January 2008 Diary and News

August 2008 Diary and News

All the latest sightings, news and photos from Chasewater, Cuckoo Bank and surrounding areas

All records and photos (jpegs) are welcome, please send them via our comments page.

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August 2008

Sightings, News and Photos (scroll down to view whole month)

1st

20ºC
Light showers
SW4

The Great Northern Diver was present along with 2 Common Sandpipers and a Ringed Plover (PW).

2nd
Sat

20ºC
Heavy showers
WSW4

The water level is now down to 135 cm off maximum. The Great Northern Diver, 13 Common Terns, 2 Cormorants, 122 Tufted Ducks and 3 Ruddy Ducks (GE).

3rd
Sun

22ºC
Light showers
W2

4th

22ºC
Sunny intervals
W2

5th

19ºC
Drizzle
S2

06:50 Beautiful sky to the east this morning, unfortunately our weather was coming from the south. Several Common Terns, Grey Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 15 Meadow Pipits and 30+ Goldfinches (EO).

Cuckoo Bank: 1 Wheatear, 1 Little Grebe (EO).

6th

18ºC
Cloudy
SW2

3 Grey Wagtails flew over the dam towards the canal (GE).

7th

19ºC
Cloudy
W1

The Great Northern Diver, a 3rd s Herring Gull, 88 Tufted Ducks, 2 Ruddy Ducks, a 3rd s Herring Gull, 1 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper and a Little Grebe trilling (GE).

8th

18ºC
Cloudy
NW1

5 Yellow-legged Gulls (JT), a Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, 15 Common Terns and 3 Teal were noted (PW).

Cuckoo Bank: 3 Green Woodpeckers but little else. Thank goodness for insects, not as many Meadow Browns but still good numbers of Gatekeepers, 3-4 whites, a Peacock and about 15 Small Heaths.

There were many Emerald Damselflies, 2 Black-tailed Skimmers and 50/60 freshly emerged Common Darters (EO).

9th
Sat

19ºC
Heavy rain
S3

5+ Common Sandpiper (per PW).

10th
Sun

18ºC
Showers
SW4

A juvenile Merlin flew over the Slurry Pool and sheltered from the wind in a pylon where it gave good views before flying off over the north shore. There were 86 Tufted Ducks and a Kingfisher flew along the south shore and over the Nine-foot Pool (GE). A Wheatear was on the Sailing Shore and the Great Northern Diver was present (PW).

11th

18ºC
Cloudy
SW

The Great Northern Diver as off the west shore (PS), 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, 50 Swifts, 40 Sand Martins, 15 Common Terns, 43 Lapwings and a Common Sandpiper (GE).

12th

18ºC
Cloudy with showers
S2

A late visit produced an Oystercatcher, 7 Yellow-legged Gulls amongst 400+ Lesser Black-backs (GE).

13th

18ºC
Showers
WNW2

06:30. No dog walkers and the North shore was undisturbed yet the only shoreline birds on view were 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Lapwings and a Pied wagtail. Common Terns were very busy; nearly every buoy had a hungry juvenile. The Great Northern Diver and 2 juv Little Grebes were at the north end of the lake, 3 Cormorants flew in, 15 Sand Martins and 5 House Martins were present but there were no Swifts or Swallows.

A Skylark and about 10 Meadow Pipits were on Norton Bog hill and 30+ Goldfinches were by the railway platform where a Willow Warbler was still in song (EO). 3 Ringed Plovers and a Redshank were also present (PW).

Cuckoo Bank: 2 Kestrels were hovering and a female Sparrowhawk came over Eights Wood and attacked a Kestrel four times before flying back to the wood and was later seen carrying food. A male Sparrowhawk, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Swift were also present. 30+ Canada Geese flew south on their way to Chasewater.

Common Darter, Meadow Browns, Gatekeeper, several Emerald damselflies and a few Cinnabar Moth caterpillars were noted (EO).

14th

18ºC
Overcast
W2

15th

19ºC
Sunny intervals
SW2

68 Tufted Ducks was a disappointing total. The Great Northern Diver was off the Sailing Shore and 4 Yellow-legged Gulls loafed on the raft, island and water, along with 350 Lesser Black-backs (GE) and 2 Dunlin (PW).

16th
Sat

19ºC
Cloudy
S4

17th
Sun

18ºC
Light showers
S3

A drake Common Scoter and the Great Northern Diver appeared reasonably unperturbed by the Triathlon, although the scoter had left by mid morning. The WeBS count produced the following totals: 66 Mute Swans, 52 Canada Geese, 297 Mallard (+ 22 domestic types), 3 Teal, 89 Tufted Ducks, 3 Ruddy Ducks, 36 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Little Grebes, 522 Coot, 24 Moorhens, 3 Herons, 1 Cormorant, 69 Lapwings, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 40 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Black Terns and 15 Common Terns. 50 Swifts were over the lake (GE).

18th

18ºC
Light rain
S4

The water level has now dropped to 152 cm below maximum. The Great Northern Diver was present along with 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Dunlin,1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Gadwall, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (1st s and 2nd s), 15 Common Terns, 2 Herons, a Cormorant and 2+ Swifts (GE).

19th

19ºC
Light showers
SW4

The Great Northern Diver, about 70 Lapwings, 7+ Common Terns (GE).

20th

19ºC
Afternoon rain
SW3

06:55 Common Terns are still active, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Common Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover, a Dunlin, 3 Kingfishers, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker,3 Swifts, 1 Chiffchaff. A large number of mayflies were on shoreline of the North shore, as there were 3-4 weeks ago (EO). Also present were the Great Northern Diver, 1 Hobby, a Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 3 Buzzards, 110 Tufted Ducks, 2 Gadwall (GE), a Wheatear (PW).

Cuckoo Bank: 1 Essex Skipper in long grass between Eights Wood and the track. It was very small and pale, when it landed I got on my knees to have a closer inspection of the antenna, there was no rusty colour anywhere, only black. Also seen were 15 Meadow Browns, 5 Small Heaths, 2 Speckled Woods, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, 2 Kestrels, 6 Linnets, 1 Snipe, numerous Common Darters, 1 Ruddy Darter, 20+ Emerald and about 25 Common Blue Damselflies (EO).

21st

19ºC
Torrential afternoon showers
NW2

Water levels have risen slightly to 150 cm below maximum. The Great Northern Diver was by the ski ramp (GE), and a Hobby was seen feeding on dragonflies over the Slurry Pool (JT).

22nd

19ºC
Cloudy
NW3

For the first time in many weeks no water was flowing into the canal. 1 Wheatear, a Dunlin, 4+ Common Terns (PW) and 110 Tufted Ducks (GE).

23rd
Sat

19ºC
Beautiful morning. Cloudy later.
W2

No Common Terns were present for the first time in several weeks (PW). At dusk the Great Northern Diver was by the Island and at least 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls were in the roost of around 500 Lesser Black-backs (GE).

Cuckoo Bank: A probable skulking Grasshopper Warbler, one imm/female Redstart, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroats, a Stonechat, a Willow Tit, 6 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Sparrowhawk and a Yellow Wagtail flew over (MY).

24th
Sun

20ºC
Sunny intervals
W3

A very tame juvenile Knot spent most of the day on the Sailing Shore (PW). 2 Jays mobbed a Tawny Owl out of a tree at the north end of the dam (GE).

25th

21ºC
Cloudy
SW4

The Knot was on the south shore despite the Bank Holiday disturbance, 1 Hobby (PW).

Cuckoo Bank: A Redstart, Wheatear and best of all 5 Tree Sparrows were along the main track, also 1 Buzzard and 1 Heron (GR).

26th

20ºC
Cloudy
WSW4

The Knot and Great Northern Diver were still present during the morning (GR, PW) and just before dark there was an adult Yellow-legged Gull and adult Herring Gull on the jetty with over 600 Lesser Black-backs roosting (GE).

27th

21ºC
Cloudy
W4

The Knot was still present (PW). 1 2nd yr Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Cormorants, 4+ Herons, 210 Canada Geese, 70+ Lapwings, very few Swallows and House Martins (GE), 3 Grey Partridge on the north heath, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 12 Pied Wagtails, 6 Meadow Pipits, 20 Goldfinches (EO).

Cuckoo Bank: Single Spotted Flycatcher, Yellowhammer, Green Woodpecker and Buzzard, 3 Stonechats, (GR). A Raven was watched playing in wind with no wing beats for 2 minutes. 1 Kestrel, 2 Little Grebe and 2 Swallows at the very top getting blown sideways every time they came above shelter of trees. Also 4 Meadow Browns, about 15 Emerald, <10 Common Blue Damselflies and about 10 Common Darters (EO).

28th


21ºC
Sunny intervals
W3

2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin (PW), 1 Reed Warbler on Slurry Pool (GR). The gull roost held at least 5 (2nd yr -adult) Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 adult Herring Gulls, 1100 Lesser Black-backs including 1-2 intermedius types and 2700 Black-headed Gulls (GE).

Cuckoo Bank: 2 Spotted Flycatchers with a possible 3rd, 1 Snipe, Skylark, Buzzard and Kestrel. Lots of dragonflies today with the sun out (GR).

29th

20ºC
Sunny intervals
S1

A Little Egret was on the island with up to 7 Herons, 4 Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper (PW).

30th
Sat

22ºC
A very misty start then warm
SSE2

The change to some east in the air produced a good day with the Little Egret, 7 Black Terns, 7 Ringed Plovers, the first Ruff of the year, 3 Common Sandpipers, the Great Northern Diver and 2 Crossbills flew NW over the Sailing Club (PW).

31st
Sun

23ºC
Thundery showers
S2

A Golden Plover flew north, a juvenile Knot was present along with 4 Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Common Tern (PW).