Nightjars, Woodcock, White Stork and a Peregrine!

 The four birds in today's title were all seen in the last 24 hours in my home county of Derbyshire!

The first bird, Nightjar (170), was seen last night. Unfortunately, it was quite cool and breezy, but we (Jayne and I) did manage to see and hear 2-3 birds. Whilst out and about, we also saw 5-6 Woodcock, a singing Whitethroat, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Song Thrush, Garden Warbler and Blackbird.

The next two species, White Stork (171) and Peregrine Falcon, were seen today. The White Stork, an unringed bird, was found, this week, in Hatton, near Derby. We drove across this morning, and were very lucky to get great views (c.50m away), as it fed in a farmer's field.

White Stork

The Peregrine Falcon was seen later in the day.

Peregrine Falcon

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).

Year List Update/RSPB Frampton Marsh

After a trip to RSPB Frampton Marsh yesterday, I realised that it was time to update the blog with my new Year List total. Since my last post, I've added 8 new species, taking this year's British total (so far) to 185 species.

The first three new additions were: Tree Pipit (178) and Nightjar (179), both seen back in June, on uplands near Chesterfield, and Black Tern (180), with one seen at Ogston Reservoir on 14th June.

Yesterday's new additions, at Frampton, were: Greenshank (181), Temminck's Stint (182), Green Sandpiper (183), Spotted Redshank (184) and Curlew Sandpiper (185).

Temminck's Stint

Other birds seen included: Ringed and Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit (including 2 colour-ringed birds), Dunlin, Snipe, Common Sandpiper (1), Little Grebe, Mallard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Teal, Wigeon, Greylag and Canada Goose, Mute and Whooper Swan (1), Swallow, Sand Martin, Spoonbill (26!), a possible/probable Merlin, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Marsh Harrier, Goldfinch, Linnet, Pied and Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Reed and Sedge Warbler.

There were very few insects about, but 2 Painted Ladies were seen, along with Migrant Hawkers, male Ruddy Darters, and, best of all, a single Eyed Hawkmoth caterpillar, and 3 Willow Emerald Damselflies.

Eyed Hawkmoth

Willow Emerald Damselfly

Derbyshire Woodcock and Nightjar - 21st June 2023

 On Wednesday, Jayne and I went out with our friend Stewart from Derbyshire Bird Tours in the search for Nightjar and Woodcock.

We met up at 8.15pm and spent the next two and a half hours up on the edge of the moors, where we had fantastic views of both these species, along with Tree Pipit, Cuckoo, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler (heard), Great Spotted Woodpecker , Tawny Owl (heard) and Linnet.

Year list update: 169 - Woodcock

Long-eared Owl and Nightjar - 30th May 2023

 Last night, Jayne and I had a few hours at a moorland site near Sheffield, where we managed to hear Nightjars churring. Whilst there, we also had fantastic views of a hunting Long-eared Owl and heard the "squeaky gate" call of their young. Fantastic!!

Year List update: Long-eared Owl (167) and Nightjar (168).

Year List Update

On Friday I was out with the Chesterfield RSPB Group at Clumber Park for the annual Nightjar Walk.

We started off at the Chapel, where we saw a variety of waterbirds, including a fly-over Little Egret, and dozens of juvenile Canada and Greylag Geese. Passerines were few and far between, but we did drop very lucky when 3 Woodlarks flew over from South Lawn and landed on the grass, approximately 30m away from us! Luke managed to get a decent shot of one of the birds.

Woodlark

Later, we drove across to our traditional site for the Nightjars and Woodcock, where we saw both species.

Year List update:

181 – Woodlark

182 – Woodcock
183 – Nightjar

Son Real

Whilst in Mallorca, Jayne and I spent a few hours at the Son Real Nature Reserve.

Son Real

We went hoping to find the Balearic Warbler (details here). Obviously July isn't the best time of year to see this species, and, although we had a brief glimpse of a small warbler disappearing into the bushes, we couldn't be 100% sure it was this bird, so this tick will have to wait for another visit! We did, however, get great views of Red-legged Partridge, Kestrel, Thekla Lark, Nightjar (1 flew up from the ground about 1m away!), Turtle Dove (1 flew over), Serin and Woodchat Shrike (ssp badius).

Woodchat Shrike (juvenile)

Year List update:

180 – Woodchat Shrike

181 – Serin

Year List update

Back in June I took part in Chesterfield RSPB's annual evening walk around Clumber Park. We had a few hours walking around the park, before heading to the area were we saw Nightjar and Woodcock last year. We got lucky again, seeing about 4 Woodcocks and 3 Nightjars.

The Crossbills (9 in total) were seen and heard flying around the woodlands at Linacre.

Year list update:
154 – Crossbill
155 – Woodcock
156 – Nightjar

Year List Update - 4 new species

Over the last couple of weeks the "year listing" has slowed down some what, but despite this, I've managed to add 4 new species, taking the 2017 list to a very respectable 173.

The first new species was Grasshopper Warbler, with 1 male "reeling" at The Avenue Washlands in Chesterfield on 11th. I also added Long-eared Owl last weekend, at a site in Derbyshire, and the last 2 species; Woodcock and Nightjar were added during a visit to Clumber Park with Chesterfield RSPB Group.

Year List update:
170 – Grasshopper Warbler
171 – Long-eared Owl
172 – Woodcock
173 - Nightjar

Nightjars and Woodcock

Every year, at the end of June, I lead a walk for the Chesterfield RSPB Group around Clumber Park, to see Woodcock and Nightjar. We were there on Friday, and managed to record both species, and another "year tick", Spotted Flycatcher.

We started the walk at 7pm, and spent an hour or so walking around by the lake, where we had sightings of Wren, Blackbird, Swallow, Swift, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Jackdaw, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon and the first of 2 Spotted Flycatchers. Down on the water, we recorded Mute Swan, Mallard, Gadwall, Coot (2 nests), Tufted Duck and Canada and Greylag Goose, including this leucistic individual.

Greylag Goose

At about 8.30pm, we moved across to the south side of the lake for a short walk, and added Kestrel, Willow Warbler and Yellowhammer to the group's list, before moving again, to the area where we knew we'd see the star birds! Woodcock put on a good show as soon as we got in place, with about half a dozen birds seen and heard flying around. The Nightjars, however, made us wait a little longer, however, with first "churring" heard at about 10.15pm. Unfortunately, for the first time on our trips, we didn't manage to see the Nightjars, most likely as the area we use is now becoming a little over grown.

Year list update:

151 – Spotted Flycatcher

152 – Woodcock

153 - Nightjar

Year List Update

I was out at Clumber Park on Friday evening with the Chesterfield RSPB Group for the annual Nightjar Walk.

We met at 7pm and had a short walk around the lake where we saw hundreds (!) of Canada and Greylag Geese, which included adults and this year's young. Also present were Mallard, Gadwall, Coots, a Moorhen, Mute Swan and Great-crested Grebes. 

3 members of the walk had arrived earlier and had managed to find a pair of Spotted Flycatchers on site, so we made a short detour and watched the birds "fly catching" from the top of a tree. Other small birds seen included Swifts, House Martins and singing Yellowhammers, Willow Warblers and a stunning male Linnet.

At about 9.30pm we moved to another part of the park to see if we could catch up with the Nightjars and Woodcocks. We didn't have to wait too long before the first Woodcock flew over our heads and the first "churring" was heard from the Nightjars at about 9.45pm. By 10.30pm we'd seen and heard 2 birds.

Year List update:
142 - Spotted Flycatcher
143 - Woodcock
144 - Nightjar

RSPB Nightjar Walk

On Friday I spent 4 hours in Clumber Park with several members of the Chesterfield RSPB Group, on our annual trip to see the Woodcocks and Nightjars that breed there.

We met at 7.30pm, and spent the first couple of hours looking round the main lake and grasslands by the Chapel. Despite super weather conditions, warm and sunny, we didn't see too many birds, just the expected water birds (Mute Swan, Canada and Greylag Goose, Mallard, Gadwall, Coot, Moorhen, Great-crested Grebe), and a few summer visitors (Swallow, Swift and House Martin).

We moved over to the regular area to see the Nightjars at about 9.15pm, and, within half an hour, we spotted the first birds. We were lucky enough to see 3 Nightjars over the next hour, along with about half a dozen Woodcocks, and a calling Cuckoo.

Here's a photo of one of the male Nightjars taken by a fellow RSPB member and friend, Norman Crowson.

Nightjar

Year List update:
151 - Woodcock
152 - Nightjar

Nightjar Walk - Clumber Park

Every year, at about this time, I join up with Chesterfield RSPB group to lead an evening walk around the National Trust's property of Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire. The key species we're looking for are Woodcock and Nightjar, and this year we managed excellent views of both species.

The evening started in the main car park, where we spent a couple of hours walking around the lake and woods. We managed good views of many different duck species, including Mallard, Tufted Duck and Gadwall. Canada and Greylag Geese were present in very good numbers (50+) of each species and there were at least 30 Mute Swans, with one group of 7 cygnets. Gulls were represented with several Black-headed and 1 over-flying Lesser Black-backed.

Summer migrants were present around the site and included Swifts, Swallows, House Martins attending nests on the buildings, a singing Cuckoo and 3 species of warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.

The night ended with a short drive to another area of the park where we heard and saw the stars of the night; Woodcock and Nightjar. Lovely birds!

Year List:
145 - Nightjar

Nightjars and Woodcocks

Friday evening saw me and 5 others spending  a few hours in Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire on the Chesterfield RSPB's annual visit to see Nightjars and Woodcocks.

We'd had alot of rain this week, so we weren't expecting too much, but as we arrived, the rain stopped and the sun came out! The first part of the walk took place around the main lake, We saw a good number of waterbirds including Gadwall, Mallard, Mute Swan, Great-crested Grebe and a single male Mandarin Duck.

After an hour or so we headed over to the grassland area where we found a singing Yellowhammer, two Stock Doves and a single Tree Pipit.

Tree Pipit

The final part of the evening started at about 9.30pm, when we moved over to the Nightjar area. Within minutes of our arrival we'd seen a"roding" Woodcock and over the next hour we saw several more. A Cuckoo was heard calling and at about 9.45pm the Nightjars began to "churr" and we managed to see two birds flying around.

The Year List has moved on 4 species:

139 -Tree Pipit
140 - Woodcock
141 - Nightjar
142 - Cuckoo

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.