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MARCH 2006 Diary and News from Chasewater
 and Cuckoo Bank

All the latest sightings, news and photos from Chasewater, Cuckoo Bank, Clayhanger/Ryders Mere
and surrounding areas.   All records are welcome, please send them to Graham at chasewater.org.uk  (substitute @ for at) and jpeg your photos and Zip them - OR submit your records via Chasewater Chat FORUM 
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2006

Sightings/News

Photos
Fri
31 March		 60 Sand Martins, 4 Buzzards (seen from south shore but probably actually over Cuckoo Bank) (GE)
Thurs
30 March		 1 Shoveler, 1 Swallow, 21 Sand Martins, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Sparrowhawks displaying (GE).
Wed
29 March		 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 drake Scaup, 3 Gadwall, 1 Buzzard, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 42 Sand Martins (GE).
Tues
28 March		 1 Wheatear, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Oystercatcher (GE).
Mon
27 March

 

 

 

 

 

 Second Summer Mediterranean Gull, 1 Ad Yellow-legged Gull, 500+ Black-headed Gulls (GE, PJ)

22 Sand Martins, 1 Oystercatcher.

 

 

2nd Summer Mediterranean Gull (GE) >>>>>

Sunday
26 March		 1 drake Common Scoter, 2 drake Scaup, 88 Goldeneye, 8 Gadwall, 4 Sand Martins (GE, PJ).
 Gull Roost: 1700 Black-headed Gulls, 175 Lesser Black-backs (PJ).
 Ryders Mere: 3 Greylag Geese (PJ).
 Brownhills Common: 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Woodcock (PJ).
Sat
25 March

 

 

 

 

 Brownhills Common:  2 Jack Snipe (PJ)
 Goscote Valley:  Male Wheatear, 4 Chiff Chaff(PJ)
 Chasewater Main Pool: 2 Scaup, 2 Sand Martin, S.E.Owl over North shore(PJ)
82 Pochard, 1 Ruddy Duck, 2 Cormorants, 3 Herons, 1 Buzzard, 3 Kestrels, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Stonechat, 2 Siskins. (GE)

Feeding Station: 6 Bullfinches, 3 Coal Tits, 1 Willow Tit, 2 Reed Buntings (GE).

Gull Roost:  Black-headed Gull numbers are starting to drop. Only 2750 tonight with 700+ Lesser-black Backed Gulls(PJ)
Friday
24 March		 Gull Roost:  Adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 3rd Summer Yellow-legged Gulls(IW)
Thurs
23 March

 

 

 Lovely sunny afternoon. 
Feeding Station:  1 Kingfisher flew directly overhead (N)
 Main Pool:  Shoveler on the Island, Drake Scaup(N)
 Swag pool:  6 Goosander(3 male,3 female)(N)

Gull Roost:  3 3rd summer Yellow-legged Gulls(PJ,IW)
Wed
22 March		  
Tuesday
21 March		 Cuckoo Bank:  100 Golden Plover(GR)
 Gull Roost:   1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 5000+ Black-headed Gulls (GE, PJ, IW).
Monday
20 March

 

 

2 Oystercatchers (PJ).

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull (PJ, IW).

Cuckoo Bank: 100 Golden Plover on the top fields this morning (GR).
Sun
19 March

 

 

 

2 drake Scaup, 116 Goldeneye, 289 Tufted, 55 Pochard, 14 Gadwall, 31 Wigeon, 2 Little Grebes. I Short-eared Owl over the North Shore, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Siskins, 70 Redwings, 1 Stock Dove (GE).

Kingswood: 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (adult and 1st summer) , 200 Lesser Black-backs, 10 Herring Gulls, 600 Black-headed Gulls (GE).

Goscote Valley:  13 Chiffchaffs, Kingfisher (PJ)
Sat
18 March

 

 

 

 

 

Highfield Farm: 45 Magpies, 50 Fieldfares (GE).

Kingswood: 125 Lesser Black-backs, 5 Herring Gulls (GE).

Goscote Valley:  10 Chiffchaffs, Water Rail, Pair Willow Tit (PJ)

Brownhills Common:  8 Common Snipe,3 Jack Snipe (PJ)
 Ryders Mere:  10 Gadwall, 36 Goosander, 125+ Fieldfare, 30+ Redwing (PJ)
 Chasewater Main Pool: Scaup, 123 Goldeneye, 13 Gadwall, 4 Goosander,Treecreeper(Vicarage), 2 SE Owls over north shore. (PJ)
 Gull Roost:  Adult Yellow-legged Gull
Fri
17 March		  
Thurs
16 March		  
Wed
15 March		 Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull (GE, PJ, IW)
Tues
14 March		 Feeding Station:  4 Willow Tits
 Main Pool:  2 Scaup (IW)
 Gull Roost:  Ad Mediterranean Gull (usual transitional bird) (IW, PJ)
 Cuckoo Bank:  27 Golden Plover.
Mon
13 March		 Gull Roost:  2 Ad. Mediterranean Gulls (usual transitional plus distant bird possibly full summer. (IW, PJ).
Sunday
12 March

Monthly Wildfowl Count (WeBS): 42 Mute Swans, 22 Canada Geese, 410 Coot, 8 Moorhens, 124 Mallard, 233 Tufted Ducks, 59 Goldeneye, 1 Pochard, 29 Wigeon, 19 Gadwall, 20 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Grebe, 17 Lapwings (NS),  Scaup (PJ).

Gulls Roost:  1 Ad. Mediterranean Gull (usual tansitional plumage bird), Leucistic B H Gull (IW, PJ, JA).
Sat
11 March

 

 

 

 

 Goscote Valley:  8 Chiffchaffs (2 singing), 16 Siskin, Water Rail (IS, PJ)

North Shore:  2 Short-eared Owls(N,IW)

The Swag:  2 Scaup(IW,N), 124 Goldeney, 16 Gadwall, 4 Little Grebes (GE, PJ)
 Fly Bay:  Oystercatcher, Kingfisher, Willow Tit (singing).
Gull Roost:  Leucistic B H Gull, Ad. Mediterranean Gull (usual transitional plumage bird).(IS, PJ, PW, JA,N)

Kingswood: 2 Buzzards, 200 Lesser black-backs, 70 Herring Gulls – mainly immatures (GE).
Fri
10 March		 Gull Roost:  Leucistic B.H.Gull, Ad. Yellow-legged Gull, 2nd W Kittiwake (PJ, IW)
Thurs
9 March		 Gull Roost: 1 leucistic Black-headed Gull in torrential downpour(PJ,IW,GE). Adult Yellow legged Gull. (PJ)
 North Shore:  1 Short-eared Owl. (PJ)
 
Wed
8 March		 Gull Roost: 4 adult Mediterranean Gull  2 Adult summer with full black heads and 2 near Adult summer just showing varying amounts of white at base of bill.  Also a new leucistic Black-headed gull. All white with a black head (PJ,IW)
Tues
7 March		 Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull (with partial black hood)(PJ,IW)

2 Short-eared Owls over the north heath (DG).
Mon
6 March		 Gull Roost: most of the adult Black-headed Gulls are now fully hooded but no Med Gulls were found during a brief search. 10 Fieldfares, 2 Goosanders (GE)
Sunday
5 March

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Scaup, 1 Smew, 1 Kingfisher.

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull (IW, GE, MS, NS).

Kingswood: 2nd or 3rd summer gull that is very Iceland Gull like but somehow doesn’t seem right and is more likely to be an albinistic/leucistic Lesser Black-back or Herring Gull. 1 Great Black-back, 500 Lesser Black-backs including a few intergrades, 70 Herring Gulls, 1 Buzzard (GE).
 Feeding Station:Blackcap male at 3 PM( IW).

Goscote Valley: 17 Chiffchaffs but no sign of the grey and white bird, 8 Goldcrests, 4 Grey Wagtails, 1 Kingfisher, singing Willow Tit, 2 Green Woodpeckers (GE, PJ).


Spot the Iceland Gull!


…. or is it just a leucistic Lesser Black-back – what do you think? (GE).
Sat
4 March

 

 

 

 

 

 Gull Roost: Nothing of note(PJ)

Goscote Valley: 12 Chiffchaffs(PJ) Including a very grey bird

 

 

 

Fri
3 March

 

 

 Main Pool:1 Short-eared Owl over the north shore heath. 1 drake Smew, 2 Scaup, 24 Goosander (PJ).

Cuckoo Bank: viewed from Chasewater - 1 Short-eared Owl (in addition to the Chasewater bird) (PJ).

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull (PJ, IW)
Thurs
2 March

Main Pool:2 Short-eared Owls over the north shore heath. 1 Oystercatcher, 1 drake Smew, 1 Kingfisher (GE, PJ, IW).

Swag Pool:1 Scaup, 30 Gadwall, 4 Shovelers, 4 Goosanders, 1 Ruddy Duck (PJ).

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull (with partial black hood)7200 Black-headed Gulls (GE,PJ,IW)

Cuckoo Bank: viewed from Chasewater - 2 Short-eared Owls (as well as the Chasewater birds), several Golden Plovers (GE, PJ, IW).

Ryders Mere: 6 Gadwall, 14 Goosanders and good numbers of Wigeon (PJ).

 
Wed
1 March		 Main Pool:2 Short-eared Owls over the north shore heath, 1 drake Smew, 9 Goosanders (IW).

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