BIRD NOTES FROM CARR VALE NATURE RESERVE AND SURROUNDING AREA
MARCH 2003
The daily visits continued as they have done for over three years now and our efforts were rewarded with 85 species, slightly below the eight year average, indeed the third lowest March count ever. The year list dragged it's feet into the nineties and had reached 91 by the end of the month, slightly below the average for the time of the year and generally March was quite a disappointing month. However a few good birds were found including Pink-footed Goose, Common Buzzard, Peregrine, Oystercatcher, Mediterranean Gull (5th record), tristis Chiffchaff (5th or 6th record) and Firecrest (3rd or 4th record). It was a very dry month, which resulted in the water level in Meadow Flash remaining constant at 15-18" although because of the prevailing high pressure early morning mist hampered viewing and visible migration observation.
One or two Little Grebes were recorded on seven dates whilst Great-crested Grebes were a daily feature with five on the 21st and by the end of the month the pair on the reserve pond were incubating. Cormorants were also a daily feature with double-figures on seven dates including a site record of 17 on the 8th, whilst Grey Herons were also seen daily with a peak count of seven on the 5th and 17th, with the wing-tagged bird remaining until at least the 30th. Two or three Mute Swans were seen on 19 dates with higher counts being five on the 26th and seven on the 28th. 18 Pink-footed Geese flew north-west on the 14th and became the latest ever winter flock whilst two Grey Lag Geese were noted on the 11th with two more on the 20th followed by singles on the 21st and 23rd. Canada Geese were present daily and peaked at 45 on the 1st.
The excellent flock of Wigeon remained all month although they declined from a high of 166 on the 2nd and 5th to between 122-126 by the month end. Gadwall were also a daily feature with double-figures on 21 dates including a peak count of 21 on the 21st. Teal declined from 72 on the 2nd to between 25 and 35 at the end of the month and the highest count for Mallard was a meagre 29 on the 4th. Ten Pochard were present on the 1st and 2nd but then declined until the last one was seen on the 12th whilst Tufted Ducks were seen daily with a high of 18 on the 27th. The long-staying female Goosander was seen on ten dates between the 3rd and the 15th whilst Ruddy Ducks were seen daily with double-figures on 17 dates and a peak count of 14 on the 19th and 21st-22nd.
Sparrowhawks were recorded on 15 dates with Kestrels noted on 14 dates, a Common Buzzard flew north on the 2nd, two were soaring over the reserve on the 22nd and another was seen on the 30th whilst a male Peregrine flew south on the 16th. Two pairs of Grey Partridge were located one the 16th and Pheasants peaked at 14 on the 23rd. One or two Water Rails were recorded on 22 dates with three on the 15th and 17th. An Oystercatcher was present for just 32 minutes on the 29th before it departed north, the first Little Ringed Plover of the year was seen on the 12th, which although this was the same date as last year it is also the second earliest ever. After two on the 20th birds were noted daily with a peak count of seven on the 28th. Ringed Plovers were quite scarce with singles on the 5th (at Sutton Scarsdale Flash), 15th, 16th, 21st, 25th and 28th with two present on the 22nd. Golden Plovers were recorded on just seven dates and all counts were of 16 or less apart from 100 that flew north-west on the 31st. There were just two three-figure counts of Lapwing on the first two days of the month, the highest of which was 140 on the 2nd. Single Dunlin were noted on the 12th and 15th and Snipe were recorded on 27 dates with a peak count of 13 on the 26th and 29th. A Curlew flew south on the 6th, two were present on the 14th and one flew west on the 30th and after records on two dates during the first week Redshank were present daily from the 8th peaking at five on four dates from the 27th.
A first winter Mediterranean Gull flew north at 1600 on the 12th and what is presumed to be the same bird was present for 45 minutes the following day before it departed south-east. 790 Black-headed Gulls flew south at dusk on the 11th with 255 the following day after which numbers declined markedly although a flock of 80 dropped in briefly on the 29th. After four Common Gulls on the 2nd one or two were noted on a further six dates and notable March counts of Herring Gull included 170 on the 5th and 100 on the 10th. 400 Wood Pigeons were present on the 13th and a Collared Dove was belatedly reported as nesting from mid-February, although it had deserted by mid-March.
A Tawny Owl was rather predictable on Blue Banks between the 11th and 27th being seen on seven dates whilst one or two Kingfishers were seen on 18 dates. A Green Woodpecker was noted on the 14th and 18th, the first Sand Martin of the year was seen on the 15th with another on the 20th and then one to nine on a further eight dates to the month end. Meadow Pipit passage was slack, probably because of the dominant high-pressure system which meant clear sunny days. A measly total of 161 were logged flying north over 13 dates with peak counts of 46 north on the 25th and 43 north on the 30th. Additionally 50 were "down" on the 21st with 20 on the 28th. A single Grey Wagtail was noted on nine dates up until the 25th and Pied Wagtail counts included 40 on the 13th and 35 on the 28th.
The only three-figure count of Fieldfare was 115 north-west on the 12th whilst the highest count of Redwings was just 34 on the 11th. More interestingly a Redwing was singing on the 25th. A Blackcap was heard calling on the 14th with another very briefly on the 30th and the first Migrant Chiffchaffs appeared on the 12th, when two were present. Numbers gradually increased with five present on the 18th, eight singing on the 25h and 11 singing on the 26th, a new spring record. However this was eclipsed on the 28th when an all area count produced 17 singing males with 15 still singing the following day. The wintering tristis Chiffchaff was last seen on 24th February, so the one that was found on the 15th may well have been a different bird. The winterer had been very site faithful and was not prone to disappearing and the new one was also very site faithful, remaining on the embankment throughout its stay until last seen on the 20th. For the first time at Carr Vale this sub-species was heard singing its quite melodic song on a number of occasions and it was certainly very different from the nominate form of Chiffchaff. Likewise the wintering Firecrest was last seen on 23rd February so that the one which was seen by a single reliable observer on the 13th could have also been a different bird. We'll never know.
A Coal Tit on the 6th was an unusual spring record, Jackdaws peaked at 53 on 13th, a Siskin flew north on the 6th, with single Lesser Redpolls on the 21st and 29th with four on the 28th. 30 Yellowhammers were seen on the 13th with 25 Yellowhammers together with 11 Reed Buntings and nine Chaffinches on a recently sown field on the 28th.
Water Voles were seen at two separate locations during the month, on the 22nd and 30th whilst one or two Hares were seen on 13 dates. A dog Fox was seen on the 18th, single Weasels were seen in different area on the 21st and 22nd and the first Common Frog of the year was seen on the 2nd. Mark Beevers