May 2002 Bird Notes

May highlights were Shelduck, Pintail, Garganey, Red-breasted Merganser, Osprey, Hobby, 20 species of waders which included Grey Plover, Knot, Sanderling, Little Stint, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Wood Sandpiper, reservoir record counts of Dunlin and Turnstone, Little Gull, Kitiwake, Sandwich, Arctic, Little and Black Terns, Grasshopper, Reed and Wood Warblers, Raven and a new species for Carsington Purple Sandpiper.

Four Shelduck on 3rd with one on 4th, single female Pintail from 26th till 29th, a pair of Garganey were present on 13th with two males on 31st, unfortunately they weren’t present the following day, a immature male Red-breasted Merganser was recorded from 18th until 22nd.
Single Buzzard was noted on several dates, an Osprey flew west over the reservoir on 18th, a Hobby was observed on several dates, a Water Rail on 3rd, the previous months Little Gull remained until 11th, two Common Gull on 3rd. The 1st summer Kittiwake remaining from April was last seen on 3rd a adult Kittiwake was present on the reservoir for several hours on 18th, three Sandwich Terns on 16th which remained for most of the day but had departed by 17:30hrs, the breeding pair of Common Tern produced two young on 30th, up to three other Common Terns were recorded during the month.
A passage of Arctic Terns was noted on 5th, 7th and 8th when 28 were counted on each date, one to two were present on several other dates with one remaining for several days at the months end. A Little Tern was seen on 11th, the second record this year of this scarce visitor, three Black Tern were present on 18th.

With falling reservoir levels producing ideal conditions for passage waders, 20 species were recorded including a new species for Carsington a single Purple Sandpiper on 17th, eight Oystercatcher were present all month, 12 to 16 Little Ringed Plover all month, 13 Ringed Plover on 18th with nine on 1st and 2nd, seven on 13th with one to six regularly present, single Grey Plover on 11th, 17th and 18th, a Knot on 23rd, five Sanderling on 15th with four on 2nd, 25th and 29th, one to three were regularly present during the month, single Little Stint were noted on 11th and 13th.
A reservoir record count of 51 Dunlin on 15th with 41 on 1st, 30 on 2nd and 22 on 14th, several other counts of 12 plus were noted during the month. Five Black-tailed Godwit on 11th, two Bar-tailed Godwit on 11th with seven on 21st, a single was present on 13th, nine Whimbrel on 8th, seven on 20th, five on 1st with one two on several other dates, nine Curlew on 1st with one to four regularly recorded, up to 12 Redshank were present all month, single Greenshank on 9th, a Wood Sandpiper from 4th until 6th, nine Common Sandpiper on 1st with one to three regularly present. A reservoir record count of eight Turnstone on 13th with one to three on several other dates.
The majority of the waders were recorded on Horseshoe Island or Stones Island.

Other species recorded were 14 Great Crested Grebe, 23 Cormorant on 8th, one to five Heron all month, 21 Mute Swan all month including three pairs nesting, single Pink-footed and Greylag Geese on several dates, two to four Barnacle Geese, one Shoveler on 11th, two Pochard on 31st, 50 Tufted counted on 12th. Single Goosander on 11th and 16th a scarce bird for May. Cuckoo heard on 13th, 17th and 18th, 150 Swift on 4th with several counts of 50 plus, three Yellow Wagtail on 7th with singles on two other dates, single White Wagtails on 1st, 14th and 18th, two Wheatear on 1st and 11th, single Grasshopper Warbler heard reeling on 10th and 11th, a Reed Warbler on 20th, 21st and 31st, five Lesser Whitethroat singing on 4th, a Wood Warbler on 6th, Spotted Flycatcher on 21st and 29th. Single Raven on 18th with two on 31st.

An excellent month with 112 species recorded compared with 106 in May 2001, 92 in May 2000 and 88 in 1999.

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