Year List Update

 Over the last few weeks, Jayne and I have added several new birds to the Year List. 

The first species were Wood Warbler (163) and Grey Partridge (164). The next two were both seen, on Thursday. They were: Nightjar (165) and Woodcock (166).

Swift and Wood Warbler

 Two new additions to the "year list" over the couple of days, with Swift (161) and Wood Warbler (162) added.

My first Swifts of the year were 3 over school on Friday, whilst the Wood Warblers (3) were seen today in the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust's Wyming Brook reserve. 1 bird in particular was very "showy", just by the path.

Wood Warbler

Year List Update

I've managed to add a few new species to this year's Year List over the last few weeks, so I thought I'd better write a short post to keep the blog up to date.

The Pied Flycatcher was added at Linacre last weekend and the Swift was first recorded on Friday 6th May, flying over Tesco in Chesterfield. The Wood Warbler was seen at Padley Gorge last Sunday (8th) following a tip off of a singing male from Chesterfield RSPB Group. The Little Owl was seen in a tree by the side of the road in Barlow, again, from a tip off from a colleague at school. I managed to get a photo.

Little Owl

The final two species, Whitethroat and Reed Warbler, were seen this morning. The Whitethroat was a singing male seen in a hedgerow in Apperknowle, and the Reed Warbler was 1 of several seen and heard singing at Poolsbrook Marsh as I was carrying out some maintenance work with Ray and David from Sorby Breck Ringing Group, on the net rides for some ringing next week.

Year List update:

144 – Pied Flycatcher

145 – Swift

146 – Wood Warbler

147 - Little Owl

148 – Whitethroat

149 – Reed Warbler

Ladybower Wood SSSI

Spent a couple of hours out at the DWT's Ladybower Wood reserve with Stewart from the ringing group to check a few boxes and ring my first Redstart pulli. He had 1 box  with 4 chicks in it and we ringed 2 each. Thanks Stewart!

Redstart pulli

 

We checked a few other boxes and ringed some Blue and Great Tits, but the 4 boxes with Pied Flycatcher chicks and eggs weren't ready, so they'll have to wait for another day.

 

Pied Flycatcher chicks

 

Pied Flycatcher eggs

 

As well as these birds we also managed to record several other species including 2 "year ticks", namely Wood Warbler and Tree Pipit. Cuckoos were calling all morning and Stewart managed a quick glimpse of one as I dragged myself up the hill!!

 

Year List:

142 - Wood Warbler

143 - Tree Pipit

Padley Gorge - 28th May 2011

Had a short walk down the gorge this afternoon with Jayne. Despite the fact that it was quite late in the day we still managed to find some great birds doing what birds do best at this time of the year, that is creating the next generations!

First sighting was a family party of Grey Wagtails around the top of the gorge, followed closely by an adult Dipper (my first of the year!). Crossing over the river and returning back up towards the moor we could hear Pied Flycatchers singing and soon found a pair feeding young in one of the nest boxes. Whilst watching these birds we heard a real commotion and, looking up, we could see a male Great-spotted Woodpecker feeding young in a perfectly circular nesthole. The young really do make a noise, calling constantly, even when the adults birds aren't present! Nearby a Wood Warbler was heard singing and a female Redstart was spotted in the trees. Highlight of the day, however, went to the pair of Spotted Flycatchers that Jayne found nest building in a broken off tree stump -well done!! The nest is easily viewable from the main path, so I'll pop back laer this week and get some photos. Until then, here's an adult bird I saw back in 2007 at Barbrook Plantation.

Spotted Flycatcher