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February 2007 Diary and News from Chasewater
 and Cuckoo Bank

Key to Contributors

2007

Sightings/News

Photos

1 Great Northern Diver.

Eights Wood: A Red Kite was mobbed by crows as it drifted over the allotments to the south of the wood (per DG).

1 Great Northern Diver, 5 Goosanders, 2 Oystercatchers.

1 Great Northern Diver, 3 Goosanders.

Great Northern Diver seen to eat only 2 Crayfish today; perhaps there aren’t many left! 5 Goosanders (PJ, PW), 1 Kestrel (GE).

Great Northern Diver seen to eat 20 Crayfish. Let’s hope this reflects the abundance of crayfish rather than their extinction! (PW). No sightings of the Snow Bunting today. It roosted last night but the rising water levels (now only 56 cm off maximum) have probably forced it to depart (GE).

74 Goldeneye, 1 Stonechat, 2 Jack Snipe.

The Snow Bunting on ever decreasing South Shore and the Great Northern Diver drifted to within 20 yards of shore, constantly looking up for any danger. Who needs optical assistance with birds this close! Also 2 Cormorants, 5 Shovelers flying round and 60+ Lapwing over ski club and above them a female Sparrowhawk.

Slurry Pool: 1 singing Skylark on hill (EO).

Gull Roost: 1 first-year Iceland Gull, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls (PJ, EGP, IW, N, GE).

Gull Roost: 1 first year Iceland Gull arrived in roost at 17.50 (PJ)

Kingswood: 1 first-year Iceland Gull (RC).
 

First-year Iceland Gull (Roger Clay).

1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Snow Bunting.

Cuckoo Bank: 2 Buzzard, 30 Golden Plover, 3 Grey Partridge, 1 Pheasant, pair Stonechat, lots of singing Skylarks (GR).

Gull Roost: A much larger roost than last night.1 first year Iceland Gull (PJ)1 adult Mediterranean Gull (GE,PJ)

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull (PJ)

WeBS count: 1 Great Northern Diver, 23 Mute Swans, 34 Canada Geese, 294 Coot, 2 Moorhens, 117 Mallard, 163 Tufted Ducks, 51 Goldeneye, 39 Pochard, 22 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Ruddy Ducks, 16 Goosanders, 1 Little Grebe, 7 Cormorants (NS).

1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Snow Bunting, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Buzzards (GE, PW), 1 Shelduck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 10 Red Deer (RJ).

Old Vicarage area: 1 drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, singing Song Thrush and a carpet of Snowdrops. 

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 white Black-headed Gull (IW), 600 Lesser Black-backs, 100 Herring Gulls, 40 Great Black-backs, 6000 Black-headed, < 10 Common Gulls (GE)

Two more of Phill’s wonderful Great Northern Diver photos; the crayfish being a surprising prey item.

1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Snow Bunting, 15 Goosander (GE, PJ). Yet more heavy rain today has raised water levels to 70 cm off maximum, an increase of 67 cm since the start of the year and the Snow Bunting’s feeding and roosting area is becoming increasingly inundated.

1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Snow Bunting, 10 Common Gulls, 53 Canada Geese.

Highfield Farm: 4 Mistle Thrushes, 70 Woodpigeons, 3 Goldfinches, 1 singing Skylark (GE).

Gull Roost: 1 new adult Mediterranean Gull (PJ).

1 Great Northern Diver (PJ), 1 Snow Bunting, 20 Cormorants, 15 Common Snipe, 71 Lapwings.

Feeding Station: 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Willow Tits, 1 Coal Tit, 5 Reed Buntings, 2 Bullfinches, 1 Song Thrush.

Slurry Pool: 5 Red Deer, 4 Gadwall, 2 Goosanders (GE).

1 Snow Bunting (GE), 1 Great Northern Diver (IW).

1 Little Grebe by causeway, 1 m Goosander flew out at 9.00am, 30 Lapwing on ski club pier.

1 Grey Wagtail by dam at visitors centre and another over dam by derelict house. 5 Pochard with Tufted Ducks in Fly Bay, Coal Tit with others and 1 Bullfinch on feeder.

Burnt heath and marsh: 21 Snipe and 3 Jack Snipe, Green Woodpecker calling by Swag. 3 Red Deer other side of rails opposite slurry pool.

On hill at back of Slurry Pool at least 2 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit and a flock of up to 25 finches, mainly Goldfinch but as they flew into sun thought there could have been several redpoll. 2 Jays disturbing the peace between Slurry and Swag (EO).

1 Snow Bunting (WMBC), 1 Great Northern Diver, 4 Cormorants.

Swag: 69 Pochard.

Highfield Farm: 44 Mallard, 4 Teal (GE).

1 Snow Bunting, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Smew, 1 sinensis type Cormorant, 18 Goosanders, 9 Ruddies, 6 Teal, 4 Rooks, 2 Stock Doves (GE), 51 Great Crested Grebes (GE, PJ), 92 Goldeneye, 3 Wigeon (PJ).

North Shore: 12 Red Deer with 8 more on the Chasetown side of the By-pass (GE).

Gull Roost: A much smaller roost tonight with only about 600 large gulls –350 Lesser Black-backs, 200 Herring and 35 Great Black-backs, 7000 Black-headed and <10 Common Gulls (GE, PJ, IW).

Slurry Pool: 6 Gadwall (IW, N)

Gull Roost: A further increase in numbers of large gulls tonight with 3800 counted one by one! Probably 2500 Lesser Black-backs and 1200 Herring Gulls (PJ).

1 Snow Bunting (GE, PJ, PW), 38 Canada Geese, 20+ Cormorants, 2 Gadwall, sev Goosanders, 100 Fieldfares (GE).

Gull Roost: 1 1^st w Yellow-legged Gull, 2440 large gulls counted, 1500+ of these being Herring Gulls (PJ).

The day the world turned black and white, almost! (GE).

1 Snow Bunting, 20+ Cormorants (GE, PJ), 1 male Smew, 1 Great Northern Diver (PW).

Cuckoo Bank: 1 Short-eared Owl (GR).

1 Snow Bunting, 1 Great Northern Diver (GE), 38+ Goosanders, 1 male Smew (PJ).

1 Snow Bunting (GE), 1 male Smew, 1 Great Northern Diver (PW).

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull (IW).

Feeding station: 3 Willow Tits

Slurry Pool: 4 Gadwall

Swag: 10 Goosanders, 1 Red Fox enjoying the sunshine (PS,N)

Gull roost: 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull (N,IW)