BIRD NOTES FROM CARR VALE NATURE RESERVE AND SURROUNDING AREA

JULY 2003

July was a slightly above average month with 86 species recorded, well below the record for the month, which was 96 set in 2000. The daily visits continued but it remained very hard for the regulars to stay motivated as we were rewarded with very little although the yearlist moved on to 121, two behind the lowest ever end of July total, so things are improving slightly. Unfortunately the bird of the month was only seen briefly by a single observer and the identification has not been clinched. This concerns the male grey Harrier sp. that flew south on the 20th. The observer is certain that the bird was not a Montague's Harrier as first reported. However despite his initial thoughts that it was a Pallid Harrier he has decided that it is best left as a Harrier sp. So that is one that has got away I'm afraid. Apart from that bit of excitement there was little else to shout about. The only other notable species were three Grey Lag Geese, Buzzards, Hobbies, two Peregrines, Water Rail, Oystercatcher, Greenshank, an early Whinchat and two Ravens. The heavy rain at the beginning of the month meant that the water levels remained high ensuring a lack of mud and just as the mud started to reappear more heavy rain on the 18th meant that we were back to square one-most frustrating.

Little Grebes were only seen on three dates although a pair with three young was found on the 22nd, the four adult and three juvenile Great-crested Grebes remained until the 11th after which one of the adults and a juvenile from the Reserve Pond left the area. Single Cormorants were noted on 12 dates with two on the 10th. Grey Herons were noted daily, peaking at 12 on the 29th and the wing-tagged bird remained throughout the month. Herons have been a bit of a problem this year with birds noted taking young Gadwall, Ruddy Duck and Coot. Two Mute Swans were seen on 10 dates until the 15th, three Grey Lag Geese flew south-east on the 27th (only the second record for July) and Canada Geese started their autumn build up on the 19th reaching 132 on the 31st, a record count for July.

Gadwall were a daily feature with a peak count of 37 (including unfledged young), one to three Teal were present daily until the 4th and then on nine dates between the 15th and 24th. Mallard numbers started to rise reaching three-figures by the 25th with 110 on the 31st. Tufted Ducks were noted on 22 dates but only in single figures and Ruddy Ducks were seen daily with a peak count of 21 on the 27th.

Sparrowhawks were recorded on 14 dates (17 bird/days) and Kestrels were noted on 24 dates (40 bird/days) with counts of four on the 10th, 21st and 26th. The unidentified grey male Harrier sp. flew south on the 20th at 1115, three Common Buzzards were seen on the 27th but all were distant, single Hobbies were seen on the 2nd and 3rd and again on the 20th. A Peregrine was seen from the mound on 12 dates from the 8th, usually sat on the pylons to the west of the reserve. Although the regular bird was an adult on the 29th a juvenile unsuccessfully attacked a Common Tern over the reserve. A Water Rail was heard on the 15th and 31st.
An Oystercatcher, present daily between the 22nd and 26th and again on the 28th, was only the second July record. Four Little Ringed Plovers were seen on the 1st with on or two on seven dates up to the 17th although there is a report on the DOS Website of five being present on the 21st. An adult Ringed Plover was seen on the 17th and 21st, Lapwing numbers continued to rise and three-figure counts were made on nine dates peaking at 175 on the 15th. A Snipe was seen on the 8th, a Curlew flew west on the 6th and a Redshank was noted daily between the 1st and 3rd with another on the 13th. A Greenshank was reported on the 21st (DOS website), the only Green Sandpiper of the year so far departed north on the 1st and one to four Common Sandpipers were seen on ten dates between the 11th and 25th. There is a record of seven shown on the DOS Website for the 21st but the observer is not known. This is a pity as this represents a record count for the site.

Black-headed Gulls peaked at 50 on the 22nd and 29th, 320 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, flying south-east at dusk on the 14th, was a good count with 140 noted on the 21st. Herring Gulls were noted on six dates and at last Common Terns became a regular feature with records for 13 dates including four adults on the 3rd and two adults with two dependant young on the 26th. The highest count of Swifts was 100 on the 4th, Kingfishers were seen on 17 dates although there was only one record of two birds on the 24th, a Green Woodpecker was noted on the 27th and a Great-spotted Woodpecker was seen on the 13th.

Sand Martins were recorded on 18 dates, but all records were in single figures apart from a count of 18+ on 8th. Yellow Wagtails were scarce with one or two noted on just seven dates, one or two Grey Wagtails were noted on five dates and there was a party of four seen on the 23rd on which date a male Whinchat was an unusually early autumn bird.

Grasshopper Warblers continued to sing, being heard on 18 dates until the 31st, with two birds present on the 6th, 10th and 13th, a Lesser Whitethroat was seen on the 18th and 19th and four Chiffchaffs were still singing on the 1st. Two distant Ravens were seen soaring with a Buzzard south of the area on the 27th and Bullfinches were found with fledged young on the 15th. Finally amongst the birds a Cockatiel was noted from the mound on the 22nd

Up to four Hares were seen on eight dates, a Fox was seen on the 4th, a Stoat was reported on the 15th and a Water Vole was seen on the 27th. Commas were noted on six dates with three on the 10th and 15th, single Painted Ladies were seen on the 22nd and 26th and one or two Red Admirals were seen on seven dates. Good numbers of Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns were about and one or two Speckled Woods were seen on four dates.

Four Emperors and five each of Black-tailed Skimmer and Four-spotted Chasers were seen on the 7th, the first Brown Hawker of the year was seen on the 10th and a Broad-bodied Chaser was seen on the 15th. Later in the month a male Banded Demoiselle was seen on the 27th and the first Common Darter of the year was seen the following day.

Mark Beevers