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  October 2007 Diary and News

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 our comments page 

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2007

Sightings, News and Photos
Wednesday 31st October 07:55  1 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull (GE).

18:35 Brownhills Common: A Red Deer stag was feeding alongside the Parade (GE).
Tuesday 30th October

I arrived at the gull roost too late to see any detail but the roost appeared very impressive with most of the lake covered by gulls (GE).

Stubber's Green: 1 adult Caspian Gull, 2 Common Gulls (RC).
Monday 29th October 16:45 - 15:20 As I arrived, the gull roost was very disturbed as if a raptor or skua was causing mass panic. They eventually settled in two tight flocks to the north of the island and along the west shore, well away from the usual area near the centre of the lake. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the cause of the panic and newly arriving gulls soon filled in the spaces between the two packs. 5 Yellow-legged Gulls were found (2 adults, 1 2nd winter and 2 1st winters) and two adult Great Black-backs (GE).

Cuckoo Bank: 70 Golden Plovers, several Siskins (WMBC).

Stubber's Green: 1 Caspian Gull (Birdguides).
Sunday 28th October Swag: 67 Tufted Ducks, 25 Pochard, 9 Goldeneye, 2 Ruddy Ducks, 20 Wigeon, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Common Gull.

Slurry Pool: 370 Tufted Ducks (total = 437), 16 Lesser Redpolls (GE).

Roost: 1 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull (JA).
Saturday 27th October Swag: 9 Goldeneye, 26 Pochard, 24 Wigeon, 1 Kingfisher.

17:45 Waterski Jetty: 91 Lapwings, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (adult and 1st winter); no sign of the Caspian Gull but little of the main roost was checked (GE).

Stubber's Green: 1 adult Caspian Gull , 1 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Common Gulls, 1 Kingfisher (GE, RC et al). 

Friday 26th October Sailing Shore: 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull.  

17:30 A careful check of a close section of the gull roost, which held 55 Herring Gulls and many Lesser Black-backs and Black-headed Gulls, produced 7 Yellow-legged Gulls (4 adults, 1 2nd w and 2 1st winters) and the adult Mediterranean Gull but no sign of the Caspian Gull (GE).

Stubber's Green: 1 adult Caspian Gull performed well on the water, shore and in flight. 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Common Gull, 3 Cormorants, 57 Lapwings, 18 Tufted Ducks, 4 Pochard, 11 Teal, 47 Canada Geese (GE). 

Thursday 25th October 

2 Cormorants, 1 Kestrel.

15:20 The adult Mediterranean Gull was on the pier again but not present at 17:30 when it had been replaced by a 1st w Common Gull with an adult Common Gull nearby.

Sailing Shore: 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull.

Swag: 7 Goldeneye, 24 Pochard, 79 Tufted Ducks, 4 Ruddy Ducks, 51 Wigeon, 64 Mallard, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 12 Coot, 4 Moorhens, 1 Heron, 2 Kingfishers, 2 Willow Tits, 1 Coal Tit and 1 Goldcrest.

Slurry Pool: 1 juv Scaup, 349 Tufted Ducks (total = 428), 2 Ruddy Ducks.

North end of Lake: 15+ Great Crested Grebes and a Little Grebe ‘trilling’ (GE).

Stubber's Green: 1 adult Caspian Gull (RC). 

Almost certainly the same bird as the one at the end of October last year which also roosted at Chasewater - see October and November 2006 Diaries for photos. 

No doubt it roosted at Chasewater tonight but I didn't have time to check the roost (GE).

 

Adult Caspian Gull  © R. Clay

Wednesday 24th October

17:10 Swag: 4 Goldeneye, 17 Pochard, 22 Wigeon, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Kingfishers.

17:30 South Shore: A 1st winter and an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the jetty, the adult still having flecks on the head, whilst 2 more adults on the water were white headed. 1 adult Great Black-backed Gull was the first for the autumn. Also 1 Common Gull, 77 Lapwings and 1 Grey Wagtail (GE).
Tuesday 23rd October

2 Cormorants, 9 Common Snipe, 3 Jack Snipe, 2 Grey Wagtails, 18 Redwings, 4 Jackdaws.

Swag: 86 Tufted Ducks, 13 Pochard, 1 Goldeneye, 2 Ruddy Ducks, 6 Wigeon, 1 Teal, 1 Kingfisher 1 Jackdaw.

Slurry Pool: 315 Tufted Ducks, 1 Wigeon.

Roost: 1 2nd w Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Common Gull, <8000 Black-headed Gulls, <1500 Lesser Black-backs, < 100 Herring Gulls and 36 Lapwings (GE).

Cuckoo Bank: 2 Stonechats, 150+ Lapwings, 1 Golden Plover, 2 Herons, 2 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 35+ Common Darters, 1 male Migrant Hawker.

Eight's Wood: 1 Treecreeper, 2 Buzzards, 2 Red Deer, 1 Fox (GE).
Monday 22nd October

14:10 An adult Mediterranean Gull on the pier in exactly the same place as in early September and so probably the same bird but now in full winter plumage and with fully grown primaries.

Slurry Pool: The juvenile Scaup was with the Tufted Ducks.

Swag: 1 Kingfisher, 9 Pochard, 10 Wigeon, 52 Mallard, 1 Grey Wagtail.

Below dam: 1 Chiffchaff briefly in song, 20 Chaffinches, 2 Redpolls.

Also 2 Cormorants, 30 Fieldfares, 1 Goldeneye (GE).
Sunday 21st October

10:55 Dam: 15 Jackdaws flew south-west, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1-2 Lesser Redpolls.

Fly Pool: 2 Teal, 1 Grey Wagtail.

17:00 Swag: 1 juv Scaup (a first for the year), 26 Pochard, 1 Goldeneye, 10+ Wigeon, 1 Kingfisher.

18:20 8000 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Common Gull, 50 Lapwings (GE).  

North Shore: 2 Stonechats (NS).

Cuckoo Bank: Far fewer finches and larks than three weeks ago, now the winter cereals have started to grow. 1 Peregrine, 4+ Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 120 Lapwings, 5 Stonechats, 3 Common Snipe, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 7 Skylarks, 3 Goldcrests, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Coal Tit, 10 Lesser Redpolls. 10 dispersed Red Deer hinds and one stag. 30+ Common Darters, 2 Red Admirals and a Small Copper (GE).

No Man’s Bank: 25+ Red Deer including 3 stags, 4 Stonechats (NS, PW).
Saturday 20th October

Dam: 4 Jackdaws, 1 Rook, 1 Stock Dove, 3 Skylarks, 1-2 Chaffinches and redpolls heard.

Swag: 48 Wigeon, 1 Goldeneye, 11 Pochard, 74 Tufted Ducks, 1 male Gadwall, 2 Little Grebes, 10 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Cormorant, 1 Heron, 1 adult Common Gull, 2 Kingfishers, 1 Willow Tit, 2 Red Deer hinds.

Slurry Pool: 328 Tufted Ducks, 4 Ruddy Ducks, 2 Pochard, 1 Heron, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Redwing and redpoll heard.

18:20 A tight flock of 200+ Starlings appeared to fly into the willows on the island and these or another flock later flew south (GE).
Friday 19th October 1 imm Arctic Tern, 18 Lapwings, 1700 Lesser Black-backs and around 8000 Black-headed Gulls (GE).
Thursday 18th October A Kingfisher and  Goldeneye in Fly Bay, 16 Jackdaws, 1 Stonechat (GR).

South Shore: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull, 1 1st w Common Gull, 4 Herons and 8 Red Deer in the distance on Cuckoo Bank (GE).

Wednesday 17th October 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 8000 Black-headed Gulls, 1500 Lesser Black-backs, 80+ Herring Gulls, 1 ad Common Gull (GE).

Cuckoo Bank Heathland: 2 Jack Snipe, 13 Snipe, Grey Heron, 4 Buzzards soaring, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 16 Siskin, 5 Redpoll, 7 Meadow Pipits, 2 Skylarks, Reed Bunting, 6 Stonechats, Little Grebe, Jay. 1 Migrant Hawker, 4 Common Darters (pair mating), 2 Ruddy Darters, and 2 moths sp in flight.
Two men in camouflage, driving a black 4x4, said they worked for the Forestry Commission and were contracted to British Coal to cull Red Deer.
Fields: 14 Grey Partridges (5,7,2), 15 Skylarks, 9 Meadow Pipits, 5 Lapwings, 2 Goldfinches, Redpoll flew over, Linnet and a very dark, tail-less, female pheasant pretending to be a Red Grouse (JH).
Tuesday 16th October 3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Common Tern, 50+ Lapwings, 50 Starlings (GE).

A Red Deer stag was a road casualty near Grasmere Gardens, Brownhills (GE).
Monday 15th October 18:15-18:35 South Shore: Only time to sample the gulls around the Waterski Club but the roost again appeared large with increasing numbers of Herring Gulls. The young Arctic Tern was still present and an adult Yellow-legged Gull, now with pure white head and dark eye, contrasted well with the pale eyed and grey and ginger headed argentatus Herring Gulls on the jetty (GE).
Sunday 14th October
South Shore 18:00 1 imm Arctic Tern and 1 imm Common Tern gave excellent opportunities for direct comparison as they flew around the Waterski Club. The number of Black-headed Gulls roosting has increased to around 8000; the white bird with black primaries was again present along with a 1st w Common Gull (GE).

North Shore: 8 Red Deer, 2 Jack Snipe, 2 Cormorants, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Willow Tit (NS, PW).

Common Darter © P. Ward

Red Deer on the North Shore © P. Ward
Saturday 13th October 12:00 Swag: Very low numbers for the time of year only 30 Tufted Ducks, 7 Wigeon, 40 Mallard, 2 Mute Swans, 8 Great Crested Grebes, 12 Coot, 7 Moorhens, 42 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Common Darter.

Slurry Pool: 450 Tufted Ducks, 4 Pochard, 3 Ruddy Ducks, 34 Coot, 1 Heron, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Kestrel.

North end of Lake: 18 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Ruddy Duck (GE).

Cuckoo Bank: 22 Fieldfares, 30 Lesser Redpolls, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler (PW).
Friday 12th October
North Shore: 12:00  3 Jays, 10+ Reed Buntings, 14 Common Snipe, 2 Little Grebes on main water by the causeway and at least 2 Herons. 1 Ruddy Darter  on the west side of the marsh and 1 Common Darter (EO). 2 Stonechats (AH).

Slurry Pool: 25+ Goldfinches,  1 Migrant Hawker (EO).

South Shore: 18:15 1 imm Common Tern, 45 Lapwings, 1 Grey Wagtail and an impressive but uncounted gull roost (GE).

Cuckoo Bank: 10:30  4 Goldfinches, 4 Greenfinches, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Heron, 3 Skylarks, 8 Meadow Pipits, 3 Kestrels, 1 Buzzard,  2 Jays , 100+ Black-headed Gulls on top fields at back where winter wheat has been planted. A kestrel flying low over that area brought up a flock of 40+ finches and flew further away, unable to identify. 1 Red Deer stag with 2 hinds (EO).

Thursday 11th October 2 Terns probably Common (PW).

40 Reed Buntings on Target Point, 36 Common Snipe in the north marsh.

Slurry Pool: 3 Shovelers (GR).

Wednesday 10th October 1 Common Tern (PW).
Tuesday 9th October  
Monday 8th October 1 Common Tern (PW).

17:50-18:45  An impressive roost tonight with a 1st w Mediterranean Gull, 7000 Black-headed Gulls (including a white individual with black in the primaries), 1250 Lesser Black-backs, 70 Herring Gulls and 2 Common Gulls. Also 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail and 40 Lapwings (GE).
Sunday 7th October WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey): 31 Mute Swans, 91 Canada Geese, 197 Mallard (+ 40 farmyard types), 1 Wigeon, 3 Teal, 577 Tufted Ducks, 10 Pochard, 4 Ruddy Ducks, 527 Coot, 15 Moorhens, 49 Great Crested Grebes, 9 Little Grebes, 1 Cormorant, 4 Herons, 25 Lapwings, 1 Curlew, 18 Common Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe, 2 imm Common Terns, 2 Common Gulls (1st w and 2nd w), 2 Kingfishers, 1 Grey Wagtail.

Also 1 Redwing, 1-2 Lesser Redpolls and Siskins, 5 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Jays, 35 Meadow Pipits, 15 Pied Wagtails, 40+ Long-tailed Tits, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Jackdaw, 5 Goldfinches.

It now appears that the Slavonian Grebe and Egyptian Geese have departed, the grebe was last seen on September 29th and the geese on October 1st. The Curlew was a surprise find on the Sailing Shore but the inevitable disturbance forced it away soon after 09:30. 

Staffordshire County Council own and manage the Norton Bog/Slurry Pool area and are particularly interested in all wildlife records for the site. Today's totals were: 562 Tufted Ducks, 1 Pochard, 1 Wigeon, 3 Mute Swans, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Mallard, 42 Coot, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin and Green Woodpecker (GE).
Saturday 6th October 1 imm Common Tern.

Sailing Shore: 1 Wheatear (PW).

Obviously a 'tyred' migrant!

2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull (P.Ward)

Swag: 1 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Teal, 2 Pochard, 1 Sparrowhawk.

17:50 A skein of 16 Pink-footed Geese flew over the dam and headed west-north-west (GE, PW).
Friday 5th October 1 Common Tern, 45 Lapwings, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail.

Gull Roost: 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 1 adult Common Gull, 5000 Black-headed Gulls (GE).
Thursday 4th October 1 imm Common Tern, 60 Lapwings (GE).

Norton Bog: 5 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Skylarks, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1-2 Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers (GE, JB).

Cuckoo Bank: 1 Jack Snipe, 6 Common Snipe, 3 Siskins, 4 Stonechats, Red Admiral, 5+ Ruddy Darters and a Fox (JH). A Short-eared Owl was reported around this date (per NS).
Wednesday 3rd October
2 Red Deer stags were found, with antlers locked and caught in the fencing around Chasewater Heaths Station. The younger stag was already dead but the dominant old stag couldn’t be released from the fence and was shot by a vet (per SB, JW).

At least 25 Goldfinches on south shore also Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Linnets. 1 Stonechat east of the marsh but no waders on the north shore.

Slurry Pool/Norton Bog : 1 Red Deer stag, 2 Skylarks and 30 Meadow Pipits (EO).

1 imm Common Tern, 60 Canada Geese, 1 Heron. Gull roost quite impressive but uncounted (GE).

Clayhanger: 9 Wigeon flew over at dusk towards Chasewater (CM).

Tuesday 2nd October 2 imm Common Terns, 67 Lapwings. Impressive gull roost with roughly estimated totals of 5000 Black-headed Gulls and 1000 Lesser Black-backs (GE).
Monday October 1st South Shore at dusk: 1 imm Common Tern, 2 Egyptian Geese, 46 Lapwings, 1 Heron (GE).