BIRD NEWS FROM CARR VALE NATURE RESERVE AND SURROUNDING AREA

AUGUST 2002

The daily visits continued and we added six new species for the year taking the year list to 130, which is about average for the time of year. The monthly species tally was 102, well above the recent August average, indeed it's the second highest August monthly total and only the fifth time we have recorded more than 100 species in a month. Needless to say with such high number of species recorded several notable species were seen. Included amongst these were Greylag Goose (1st August record record), Marsh Harriers (13th-14th records), Buzzards, Peregrine, Merlin, Hobbies, Black-tailed Godwits (one, 16 and six, 7th-9th records), Wood Sandpiper (2, 6th record), Whinchat, Raven (two, 5th record) and Crossbill (3rd record). However the bird of the month was a juvenile Little Egret, the first to be recorded at the site and a long overdue addition to the list. The bad weather from the end of July continued into the first couple of days of the month causing the water level in Meadow Flash to rise to 30". This resulted in a complete loss of wader habitat, though by the end of the month following a lengthy dry spell the muddy edges had returned.

Little Grebes were recorded on 28 dates, including three on the 3rd and 13th and up to four Great-crested Grebes were seen daily. Cormorants made a welcome return with one to three on 24 dates plus four on the 24th and 28th. The bird of the year, so far, was a juvenile Little Egret that arrived at 0910 on the 10th. Although it could be elusive it did show well and was seen again the following day. It was missing on the 12th but was again present early on the 13th when it was last seen flying north. What is presumed to be the same bird flew north through the Rother Valley CP at 1100hrs the same day. Herons were seen daily with double-figures on five dates the highest of which were 12 on the 26th and the wing-tagged bird was still in the area on the 31st. A Greylag Goose joined the Canada Geese on the 22nd and became the first August record whilst the latter peaked at c350 on the 21st, with counts in excess of 300 daily between the 19th and 27th. A Bar-headed Goose joined the flock on the 9th and was seen daily between the 23rd and 27th.

The first returning Wigeon of the autumn was seen on the 26th-27th, with two between the 28th and 30th and one on the 31st. Gadwall continued to be a daily feature with a peak count of 34 on the 5th, although from the 23rd the counts were of ten or less. Teal increased throughout the month peaking at a record count for August of 44 on the 31st. Mallard numbers also increased peaking at 200 on the 23rd, with three-figure counts on 23 other dates. Two Shoveler were present on the 25th and 31st with three on the 29th whilst a male Pochard was seen on the 5th. Tufted Duck were noted on 22 dates but the highest count was just eight on the 27th. Ruddy Ducks were seen daily with double-figure counts on all bar two dates, the highest of which was 23 on the 3rd and 9th.

It was a good month for raptors with a juvenile Marsh Harrier present for quarter of an hour on the 3rd before it flew off north. Another Marsh Harrier came in late on the 28th, roosted overnight and it too left to the north the following morning. Sparrowhawks were seen on 31 bird/days (21 dates) with three together on the 17th. Two distant Buzzards were seen on the 3rd, another flew south-west on the 12th, two more flew east on the 17th and a juvenile was seen in the area on both the 21st and 28th. Kestrels were noted on 24 dates (a total of 42 bird/days) with a peak count of four on the 15th. A Merlin dashed through on the 25th, single Hobbies were recorded on nine dates including one that attacked the Swallow roost on six dates between the 9th and 15th and a juvenile male Peregrine caused chaos on the 4th.

Common Partridges were proved to have bred and there was a count of 13 on the 24th. Breeding was also confirmed for Pheasant when a brood of five was reported on the 28th. A Water Rail was noted on 12 dates during the month, 17 Moorhens were around Meadow Flash on the 17th and Coot peaked at 39 on the 2nd.

A Ringed Plover was heard calling as it flew north on the 11th, on which date a Golden Plover was with the Lapwings, which peaked at 415 on the 31st. Four Dunlin flew south on the 9th and Snipe were present daily from the 25th peaking at five on the 30th. A Black-tailed Godwit on the 3rd was a nice surprise and fitted into a developing pattern of occurrences. This pattern was then disrupted when a party of 16 flew north on the 26th followed by another party of six, which were present on the 30th and 31st, these being the first to stay more than a day. A Curlew flew north on the 3rd, with another south on the 19th followed by three, which eventually flew south on the 25th. Two Redshank were present on the 1st with one the following day. A Greenshank on the 5th was followed by two, which flew north on the 10th and one on the 20th. On the 19th it is possible that four Greenshank moved through as two left south on at 0830, one dropped in at 1100 and two were present in the evening. Single Green Sandpipers were present on the 4th-5th, 10th and 17th-18th but two Wood Sandpipers (adult and a juvenile) only stayed until 0920 on the 4th before they flew off north. A single Common Sandpiper was noted on 22 dates being joined by a second bird on the 21st and 30th.

Black-headed Gulls peaked at 75 on the 27th whilst a juvenile Common Gull on the 2nd was the first to be recorded since March, two adults were present on the 20th. With the onset of autumn ploughing Lesser Black-backed Gull numbers increased with three-figure counts on eight dates including a notable 600 on the 27th. Amongst this flock was found single Herring Gulls on the 24th, 27th and 30th with an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the 20th and 24th. Single Common Terns were noted four dates until the 18th, with two on the 1st and four on the 7th. 15 Stock Doves were counted on the 3rd with 20 Collared Doves on the 26th. A Tawny Owl was recorded on the 6th with two on the 9th. Swifts peaked at 200 on the 2nd and a Kingfisher was seen on 22 dates with two on a further four dates. One, perhaps two, Green Woodpeckers were recorded on five dates between the 2nd and 19th and single Great-spotted Woodpeckers were present on four dates between the 14th and 27th.

Although Sand Martins were noted on 15 dates the only double-figure count was ten on 6th. The Swallow roost built up very early this year with 800 between the 7th and 10th and 1000 on the 12th before then declining, no doubt due to the attention of a Hobby, which attacked the roost nightly and none roosted after 300 on the 14th. One to three Yellow Wagtails were noted on 19 dates including a total of 12 flying south over six dates and one or two Grey Wagtails were seen on 13 dates. A Whinchat was present briefly on the 23rd and 23 Mistle Thrushes on the 29th was the largest flock of the year. All the resident warblers remained with up to three Lesser Whitethroats present on ten dates and a Garden Warbler on the 17th. Most remarkable was a record count of 45 Chiffchaffs made by two visiting observers on the 22nd on which date the only Spotted Flycatcher so far this year was recorded.. A Goldcrest, singing on the 19th was subsequently noted on three further dates and a Coal Tit was noted on four dates between the 7th and 24th.

The first Jay of the autumn was seen on the 28th, 68 Jackdaws were counted on the 17th with 150 Rooks recorded on the 20th. However the most notable corvid record concerned a pair of Ravens that flew south calling on the 22nd, as they were only the fifth record for the site. 500+ Starlings were feeding in the fields to the west of the reserve on the 25th, single Tree Sparrows were noted on the 15th and 27th and the House Sparrow flock rose from 60 on the 12th to 100+ on the 26th. Goldfinch numbers rose to 60 by the 25th and 100 Linnets were counted on the 26th. A Lesser Redpoll that flew south on the 11th and north on the 18th was unusual but not as unusual as the Crossbill, which flew south on the 17th, representing only the third record for the reserve.

Non-avian species saw Southern Hawkers on four dates and up to six Brown Hawkers on six dates. The first Migrant Hawkers were seen on the 27th, with two Emperors on the 3rd with one on the 16th, a male Black-tailed Skimmer was seen on the 3rd and plenty of Common Darters were about during the month. A Comma was seen on the 4th but few other butterflies were recorded apart from the occasional Common Blue and Speckled Wood. A Poplar Hawk Moth on the 10th was notable and may well be the first for the site and it or another was seen about a week later. One or two Hares were seen on eight dates, a Stoat was seen on the 4th and single Foxes was seen on the 22nd and 29th. The one on the latter date had lost its back left leg and had an injured front right leg suggesting that it may have been caught in a snare at some time.

Mark Beevers.