Linacre -26th June 2011 Patch tick!!

This time of year can sometimes be a little dull bird wise at Linacre, so when I set off for a walk this morning I wasn't really expecting anything exciting to report. How wrong I was! As well as a lovely pair of Bullfinch feeding on some "weeds" sticking out of the dam wall and a Moorhen with a pair of chicks (first of the year) on the middle reservoir I also found a new bird for the site - a juvenile Little Ringed Plover!!!!

Little Ringed Plover

The bird was first spotted feeding along the muddy edge of the top reservoir and watched for a good fifteen minutes. At first I wasn't 100% sure which plover species it was, but looking in Collins, (the best field guide ever!) it was soon obviously a LRP, with its narrow,black beak, yellowy legs and small, yellow orbital ring around the eye. Brilliant record! Perhaps with so much mud exposed we might get a few more passage waders dropping in this year- fingers crossed.

Other birds spotted this morning were Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Mandarin (3 broods), Mallard (2 broods), Coot (2!), Swallow (10),Swift (1), House Martin (2), Great Crested Grebe (2), and Tufted Duck (15).

Other sightings of note were 5 Meadow Brown butterflies and a beautiful group of 100+ orchids, which, after a quick google search, appear to be Common spotted Orchid. Let me know if that's not right please.

Common spotted Orchid

Blackcap at Linacre- breeding confirmed!!

Just been on the website of the Sheffield Bird Study Group where there's a report of a male Blackcap visiting a nest with food. This is our first actual evidence of breeding, although its been presumed every year. Good record.

Also of note was a record of a juvenile Kingfisher, the first of this species this year. Kingfisher are usually reported in the summer months and I presume this individual will be a newly fledged bird from further down the valley. Again, great to see.

Kingfisher

Black-necked Grebes - beautiful birds!!!

Spent a few hours over at RSPB Old Moor in Barnsley as my Father's Day treat on Sunday. Unfortunately the weather wasn't playing, with grey clouds and a strongish wind. Despite this however, I managed to get some good birds (as always) and a new tick for me in the shape of a Tree Bumblebee!!

First up, birdwise, were the hundreds of Black-headed Gull chicks. They were everywhere!! Most were pretty well developed and spent most of the time sat around preening.

Juvenile Black-headed Gull

The next birds I saw were two stunning adult summer plumaged Black-necked Grebes swimming on The Mere from the Family Hide.These birds have been present for over a week now and can, at times, show really well. No photos of these birds, but here's one I took a few years ago in West Yorkshire.

Black-necked Grebe

As well as the young Black-headed Gulls, lots of other species were also in full breeding mode with juveniles of the following species seen: Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Little Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Gadwall and Pochard (my first ever!!). Other species still on eggs or feeding young included Lapwing and Sedge Warbler. Three species of wader were seen: Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover and Redshank, but no young were spotted. Avocets have bred successfully for the first time this year, but we didn't see them today! Don't know where they were! Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins were all feeding over the water. The latter species was using the high tech Sand Martin nesting bank, bought with donations from many groups including our very own Chesterfield RSPB Group.

Sand Martin bank

On the way back to the car the sun had come out so I stopped off to look at some bees. I spotted one that I thought might be a Tree Bumblebee, so took a few shots, before it flew off. I uploaded the pictures to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust's website and they very kindly emailed me back to confirm the identification.

Tree Bumblebee

This bee is a relative newcomer to the UK having only arrived here for the first time in 2001, but has been spreading north ever since. It's quite easy to identify, so if you want to find one for yourself this summer have a look on the above link.

RSPB Farm Walk - 18th June 2011

This morning I carried out my third and final walk as part of  the RSPB's Volunteer and Farmer Alliance programme at the farm in Blyth, Nottinghamshire.The weather stayed dry, the poppies looked amazing and several new species were added to the list including evidence of breeding for the BTO's Bird Atlas.

Poppies

First up this morning were singing Chaffinch and a family party of Blue Tit. Walking around through the waist-high grass I also found several Whitethroat, which were alarm calling and probably had nests nearby. A pair of Reed Buntings was a new bird for this site, but the highlight of the morning,was the 3 Yellow Wagtails, which included one male complete with a beak full of food -  evidence of breeding!! Here's an awful shot of him perched up on a tree.

Yellow Wagtail

The Skylarks were still in good voice and on the way back at the end of the walk I was lucky enough to come across this beautiful young Roe Deer who had got split up from his mum and brother/sister, who were standing some distance away in the woods. I stood still on the path and he/she walked straight towards me until he was just 5m away!! I managed to get a decent shot before he realised I wasn't mum and hopped off into the woods!

Roe Deer

Gamekeeper found guilty.

Following on from my recent blog about the destruction of the Hen Harrier nest in Derbyshire earlier this year, it was interesting to see that not everyone who targets birds of prey in Derbyshire is geting off scot free. Follow this link to read about the prosecution of a Derbyshire gamekeeper following undercover work in the Upper Derwent Valley by the RSPB.

Linacre WeBS Walk - 11th and 12th June 2011

This month's WeBS walk results are a combination of  two walks, the first by Mandy and Vicky on Saturday and the second by me on Sunday 12th. Waterbird numbers were about right for this time of year, but there was a lovely surprise was a new breeding species for Linacre - Pied Wagtail. 2 juvenile birds were found being fed by an adult on the middle reservoir. Until now we have only recorded recorded Pied Wagtail during the winter months, so this record is really good!

Juvenile Pied Wagtail

As well as this we also confirmed breeding for Grey Wagtail again with a family party and two broods of Mandarin Duck were also present. A Common Buzzard was seen flying low over the bottom car park, being mobbed by 2 Crows and a male Bullfinch was also seen in this area. Mandy found an adult Spotted Flycatcher on Saturday, our first of the year. Brilliant sighting!!

Female Mandarin with 7 ducklings

This month's results are: Mallard 44, including 5 broods of 3,7,5,5 and 6, Mandarin Duck 14, including 2 broods of 4 and 7, Moorhen 3, including a pair trying to build a nest, Coot 8, Pied Wagtail (3), Grey Wagtail (4, 1 adult and 3 juveniles), the hybrid Canada Goose and Little Grebe 3, 1 adult and 2 juveniles).

Little Grebe and 1 of 2 chicks

As well as the birds I also spotted my first Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown butterflies of the year, as well as several bumblebee species and a Drone Fly!

Small Tortoiseshell

Drone Fly

Clumber Park - 10th June 2011

As a birdwatcher, there are certain events that I look forward to every year, such as the first returning summer migrants or winter thrushes. Another event that I always enjoy is this early summer evening visit to Clumber Park, in Nottinghamshire, to look for the Nightjars and Woodcock.

Clumber lake with Greylag Geese

Tonight's visit, run as part of the Chesterfield RSPB's programme of events, began at 7pm in the chapel car park where the first birds, a beautiful pair of Stock Doves were seen in one of the nearby trees. Walking down to the lake we soon spotted Swift (dozens feeding low over the water), Swallow, House and Sand Martin. Waterbirds were present on the lake itself and included Gadwall, Coot, Mute Swan, Mallard, Canada and Greylag Goose, all with young in tow.

Coot's nest and young

Other waterbirds seen, but which didn't have young were Moorhen, Tufted Duck and a pair of Shoveler, the male of which was going into eclipse plumage.

The walk continued down the side of the water where we managed to locate a few more summer migrants with Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and a Blackcap/Garden Warbler all singing. An Oystercatcher found feeding on the grass, was an unusual sight and was my first at this site. The highlight, however, of this part of the walk was a pair of Spotted Flycatcher that we managed to find and watch "flycatching" on the far side of the lake.

At about 9.15pm we headed back to the car park and drove to another area of the park where we had seen both Nightjar and Woodcock in previous years. We got in position next to an area of cleared plantation and waited for the light to fade.

Nightjar habitat in Clumber Park

Whilst waiting for the first Nightjars, we heard a distinctive call and saw a couple of Woodcock"roding" overhead. A Cuckoo was also calling, but wasn't seen. After about half an hour (about 9.40pm before the I think!) we heard the first "churring" and its wasn't long before Nightjars appeared flying low overhead. At one point we had 2 birds singing at the same time and saw at least 3 birds, including a female that flew up from the floor, presumably from a hidden nest. If you've never herard a Nightjar "churring", follow this link, it's an amazing sound!!

The evening ended at about 10.30pm and we all left the area leaving the birds churring away. Many thanks to all that attended.