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SEPTEMBER 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
 August 2006   July 2006  June 2006  May 2006
April 2006  March 2006  February 2006  January 2006  December 2005  November 2005  October 2005  September 2005  August 2005 
July 2005   June 2005   May 2005   April 2005   March 2005  February 2005  January 2005  December 2004  November 2004

Key to Contributors

2006

Sightings/News

Photos
Saturday 30 September

1 Ruff, 6 Common Snipe flew into the North Bog (GE), 1 Common Sandpiper (PW).

Swag: 22 Wigeon (GE).

Cuckoo Bank: The Red Deer rut has started and a superb 21 point stag has gathered a harem of 20 hinds and spent much of the time bellowing at a 1 point young stag that sensibly stood well away! No sign of the harrier but the following were noted - 1 Whinchat, 6 Swallows, 1 juv Peregrine, 5+ Common Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 15+ Grey Partridges, 1 Grey Heron, 47 Lapwings, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Lesser Redpolls and Siskins heard, 100+ Meadow Pipits, 30+ Skylarks, 30 Linnets, and 2 Mistle Thrushes. Has anyone seen any local Yellowhammers? They seem to have disappeared! Still plenty of butterflies and dragonflies about with 10 Red Admirals, 1 Comma, Speckled Woods, and Common Darters noted.(GE).

Kingswood: 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 1 adult Herring Gull, 200+ graelsii Lesser Black-backs, 20 Lapwings, 62 Canada Geese (GE).
Friday 29 September

1 Ruff.

Swag: 7 Little Grebes, several Wigeon (GE).

 

                                               Ruff (PW)
Thursday 28 September

1 Ruff, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Chiffchaffs (PJ),

Gull Roost: 2 2nd calendar year Yellow-legged Gulls, 15 Herring Gulls (GE, PJ).
Wednesday 27 September

1 1st winter Mediterranean Gull (GE), 1 1st winter Little Gull, 1 adult Arctic Tern, 1 Ruff (GE, PJ), 1 Grey Wagtail (PW).

Cuckoo Bank: 1 ringtail Hen Harrier (DG).
Tuesday 26 September 1 1st winter Mediterranean Gull, 1 Ruff, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Shoveler (PJ).
Monday 25 September 2 Ruff, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Kingfisher, 1 White Wagtail (EGP), 1 Green Sandpiper (GM), 1 Cormorant (GE), 1 Grey Wagtail (PW).
Sunday 24 September

After a wet start!
4 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Blackcap, Goldfinch and Bullfinch (GR).

1 Swallow (GE).
Saturday 23 September

North end of Lake: 1 Little Stint, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Dunlin, 2 Ruff (PW), 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebes, 20 Great Crested Grebes, several Swallows and House Martins.

Swag: 91 Tufted Ducks, 30 Wigeon, 10 Little Grebes, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1-2 Willow Tits.

Slurry: 895 Tufted Ducks (total 987), 1 presumed Pochard x Tufted hybrid.

Many Common Darters, several Migrant Hawkers and Speckled Woods, 5 Red Admirals, 1 Comma and 1 Small Copper (GE)

Kingswood: 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Buzzard (RC, GE).
Friday
22
September		 1st winter Mediterranean Gull on the pier, 1 Ruff, 1 Little Stint, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 25 Swallows, 30 House Martins, 7 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap and 1 Yellow Wagtail (PJ).
Thursday
21
September

1 Little Stint, 3 Ruff, 2 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plovers (PJ, GR).

Nine-foot: 1 Kingfisher (GE).
Wednesday
20
September		 1 Little Stint, 2 Ruff, 2 Dunlin (PJ). 1 White Wagtail (GE).
Tuesday
19
September

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Little Stint, 1 Ruff, 4 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover (PJ, NS, GE).
 2 Ruff, Swallows and House Martin (GR).


Little Stint (NS)



Dunlin (NS)


Ringed Plover (NS)

A Honey Buzzard drifted westwards over my house at 19:45 towards the Bleak House/Cuckoo Bank area (Grant Hames via Belvide Blog).
Monday
18
September		 South Shore: 1 Little Stint, 1 Ruff, 4 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover (GE)
 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Buzzard, 1 Willow Warbler (GR).
Sunday
17
September

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Little Stint, 4 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper (NS, PW), 1 Common Tern (GE).

Slurry Pool: 908 Tufted Ducks but no sign of any Pochard types! 2 Ruddy Ducks, 1 Buzzard, 1 singing Chiffchaff.

Swag: 68 Tufted (total 976), 21 Wigeon, 1 Kingfisher (GE).

Fly Pool: 7+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Whitethroat (PJ).

3 Grey Partridge have been present on the North Shore recently (GR).

10am-Cuckoo Bank, 7 Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 3 Snipe, 1 Stonechat, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Grey Partridge, 4 Wigeon, 4 Tufted, 1 Green Woodpecker, Peewit, Greenfinch, Skylark, Reed Bunting, Linnet etc. but no Yellowhammer! (GR).

Clayhanger SSSI: 2 Reed Warblers, 1 Sedge Warbler (PJ).
Saturday
16
September

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slurry Pool: 1 juv Ferruginous Duck, 832 Tufted Ducks, 6 Pochard, 18 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 2 Ruddies, 1 probable hybrid Pochard x Tufted looking rather Scaup and Ring-necked like! 1 Kingfisher, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 70 Swallows at dusk.

 Swag: 140 Tufted Ducks (total 972), 25 Wigeon (total 43), 1 Shoveler, 4 Teal, 1 Ruddy Duck, 11 Little Grebes.

 Fly Pool: 4 Teal, 3 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Tit, 6 Song Thrushes.

 North Shore: 1 Whinchat, 2 Stonechats, 3 Common Snipe (GE).

 South Shore: 1 Yellow Wagtail. 3 White Wagtails (CM).


A presumed Pochard x Tufted hybrid


  Juv Ferruginous Duck
Friday 15
September

1 Black Tern, 1 Wheatear (PJ, PW). 1 Mediterranean Gull (WMBC).

5000 Black-headed Gulls (GE).

 

 

      

                               Wheatear (PW).
Thursday
14 September

12 Black Terns, 1 Kingfisher, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Grey Wagtail.

Gull Roost: 1 1st w Mediterranean Gull (more advanced than yesterday’s bird) (GE, PJ).

 


Record shot of a first winter Mediterranean Gull (GE).
Wednesday 13 September

Lake: 1 juv Mediterranean Gull, 1 juv Little Gull, 1 Black Tern, 1 Common Tern, 1 Ruff (PJ).

1 Grey Wagtail, 68 Canada Geese.

Gull Roost: numbers very similar to count on 11th (GE).

Tuesday 12 September

s2

 

Lake: 1 juv Mediterranean Gull (PJ), 1 Ruff, Ringed Plover (heard), 3 Little Grebes, 2 Tufties, 1 juv Common Gull (GE).

Swag: 797 Tufted Ducks, 3 Wigeon, 2 Shovelers, 1 Ruddy Duck, 6+ Little Grebes.

Slurry Pool: 236 Tufted Ducks (total 1035), 1 Ruddy Duck, 2 Pochard, a flock of 40 Swallows and House Martins (GE).

Anglesey Basin: 1 Common Lizard (BR).

Clayhanger SSSI: 1 Little Egret (PJ).

Monday 11 September

s3

25c 

Many Black-headed Gulls were feeding on flying ants that were emerging from a nest at the Nine-foot.

Gull Roost: 810 Lesser Black-backs including at least one intermedius, 10 Herring Gulls, 4100 Black-headed Gulls (GE).

Sunday 10 September

se2-3

24c

 

Another beautiful day after a misty start.

Swag: 712 Tufted Ducks, 1 Wigeon + 6 over the Lake.

Slurry Pool: 355 Tufted Ducks (total 1067). This is the highest ever September count and puts the average yearly maxima over the past 5 years at 960, which makes Chasewater a site of national importance for Tufted Ducks.

Lake: 2 Common Terns, 1 Grey Wagtail.

North Shore: 1 Whitethroat, 1 Common Snipe, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6+ Commas, 3+ Red Admirals, several Speckled Woods and Small Heaths, many Common Darters, several Migrant Hawkers and Common Blue Damsels, 1 Emerald Damsel and 1 Brown Hawker (GE).

West Shore: 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 winter male Redstart (PJ).

Below dam: 2 Willow Warblers (PJ).

Clayhanger SSSI: 2 Reed Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (PJ).

Saturday 9 September

se2

23c

 

Swag: 705 Tufted Ducks, 3 Pochard, 6 Shovelers, 6 Wigeon, 1 Gadwall, 9 Little Grebes, 1 Ruddy Duck, 24 Moorhens, 1 Kingfisher, 12 Swallows.

Slurry Pool: 264 Tufted Ducks (total 969), 2 Shovelers, 31 Mallard, 26 House Martins, 2 Swallows, 4 Moorhens, 2 Ruddy Ducks.

West Shore: 1 Redstart, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, sev Chiffchaffs.

Lake: 5 Little Grebes, 1 Cormorant, 3 Teal (GE), 1 Hobby (PW).

Friday 8 September

e2

 

1 Hobby flew through, 1 Spotted Flycatcher on the west shore (PJ).

2 Dunlin flew through (PW) and 6 were reported flying around earlier.

Gull Roost: 1 1st cy Yellow-legged Gull, 980 Lesser Black-backs (GE).

Thursday 7 September

n3

19c

 

Swag: 295 Tufted Ducks, 1 Gadwall, 4 Little Grebes.

Slurry Pool: 476 Tufted Ducks (total 771), 3 Ruddy Ducks, 2 Swallows.

Nine Foot: 1 Kingfisher (GE).

 Cuckoo Bank:  6 Stonechat -2 adult and 2 juv + two more juvs (GR).

Wednesday 6 September

sw/wnw2

20c 

2 Redshanks, 2 Dunlin, 1 1st c y Yellow-legged Gull (GE), 3 Ringed Plovers, 1 imm ‘Comic’ Tern (PW).

Swag: 60 Swallows (GE). 

Tuesday 5 September

sw2

24c

 

1 Ruff, 2 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plovers (GE, PW), 1 imm Common Tern, a sudden absence of hirundines and Swifts (GE), 1 Little Ringed Plover.

Target Point: 1 Common Snipe.

Fly Pool: 1 Sedge Warbler (IW).

Gull Roost: now looking very impressive but not looked at in detail. 5000 Black-headed Gulls estimated (GE)

Monday 4 September

w2

20c

 

2 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover, 3 Little Grebes, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Swift.

Fly Pool: 1 Water Rail, 2 Teal (GR).
 4 Swifts, 130 House Martins (GE), 40 Sand Martins (PW).

Swag: 191 Tufted Ducks, 2 Wigeon, 1 Gadwall, 7 Little Grebes, 24 Moorhens, 1 Heron.

Slurry Pool: 423 Tufted (total 614 excluding any on the Lake), 2 Ruddy Ducks, 4 Moorhens, up to 100 Swallows at dusk (GE).

Sunday 3 September

W4  20c

Lake: 1 male Peregrine flew through carrying a small prey item, 2 juvenile Dunlin, 15 Sand Martins, 3 Swifts, 1 Kestrel (GE, PJ, NS, PW).

Island: 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (1st calendar year and 2nd cy), 1 adult Herring Gull 3 Herons (GE).

Dam: 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Blackcaps, 2 singing Willow Warblers (PJ).

Swag: 257 Tufted Ducks, 2 Wigeon, 1 Ruddy, 1 Sparrowhawk, many Speckled Woods, Common Darters and several Migrant Hawkers.

Slurry Pool: 331 Tufted Ducks (total 588), 1 Ruddy (GE)

Ryders Mere: 1 Little Egret (pager).
Saturday 2 September

S-SE 3-4  Rain    

1 Whimbrel flew around calling at 09:15 during heavy rain (GE).

2 Dunlin (NS). 1 Wheatear, 4 Swifts, 1 imm Common/Arctic Tern (PW).

 
Friday 1 September

sw3

2 Dunlin, 3 Swifts, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Whitethroats, 5 Blackcaps, several Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs (PJ).

Lake: 1 1st calendar year Yellow-legged Gull, 1 juv Herring Gull, 1 Common Tern, 1 Kestrel. 18 Tufted Ducks,

Swag: 220 Tufted Ducks. 2 Wigeon, 1 Gadwall, 2+ Little Grebes. 

Juvenile/1st winter Yellow-legged Gull and Herring Gull. Almost certainly the same Yellow-leg as on August 26th  (GE).

Slurry Pool: 233 Tufted Ducks (total 471), 2 Ruddies, 1 Kingfisher.

15+ Migrant Hawkers, 50+ Common Darters, several Specked Woods, 1 Common Blue (GE, PJ).

     

            Kingfisher on Slurry Pool post (GE)