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MAY 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
June 2006
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2006

Sightings/News

Photos
Wed
31 May		 Dusk: 4 Common Terns, 2 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Lesser Black-backs. Good numbers of Noctules (several making quite audible clicks) with 8 over the western end of the south shore, 2 between the dam and the Sailing Club and at least 3 over the north-shore (GE).
2 Hobbies hunting over Kingswood Lake and Newlands Lane (IW)
Tues
30 May		 Swag: 1 pair Mute Swans with 5 cygnets, 1 pair Ruddy Ducks, 25 Mallard, 4 Tufted.

 
Mon
29 May		 4 Common Terns (GE)
Sunday
28 May

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

3 Common Terns, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk.

Church Street: 1 Sparrowhawk,
Garden Warblers,
Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Speckled Wood,
Green-veined White, Peacock.

Swag: 1 Gadwall, 1 Little Grebe, the pair of
Mute Swans has hatched at least 4 cygnets.

Clayhanger Marsh: 1 drake Garganey (PJ).


Red Deer hind near Church St Open Space (GE).

Numbers of Adders-tongue Ferns are now estimated to be closer to 100 000! (GE)


 


‘Bugs’ of all shapes and sizes were found in the rich grassland of Church Street Open Space (GE).


Drinker moth larva (GE).
Sat
27 May

 

 

 

 

3 Common Terns, 6 Lesser Black-backs.

Swag: 11 Tufted Ducks (7 drakes), 1 Gadwall, 1 pair Ruddies, 4 Black-headed Gulls flew north-west, 3 Jays, 2 Kestrels.

Slurry Pool: 1 pair Tufted Ducks, 9 pairs Coot including 3 with young, 2 pairs Lapwings, several singing Reed Warblers,  1 Cuckoo (GE).

Jack’s Wood: Possible Sparrowhawk nest, Great Spotted Woodpecker nest.
 Church Street "waste land"!!!: Bullfinch, Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler ,Blackcap, Whitethroat (GR).
 Cuckoo Bank: Gorgeous afternoon once the sun got out. The views from the top of Cuckoo Bank were amazing; could pick out the big wheel in Birmingham!
Many, many Skylarks; could be heard singing all over, very difficult to pick out single birds and put numbers to them! 3 Meadow Pipits, 1 Cuckoo, 5 House Martins collecting mud from puddles, 6 Swallows, 2 Whitethroats in the lane, several Swifts. Heard Buzzard and Willow Warbler (N).
Frid
26 May

2 Common Terns, 2 Sparrowhawks.
 30 Linnets on the farm (GR).
Swag: 31 Mallard, 3 Tufted, 1 Ruddy Duck (GE).
Thurs
25 May

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swag: 1 Common Tern, 1 Gadwall, 5 Tufted (GE).
 Church Street: 1 Willow Tit, Garden warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff. 10 000 Adders-tongue Ferns (GE).


Just a few of the 10 000 threatened rare Adders-tongue Ferns (GE).


Michael Fabricant’s idea of ’waste ground which is currently a focus for anti-social behaviour ‘ and it ‘could be converted to a multipurpose Astroturf facility’.  (GE).

Wed
24 May

Swag: 8 Tufted Ducks, 1 Gadwall, 20 Mallard.

Lake: 1 Common Tern  (GE).
Tues
23 May

Many Swifts and hirundines over the lake and shoreline trees.

Swag: 1 Gadwall, 1 pair Ruddies, 6 Tufted Ducks (GE).
Mon
22 May		 500 Swifts (GE).
Sunday
21 May

 

 

2 Common Terns.
North Shore: 3 Cuckoo (2 male, 1 female), 1 male Stonechat (GR).

Swag: 1 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Ducks.

Church Street Open Space: 1000’s Adders-tongue Ferns, Willow Tit. All proposed to be covered by synthetic football pitches!! (GE).

Clayhanger/Ryders Mere: 1 Hobby (PJ)
Sat
20 May

2 Common Terns, 600 Swifts, 6 Ruddy Ducks , 1 Heron(GE).

1 Sanderling on the Sailing shore during the evening (NS, PW).
Fri
19 May		 1 Common Tern, 600 Swifts feeding on huge swarms of midges, 10 Lesser Black-backs (GE), 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Dunlin (PW).
Thurs
18 May		 1 Gadwall, 2 Tufted, 8 Ruddy Ducks (5 drakes), <500 Swifts (GE).
Wed
17 May		 2 Little Ringed Plovers, <500 Swifts (GE, PW).
Tues
16 May

 

1 Ringed Plover, 1 Cuckoo (GE). 1 Dunlin flew through to north (PW).

Swag: 1 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Ducks, 3 Ruddies (1 drake) (GE).
Mon
15 May

 

 

 

 

 

05:00 1 Sanderling, 2 Common Terns, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Gadwall, male Stonechat (PJ).

Sailing Shore: 2 Sanderlings (GE).



<<<< Sanderlings (GE)
Sunday
14 May

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Dunlins, 1 Common Sandpiper (NS). 500 Swifts, 150 Swallows, 2 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-back  (GE). 1 Sanderling during the evening (PW).

Swag: 1 pair Ruddy Ducks (GE).

Norton Bog/Slurry Pool: 1 Four-spotted Chaser, 1 Large Red Damselfly, several singing Reed Warblers (GE).

Kingswood: 2 Common Terns (GE).


Four Spotted Chaser (GE)


Large Red Damselfly (GE)
Sat
13 May

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A very grey, drizzly day. Light NE.
3 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Gadwall, 2 Ruddies, 6 Lesser Black-backs, 1 Heron, many Swifts and hirundines (GE).

Last night’s Moth Trapping on the dam produced Scalloped Hook-tip, Chinese Character, Flame Carpet, Common Carpet, Double Striped Pug, Brown Silver-line, Common Wave, Pale Prominent, Muslin Moth and Hebrew Character (GE).
 Clayhanger/Ryders Mere: 4 Common Terns, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Wigeon (GE).


Common Carpet (GE)


Flame Carpet (GE)


Scalloped Hook-Tip (GE)


Muslin Moth (GE)
Fri
12 May

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swag: 1 drake Gadwall, 25 Mallard, 8 Tufted Ducks (GE).

Slurry Pool: 3 singing Reed Warblers (PJ).

Cuckoo Bank: Moth Trapping – Brindled Beauty, 2 Small Phoenix, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Pale Prominent, Scalloped Hook-tip, Hebrew Character, Common Wave (NS).


Lesser Swallow Prominent (GE)


Small Phoenix (GE)
Thurs
11 May

 

1 Common Tern, 2 Ruddy Ducks (GE), 2 Oystercatchers (CD).

Anglesey Basin/Overflow: 1 Reed Warbler, 3 Green Hairstreaks, 1 Holly Blue, Orange Tip and Green-veined Whites (GE).
Wed
10 May

 

 

 

1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Oystercatcher (IW)

Swag: 1 drake Gadwall (NS) 1 drake Ruddy Duck (+ 2 on Lake), 20 Mallard (GE).

Overflow: 1 singing Reed Warbler, 1 Orange Tip (GE).

Cuckoo Bank: Lesser Whitethroat singing along the main track hedge (IW). 
Tues
9 May

 

 

 

 

 

Swag: 1 drake Garganey, 1 drake Gadwall, 1 pair Ruddy Ducks, 2 adult Herring Gulls.

Jack’s Wood: 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

North shore heath: 1 Cuckoo (GE, PJ).
 4 Grasshopper Warblers – 2 near overflow and 2 North Shore (IW).

Clayhanger/Ryders Mere: 1 Little Egret, 1 pair Oystercatchers with 2 chicks (TS).

Mon
8 May		 1 Common Tern, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 pair Gadwall, 2 drake Ruddy Ducks, 500+ Swifts (GE, PJ).


 

Sunday
7 May

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4-5 Common Terns, 1 Arctic Tern, 15 Lesser Black-backs, 1 Herring Gull, 2-3 Cuckoos, 1 Gadwall, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, many Swifts, 1 pair Stonechats, 1 Willow Tit (GE)

Biddulph’s Pool: 1 pair Treecreepers, 2 Cuckoos, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Goldcrest (GE).

Cuckoo Bank: 1 Grasshopper Warbler (GE, GW)

 

A record shot of the Bar-tailed Godwit (GE)
 

 

After two hectic days 78 species of bird had been recorded for the Chasewater and Cuckoo Bank area which should prove to be a fairly challenging target for future Bird Races (GE).

 

<<<< Reflective Sunset (GE)

Sat
6 May

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An early start for the Bird Race was rewarded by a superb sunrise and mist shrouding the canal (GE).


Dawn and Neil (don’t tell Rachel!) (GE).

1 Redshank, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Terns, 15 Black-headed Gulls, 15 Lesser Black-backs, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Grey Partridges, 1 Wheatear, 4 Red Deer (GE, NS).

Cuckoo Bank: 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Garden Warbler (Eights Wood), 6 pairs Lapwing, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Red Deer, (BH, BC). 3 pairs Stonechats, 1 Buzzard, 2 Grey Partridges, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Cuckoo

No Man’s Bank: 1 Cuckoo, 19 Red Deer

Fair Lady: 10 Lapwings, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Grasshopper Warbler (GE).
Fri
5 May		 1 Common Tern (GE)
 
Thurs
4 May

 

 

 

 

Swag: 8 Tufted Ducks, 3 Ruddy Ducks (+ one by the pier), 1 Gadwall, 2 Kestrels, 1 Garden Warbler (GE).

Main Lake: 1 Common Tern (GE, IW).

Below dam: Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 3 Whitethroats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Blackcaps, 1 Garden warbler, 3 Green Hairstreaks (IW).

Clayhanger: 1 Peregrine (WMBC). 
Wed
3 May		 3 Common Terns, 3 small waders (probably Dunlin) flew through at 08:00 (GE).
Tues
2 May		 1 Peregrine, 1 Buzzard, 3 Common Terns, 1200 Swifts, 500 House Martins, 1 Common Sandpiper and 6 small waders (probably Ringed Plovers) flew over to the west (GE, PJ).
Mon
1 May		 Up to 40 Arctic Terns during the day with 13 remaining till the evening. 2 Common Terns, 8 Lesser Black-backs, 200 Swifts (GE). 1 Dunlin (NS).