crop. 20 Sand Martins and ten House Martins were a minimum count at any one time over Car Park Pool.
Other birds today included five Little Egrets, two Snipe and a Green Sandpiper (on Dragonfly Pool). Six Swifts went through at 8.35pm and a probable Grasshopper Warbler was disturbed from the grassy bank by Railway Hide but disappeared without further trace into the back gate copse.
Only six made the work party which was effectively ‘rained off’ early on, much to everybody’s frustration. Nevertheless, some improvement in visibility for viewers out of Railway Hide and River Hide was undertaken despite the rain. Thanks to all those who attended.
Black-tailed Godwits – photograph by John Hunt
7th August 2018
Warm and sunny.
Today’s highlight was the third summer plumage Turnstone of the year which spent all day on Railway Pool, best viewed frm Oak Hide.
Turnstone – Photograph by Max Silverman
The other birds today were six Little Egrets, two Green Sandpipers and two Snipe and a Water Rail on the increasing mud on the Reedbed Pool; and Cetti’s Warblers both around the Reedbed and in the causeway bay.
Two Sparrowhawks were recorded as well and five Swallows went through. Lastly, there was a Small Copper butterfly near Railway Hide.
6th August 2018
Warm and sunny.
Three Little Egrets, two Snipe and a Green Sandpiper were the main birds on the pools today. Three Sand Martins went through and there were at least four Chiffchaffs on the Old Road and a Willow Warbler by the car park.
5th August 2018
Remaining hot and still.
The only new bird in today was a female Pochard on Car Park Pool which joined three Shoveler there.
Herons are enjoying the low water level with six Little Egrets and five Grey Herons on site and still 21 Common Terns, including nine juveniles.
One of the two juvenile Water Rails showed in the causeway channels and there was a juvenile Cetti’s Warbler in the Reedbed. Two Ravens went over to the south-west and Willow Warbler, Tree Creeper and Nuthatch were all seen in the back gate copse.
4th August 2018
Mostly sunny and warm, light south-westerly wind
With thanks to Graham Rowling and Dave Scanlan, today’s counts were as follows: 14 Mute Swans, 239 Greylags, 12 Canadas, a Greylag / Canada cross, one juvenile Shelduck, a male Wigeon and a newly arrived female, 13 Teal, a single Shoveler, 73 Gadwall and eight broods of 37 ducklings, 24 Tufteds and 16 broods of 54 ducklings, four Herons, five Little Egrets, seven Cormorants, a pair of Great Crested Grebes, six Little Grebes (three adults and three fledged juveniles plus a new brood of four under Railway Hide – it is thought that so far only one young has been raised on site, from the Reedbed), 25 Moorhens, 76 Coot, 100 Lapwing, two Green Sandpipers (one on Railway Pool and one up by Patrick Bridge), 25 Common Terns (13 adults and 12 juveniles), 22 Black-headed Gulls, one Lesser Black-backed Gull, singing Willow Warbler along the Old Road, a juvenile Whitethroat by the south-west pond, a Water Shrew again in the north causeway bay and at least two migrant Hawkers along the causeway itself.
Photograph by Nick Barlow – looking out along the north causeway bay.
3rd August 2018
Mostly overcast but warm.
The morning tally of birds comprised six Little Egrets, two Green Sandpipers and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover with a Snipe added later. There were also 105 Lapwings.
There were at least 16 broods of Tufteds, five Gadwall and other wildfowl of note included seven Teal and a lingering juvenile Shelduck. Six Swallows went south and there were upwards of 70 Starlings on site and the variable number of Common Terns today totalled 19 (12 adults, five fledged juveniles and two newly fledged individuals).
Green Sandpiper – Photograph by Max Silverman
Juvenile Shelduck – Photograph by Max Silverman
Cetti’s Warbler with lunch – photograph by Max Silverman
2nd August 2018
Sunny intervals and warm.
A Black-tailed Godwit was the best of the records today with other waders on Car Park Pool including two Green Sandpipers, one Common Sandpiper, one lingering Oystercatcher and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover. There were also three Little Egrets there whilst 20 Common Terns were either in flight or roosting on Railway Pool.
A single juvenile Shelduck remains on sight and there were 27 Canadas and 33 Greylags along with seven Little Grebes.
In the late afternoon a Snipe appeared and there were at least 40 hirundines feeding high over the Aeromodellers although a species mix was not recorded.
Black-tailed Godwit – Photograph by Mike Pugh
1st August 2018
Sunny intervals, south-westerly wind.
There were at least three Common Sandpiper this morning and a steady trickle of Swifts and hirundines went through up until at least 9 am (two Swifts, 25 plus Sand Martins, four Swallows and four House Martins).
This evening’s counts were as follows: one Water Shrew north causeway bay, 15 Mute Swans and five cygnets, a drake Wigeon, three Teal, six Gadwall broods of 31 ducklings, a new Mallard brood of two on the Reedbed, 22 Tufted broods of 78 ducklings, four Little Egrets, eight adult and eight juvenile Common Terns, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, one Common and two Green Sandpipers, three juvenile Shelduck and a Cetti’s Warbler in sub song along the causeway.
A ringing session undertaken in the back gate copse both yesterday evening and this morning yielded 69 new birds, as follows: 31 Blackcaps, seven Garden Warblers, nine Reed Warblers, six Chiffchaff, four Great Tit, four Robins, two Song Thrush and then singles each of Wren, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat. An attempt to catch waders overnight yielded a single Common Sandpiper.
The photographs below (taken by Nick Barlow and the Ringing Group) show an adult Chiffchaff in contrast to the brightness of the juvenile Willow Warbler. Interestingly the Willow Warbler had dark legs. With the exception of the Common Sandpiper pictures, which were taken on the 31st July, all the photographs below ere taken today, 1st, August.
Two photographs of the Juvenile Whitethroat
Two photographs of the juvenile Willow Warbler
Juvenile Robin moulting into adult plumage
Adult Chiffchaff
Three photographs of the Common Sandpiper – 31st July 2018
