BIRD NOTES FROM CARR VALE NATURE RESERVE AND SURROUNDING AREA

JUNE 2003

June was a very average month with 79 species recorded the lowest total since 1998. The daily visits continued but it became very hard for the regulars to stay motivated as we were rewarded with very little and no new birds were added to the yearlist, which remained at 117, four behind the lowest ever end of June total. The only notable species were a Wood Sandpiper (8th record) and an unusually late Whinchat. Dry weather during the month ensured that the wader habitat looked superb for most of the month. That was until heavy rain on the 30th caused water levels to rise significantly, to just under two feet in Meadow Flash, the net result being that at the start of the autumn passage we were left with no mud at all!

Little Grebes were very scarce with one on the 16th-17th, the Reserve Pond's pair of Great-crested Grebes was present daily with their remaining two young and the second pair hatched a single chick on the 15th. This is the first time that two pairs have hatched young at the site. Cormorants were again thin on the ground with single birds noted on the 3rd and 13th with two flying west on the 29th. Grey Herons were noted daily, peaking at ten on the 10th and the wing-tagged bird remained throughout the month. Two to four Mute Swans were seen daily with six on three dates between the 11th and 15th. The highest count of Canada Geese was 31 on the 1st, which included 17 flying north-east, two partial albino ones were present the following day but by the 9th the only birds that remained were five adults and a creche of 15 goslings.

Gadwall were a daily feature with double-figures on 17 dates, the highest count being 19 on the 9th (17 males), although up to five females were also recorded during the month. Teal returned on the 28th when two males were seen with a single male daily to the month end. Two more broods of Mallard were located and the peak count of adults was 31 on the 10th. Tufted Ducks were seen daily with double-figures on just five dates peaking at 12 on the 1st and Ruddy Ducks were also seen daily but only in single figures with a high of nine on the 17th.

Sparrowhawks were recorded on just six dates (six bird/days) and Kestrels were noted on 16 dates (20 bird/days). Two Common Buzzards flew north-west over the reserve on the 13th, with single distant birds to the south of the area on the 3rd and 28th. Unusually we failed to record a Hobby during the month. A Water Rail was seen on the 14th and heard on the 17th and six out of nine Coot nests had hatched chicks by the end of the month.

Single Oystercatchers were present on the 3rd and 5th, Little Ringed Plovers were a daily feature with a peak count of ten on the 22nd and 28th, although up to 12 different birds were seen during the month. A single Ringed Plover was seen on the 17th, Lapwing numbers started to rise towards the end of the month and had reached 98 by the 30th and a Dunlin were present on the 9th-10th. Redshanks were noted on all bar two dates with four on five dates, five on the 15th and six on the 19th. Bird of the month was a Wood Sandpiper, the second for the site this year, which was present until 1115 hours on the 21st. It or another was also present on the 25th and 27th and these represented the first June sightings of this species.

Gulls were typically scarce with Black-headed Gulls being noted on six dates, as were Lesser Black-backed Gulls, although a first summer Herring Gull was more noteworthy on the 1st. Common Terns continued to be very scarce with two on the 4th, one north on the 13th and singles on the 25th and 30th. 200 Wood Pigeons were counted on the 28th, a Cuckoo was seen on the 1st and 9th, the highest count of Swifts was 70 on the 1st, a Kingfisher was seen on five dates and a Green Woodpecker was noted on the 28th.

Sand Martins, although recorded on 12 dates, were again quite scarce, with a peak count of ten on the 30th and the highest count of House Martins was 50 on the 6th. A pair of Meadow Pipits was still on the Peter Fidler Reserve on the 17th, Yellow Wagtails were noted on eight dates with fledged young from the 29th, whilst a male Whinchat, reported on the 3rd was an unusually late spring bird.

After a blank May Grasshopper Warblers started to sing again with a single reeling bird noted on six dates from the 9th and three heard on the 10th. A Lesser Whitethroat was heard singing on the 1st and 30th, two Garden Warblers were present on the 2nd, five Chiffchaffs were still singing on the 9th and an out-of-season Jay was noted on the 1st. Finally amongst the birds a Budgerigar was noted from the mound on the 24th.

Up to six Hares were seen on 11 dates and Common Toads were proved to have bred. A small influx of Painted Ladies occurred with one on the 13th, two on the 14th, three on the 16th and two on the 17th. Three Red Admirals were seen on the 28th, the first Meadow Brown and Small Skippers were noted on the 13th, with Small Heaths from the 9th and Large Skipper from the 17th. Good numbers of Common Blues were about mid month and up to three Speckled Woods were seen on three dates. Two Large Red Damsels were noted on the 9th, when two Emperors and two Four-spotted Chasers were also logged. Subsequently three Emperors were seen on the 13th and 21st with six males and an egg-laying female on the 16th. A male Broad-bodied Chaser was seen on the 21st, good numbers of Four-spotted Chasers were about with 20 on the 16th and 15 on the 21st and Black-tailed Skimmers were also noted in good numbers with six on the 13th, 11 on the 16th and ten plus on the 21st.

Mark Beevers