New Page 1

home	January 2007 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
December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 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

Key to Contributors

2007

Sightings/News

Photos

Wednesday
31 January

1 Snow Bunting, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Smew.

Gull Roost: Nothing of note apart from a reported reoccurrence of the white Black-headed Gull (PJ).

Tuesday
30 January

Lake: 1 Great Northern Diver (PJ). Best view ever of Smew who was very active towards south shore, west of ski club, at one stage 20 yards from shore, 12 Goosanders, Snow bunting in usual place, 130 Lapwings were on staging at ski club and 24 Cormorants and 1 Heron on raft, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 17 Robins – 15 of them singing..

Swag: 11 Goosander (total 23).

Slurry Pool: 2 Ruddy Ducks and 3 Red Deer. (EO).

Monday
29 January

2 Whooper Swans arrived from the east at 12:50 but flew out over the dam at 13:10 (PW), 1 Snow Bunting, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Smew (PJ, IW, PW).

South end of By-pass: 40 Golden Plovers (PW).

Gull Roost: 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls (PJ, IW).

Sunday
28 January

1 Snow Bunting, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Smew.

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull (JA, PJ, EGP, IW, N, GE).

South end of By-pass: 110 Golden Plovers (JH).

Saturday
27 January

1 Snow Bunting, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Smew, 105 Pochard, 5 Gadwall, 15 Goosanders.

Feeding Station: 4+ Willow Tits, 12+ Bullfinches.

Old Vicarage: 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

North Heath: 1 pair Stonechats (PJ).

Gull Roost: 2 adult Mediterranean Gull, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls – adult, 2^nd w and 1^st w (PJ). Some favour Caspian Gull for the 1^st w.

Friday
26 January

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

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull (PJ).

Thursday
25 January

1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Smew.

Gull Roost: A good sized roost including 1 juv Iceland Gull, 750+ Herring Gulls (PJ).

Wednesday
24 January

1 Snow Bunting (Birdguides).

Tuesday
23 January

1 Snow Bunting, 1+ Great Northern Diver.

Gull Roost: 1 juv Iceland Gull but only 350 Herring Gulls (PJ). A juv Iceland Gull again roosted at Bartley (south Birmingham) proving that there are at least 2 birds in the area.

Monday
22 January

1 Great Northern Diver (PS)

1 Snow Bunting.

Gull Roost: 146 Great Black-backed Gulls, 750+ Herring Gulls (PJ).

Chase Terrace: 2 Buzzards (TC).

Sunday
21 January

1 Snow Bunting

West Shore: 1 Kingfisher (IW).

Gull Roost: 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 1 1^st w Yellow-legged Gull (JA, PJ).

WeBS count: 2 Great Northern Divers, 33 Mute Swans, 14 Canada Geese, 27 Wigeon, 141 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 257 Tufted, 1 Smew, 81 Goldeneye, 11 Goosanders, 26 Pochard, 8 Ruddies, 392 Coot, 17 Moorhens, 12 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Cormorants, 2 Herons, 25 Lapwings (NS, GE).

Kingswood: 50+ Herring Gulls, several Great Black-backs (GE).

Saturday
20 January

1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers.

Swag: 1 Smew, 32 Wigeon, 48 Pochard, 56 Goldeneye, 5 Common Gulls, 2 Jackdaws and 2 Rooks.

Slurry Pool: 5 Gadwall, 2 Ruddies, 160 Tufted Ducks.

Gull Roost: 1 1^st w Yellow-legged/ Caspian Gull (GE).

Goscote Valley: 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Grey Wagtails (PJ).

Great Black-backs on the jetty (GE).

Snowdrops are now starting to flower (GE).

Views of the Slurry Pool (GE).

Some say Caspian, others say Yellow-legged and some haven’t a clue!

Not the best of shots but what do you think? (GE).

Friday
19 January

1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 Smew.

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull (JA, PJ, EGP).

Below Dam: 1 Song Thrush –an infrequently recorded species during the winter (IW).

Feeding Station: 2m, 2f Bullfinch, 15+ Greenfinch, usual Tits and up to 20 Redwing in area.

South Shore: Female Sparrowhawk flew over Ski club, disturbing 80 Lapwing and causing Snow Bunting to depart. 20+ Goosander (+ 6 in Fly Bay), Smew near ski club as was one Great Northern Diver which came up with a small fish and it seemed to turn its head and rub on its back prior to swallowing it. A Black-headed Gull dived again and again at the diver, which thrust its beak in the air and dived under water (EO).

10 Red Deer by Norton Lakeside station and also 3 Little Grebes (per EO).

Cuckoo Bank: 9.15am 15 Red Deer, f Green Woodpecker, 10-12 Grey Partridge, > 20 Meadow Pipits and > 40 Skylarks. 10 Snipe, pair of Stonechat, 2 Fieldfare flew west, up to 15 Carrion Crows.

Pool 11: 2 Mute Swans, Pool 12: 2 Coot, Pool 10: 6 Tufted duck, 2 Coot and 1 Heron (EO).

Thursday
18 January

1 Snow Bunting, 1+ Great Northern Diver, 1 Smew.

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 adult and 1 1^st w Yellow-legged Gull (PJ).

Wednesday
17 January

1 Green Sandpiper flew west along the south shore (PW). 1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 Smew.

Gull Roost: 1 juv Iceland Gull, 1 1^st w Caspian Gull, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull and a 2^nd w Caspian/Yellow-legged. 750+ Herring Gulls (PJ, IW).

The feeding station was very busy, mainly Bullfinch but 1 Coal Tit and several Willow Tit. 1 Jack Snipe and 15 Snipe on the marsh. One male Stonechat on the bank (GW).

Tuesday
16 January

1 Snow Bunting, 1+ Great Northern Diver (WMBC).

Gull roost: Nothing of note in poor visibility (IW)

Monday
15 January

Snow Bunting (PS)

Kingswood: 1 Barn Owl (IW, N)

Sunday
14 January

1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 Smew, 1 Oystercatcher, 72 Canada Geese, 28 Mute Swans, 60 Mallard (GE), 39 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Little Grebes, 19 Goosanders, 83 Goldeneye (PJ).

Feeding Station: 1 Coal Tit, 2 Willow Tits, 1 Lesser Redpoll (GE).

Gull Roost: 1 1^st w Caspian Gull, 1 1^st w Yellow-legged Gull (PJ, IW, N, GE)

Cuckoo Bank: 3 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 1 Pheasant, 1 Goldcrest, 3 Stonechats, 50 Skylarks, 40 Linnets, redpolls heard, 4 Tufted, 2 Mute Swans (GE).

Great Northern Divers (© N Stych)

The piebald rabbit returns! (© N Stych)

Snow Bunting (© N Stych)

Cuckoo Bank (GE)

Saturday
13 January

Lake: 1 Oystercatcher (PW), 1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers, 3 Goosanders, 4 Goldeneye, 1 Little Grebe (GE), 2 Jackdaws (IW).

Swag: 1 drake Smew, 86 Goldeneye (total 90), 18 Goosanders (total 21), 83 Pochard, 114 Tufted, 9 Ruddies, 16 Wigeon, 79 Mallard, 1 Gadwall, 110 Coot, 4 Moorhens, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Cormorant, 5 Mute Swans, 520 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-back.

Slurry Pool: 210 Tufted, 5 Gadwall, 5 Mallard, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 69 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 2 Mute Swans (rings 6CB, LJF)

Kingswood: Only one Herring Gull over the tip and 20 Herring Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backs, 120 Lapwings and 200 Starlings on the ’level’. 100 Black-heads were feeding on an adjacent pasture (GE).

Gull Roost: 1 1^st w Yellow-legged or Caspian Gull (GE).

A very distant shot of a first winter Yellow-legged or Caspian Gull. Unfortunately its rather long, parallel sided bill is partly obscured by the Black-headed Gull’s head (GE).

Friday
12 January

1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 drake Smew, 22 Goosanders, 54 Pochard, 11 Ruddies, 1pair Gadwall.

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull and the all white Black-headed Gull last seen on the 5^th (PJ).

Thursday
11 January

Very strong winds and torrential rain again. Water levels have risen 20cm since the turn of the year.

1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers, 12+ Cormorants, 249 Lapwings.

Gull Roost: 250 Herring Gulls, 82 Great Black-backs, 120 Lesser Black-backs (GE).

Wednesday
10 January

1 Snow Bunting, 1 2^nd w Caspian Gull (per PJ).

Great Northern Diver preening merrily away in Fly Bay. 1 Little Grebe, 24 Goosander, including 3 on the Swag, and the Smew was just west of ski club.

North Shore: 20+ Common Snipe, no sign of Woodcock. 10 Meadow Pipits, Green Woodpecker calling, 2 Bullfinches, 5 Reed Buntings and assortment of tits.

Several birdwatchers around which is good for a midweek (EO).

Tuesday
9 January

1 Snow Bunting, 1+ Great Northern Diver, 1 drake Smew (PJ).

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull and only 350 large gulls. The leucistic Black-headed Gull was again present. What must be the same bird was photographed at Priorslee Lake, Telford on January 4^th and can be seen on the Friends of Priorslee website at www.priorslee.org.uk (PJ).

Monday
8 January

1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 drake Smew, 28 Goosanders, 1 Peregrine, 2+ Willow Tits at the feeders and 1 below the dam. (PJ)

North Shore: A small flock of Linnets (PS, IW, NW).

Gull Roost: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull and a white Black-headed Gull with black primaries, very likely to be the same as the one in February 2006 (PJ).

Sunday
7 January

1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 drake Smew (PJ).

North Shore marsh: 1 Woodcock, 20 Common Snipe and 1 Jack Snipe (GR).
Gull Roost: Nothing of note (PJ).

Saturday
6 January

2 Great Northern Divers (GE, IW), 1 Snow Bunting, 1 drake Smew (Birdguides). 1 Shoveler (GR).

Gull Roost: 1 adult Caspian Gull (IW), 12000 Black-headed Gulls (GE).

Friday
5 January

1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 drake Smew, several Goosanders, 24 Cormorants, 200+ Lapwings, 33+ Great Crested Grebes, 3 Little Grebes, 40 Redwings, 2 singing Mistle Thrushes.

Jack’s Wood: 1 Nuthatch, 1 pair Great Spotted Woodpeckers (GE).

Gull Roost: 9000 Black-headed Gulls including the all white individual, only around 100 Lesser Black-backs (GE, PJ).

Cuckoo Bank: 24 Red Deer, female Stonechat, 1 Snipe, 1 Heron, 1 Skylark, 1 Kestrel, 3 Mistle Thrushes, 20+ Redwings, < 40 redpolls, <30 Carrion Crows, 12 Long-tailed Tits, 5 Greenfinches and 20+Meadow Pipits (EO).

The Snow Bunting has been feeding on seed that has been put down for it on the South Shore (GE).

We complained about the concrete blocks used in the restructuring of the South Shore but the Snow Bunting seems to like them! (GE).

Smew (GE)

Goosander (GE)

Distant shot of one of the Divers (GE)

Thursday
4 January

I’m pleased with my first attempt at digiscoping with my new Canon Powershot A710IS, considering it was hand held to an old scope on a flimsy tripod, in the wind, rain and no light (GE).

1 Snow Bunting, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 drake Smew, 32 Goosanders, 28 Cormorants (PJ, GE et al).

Swag: 11 Ruddy Ducks (GE).

Gull Roost: 1 adult Caspian Gull, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 1 1^st w Yellow-legged Gull, 332 Great Black-backed Gulls in what eventually became a good sized roost with many birds arriving rather late from the south. No sign of the Iceland or Mediterranean Gulls tonight but there was a strikingly all white (albino?) Black-headed Gull (GE, PJ, GJM, EGP et al).

Wednesday
3 January

1 Snow Bunting, 24 Cormorants, 190 Lapwings + 348 in the field between the bypass and M6 Toll, most of which appeared to fly in to roost giving a total of 538 (GE), 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 drake Smew (per GE).

Gull Roost: 1 juv Iceland Gull, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls (RC, GE)

Tuesday
2 January

1 Snow Bunting, 203 Lapwings, 1 Great Northern Diver (GE), the other diver was also reported along with the drake Smew and Iceland Gull (per GE).

Monday
1 January

NEW YEARS DAY

What a start to the year! Over 60 birders were counted looking at the gull roost and practically ignoring the Snow Bunting that was performing, as usual, right in front of them! (N.Stych ©).

A total of 71 species was recorded for the first day of the year, the highlights being:

2 Great Northern Divers, 1 Snow Bunting, 1 drake Smew, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 17 Goosanders, 35+ Great Crested Grebes, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Woodcock, 15 Common Snipe, 5 Jack Snipe, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Treecreepers, 20 Fieldfares, 30 Goldfinches, 1 Grey Wagtail (GE).

Gull Roost: 1 juv Iceland Gull, 1 prob 1^st w Yellow-legged Gull, 110 Great Black-backed Gulls (GE et al).

Cuckoo Bank: 10 Red Deer, 2 Stonechats, 20 Fieldfares, 2 Herons, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Kestrel, 1 Rook (GE), 1-2 Buzzard, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Green Woodpecker (GW), 30 Golden Plovers (GR)