BIRD NEWS FROM CARR VALE NATURE RESERVE AND SURROUNDING AREA
MAY 2002
The daily visits continued and as expected we added a few new species for the year taking the year list to 120, an average total for the end of May the highest end of May total being 128 in 1996. The monthly species tally was 90, very average indeed and in fact the lowest count since May 1998 and well below the 105 also recorded in 1996. One possible reason for it being such a poor month may be that all bar one of the regular observers had at least one and sometimes two weeks away during the period. Furthermore the one observer who covered the site throughout the month spent less time there than normal due to a heavy work commitment. Consequently very few notable species were seen but these included Common Buzzard, Hobby, Bar-tailed Godwit (4th record), Greenshank and White Wagtail. More worrying was the fact that a number of species failed to appear as expected such as Cuckoo and Spotted Flycatcher and others such as Turtle Dove and Whitethroat were scarcer than in previous years. It was a fairly dry and mild month with no abnormal weather noted. This meant that the water level in Meadow Flash remained constant at about 12-15". The first 12 days of the month saw winds from a northerly direction after which the wind invariably blew from the south-south-west quarter, the lack of easterlies no doubt contributing to the poor month.
Little Grebes were very scarce with a single bird on three dates and four (two pairs) on the 2nd. The Great-crested Grebe brood had reduced to three by the 7th and a third adult was present on ten dates from the 16th. Two Cormorants flew north-west on the 12th, one was present on the 23rd, two flew north on the 26th and another flew north-west on the 29th. One to three Herons were noted on 28 dates with five present on the 31st. The wing-tagged bird reappeared from the 2nd and was still in the area on the 26th. An immature Mute Swan was present daily between the 5th and 9th and four were seen on the 19th. Three Pink-footed Geese were seen on the 9th one of which remained until the 12th and what is presumed to be the same bird then reappeared on the 20th and then seen daily until the 24th. A single Grey-lag Goose was present daily until the 27th consorting with the resident Canada Geese and three were noted on the 2nd and between the 22nd and 24th. A pair of Canada Geese hatched six young on the 3rd and a second brood of four hatched on the 23rd whilst the highest count of adults was 32 on the 24th. A Bar-headed Goose was seen on three dates between the 23rd and 26th.
A pair of Shelduck flew south on the 6th and Gadwall were a daily feature with a peak count of 11 on the 31st. A brood of seven Gadwall was noted on the 26th, the earliest ever at Carr Vale with another brood of four on the 31st. A pair of Teal was present between the 8th and 10th and seven more broods of Mallard appeared. Shoveler failed to breed again with the only record so far this year being a lone male present on the 14th and 18th. Both Tufted and Ruddy Ducks were seen daily during the month with peak counts respectively being 14 on the 2nd (and 8th) and ten on the 9th whilst a brood of seven Ruddy Ducks on the 26th was the earliest ever here.
Sparrowhawks were seen on seven dates with Kestrels on eight dates but the only other raptors of note were a single Common Buzzard flying north on the 4th and a Hobby on the 30th. Five Common Partridge were noted on the 12th, a Water Rail was noted on four dates until the 7th and by the end of the month nine pairs of Coot had either nests or young. Two Oystercatchers were present on the 22nd and although Little Ringed Plovers were recorded daily the highest count was only seven on the 2nd and 4th. Ringed Plovers were noted daily until the 18th (apart from on the 16th) and it is presumed that the regular bird was the off duty bird of a pair breeding elsewhere in the valley. Larger numbers were three on the 1st (including two northern birds) and five on the 13th. Three Dunlin were present on the 8th and single Snipe were seen on the 2nd, 10th and 19th. The best bird of the month was a winter plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit on the 7th, although it had moved on by the evening and a Curlew flew east on the 8th. One to three Redshank were seen daily until the 20th, with four on the 4th, but then they became more irregular with a single bird on six dates from the 24th. Like Ringed Plover it is most probable that the birds seen later in the month were the off duty adults from a pair breeding elsewhere in the valley as this species is not thought to be breeding in the recording area this year. Single Greenshank were seen on the 7th and 12th and single Common Sandpipers were present on the 4th, 9th-12th, 14th and 18-20th.
Few gulls were noted during the month, the highlights being a first summer Herring Gull on the 15th and a first summer Great Black-backed Gull on the 9th. Common Terns were noted on 13 dates but the highest count was only three on the 18th. 225 Wood Pigeons were still feeding on oilseed rape on the 26th and a pair of Turtle Doves flew north on the 7th. Three young Tawny Owls were ringed during the month at the usual nest site, Swifts were around but only in small numbers and the highest count was just 30 on the 20th and 26th whilst a single Kingfisher was seen on six dates between the 7th and 24th.
Sand Martins were quite scarce with single figure counts on 13 dates, the highest count of Swallows was only 25 on the 6th and House Martins too were scarce with a peak count of 36 on the 26th. The male Meadow Pipit was still holding territory on the Peter Fidler Reserve at on the 2nd with the pair seen alarming on the 27th. One to three Yellow Wagtails were noted on 15 dates during the month and it is thought that one pair is probably breeding in the area but the only White Wagtails of the month were three on the 6th. More unusual was a juvenile Grey Wagtail seen on the 31st, the first May record as far as I am aware.
Two pairs of Mistle Thrushes have reared young this year with the first two juveniles noted on the 9th followed by a very recently fledged bird on the 21st. Two Grasshopper Warblers were singing on the 1st with one the following day and one on the 12th, four Sedge Warblers were holding territory during the month and 11 Reed Warblers were singing on the 19th, eight of which were in the southern reedbed. Three Lesser Whitethroats were singing on the 2nd with birds noted daily until the 9th after which they went very quiet with one singing on the 16th being the only other record for the month. Whitethroats seem to be well down this year with the only count of singing males being eight on the 2nd, the lowest ever maximum count recorded. Single Garden Warblers were noted singing on five dates with one still present on the 31st, singing Blackcaps peaked at nine on the 2nd and at least three singing Chiffchaffs were present during the month. Two Jays were seen on the 3rd with one on the 5th and 15th whilst 37 Jackdaws were attracted to the sheep on the 9th.
Amongst the non-avian species Large Red Damsels, Blue-tailed Damsels and two Four-spotted Chasers were seen on the 19th with Common Blue Damsel noted from the 27th. A Brimstone was seen on the 2nd with two on the 11th, the first Wall was seen on the 19th and a Speckled Wood was noted on the 31st. The only mammals noted were Hares with a maximum of nine counted on the 31st and the odd Rabbit and Grey Squirrel.
Mark Beevers.