- 1st
- Sun
-
|
- 14°C
- Heavy
rain then strong winds and sunny intervals
- W6
|
| On the Swag there were 26 Goldeneye, 21
Wigeon and 2 Gadwall. Despite the weather there were still several
bees and flies feeding on the ivy but it was no surprise that there
was no sign of any butterflies (GE). A Willow Tit was at the Feeding
Station (NS) and the gull roost produced the 4cy
Caspian Gull, 2 (adult and 2cy) Yellow-legged Gulls
and 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls (IW). |
| At Stubbers Green there were 7 Great
Black-backs and ringed birds included a Lesser Black-back PYC,
Herring Gull S;J, and a Danish Black-headed Gull FUA (PJ). |
|
- 2nd
|
- 13°C
- Light showers
- W4
|
| At the Feeding Station there was a Willow
Tit and several Bullfinches (BSm, TH). |
|
- 3rd
|
- 13°C
- Heavy
showers
- WSW4
|
| The 4cy Caspian Gull was seen
well in the roost (IW). |
|
- 4th
|
- 10°C
- Heavy
showers
- WSW3
|
| 3 Goosander and 10 Teal were noted (PW).
The 4cy Caspian Gull was in the
roost along with 3 (4cy and 2 3cy) Yellow-legged Gulls and an
adult Mediterranean Gull (PJ). |
|
-
5th
|
- 13°C
- Light
showers
- WNW4
|
|
2 Kingfishers, 9 Goosander, 6
Gadwall, 10 Little Grebes, 12+ Cormorants and over 200 Lapwings were
present (GR).
|
|
- 6th
|
- 11°C
- Sunny
intervals
- WSW3
|
| Coal and Willow Tits and several
Bullfinches were at the Feeding Station. A large Red Deer stag was
on the heath and on the South Shore there were 200 Lapwings and up
to 10 Meadow Pipits (EO). 3 Goosanders were close to the dam with
one actively feeding, catching 8 Bullheads in 5 minutes (EO, PW). |
| At Stubbers Green there were over 350
Herring Gulls with hundreds more on the tip and a 3cy Yellow-legged
Gull. Ringed birds included a 4cy argentatus Herring Gull with white with black KX41
which was ringed as a pullus (chick) at Kandalaksha in arctic
Russia, over 1700 miles away. There
were also Lesser Black-backs PYC, AHE, ALL and new rings C:R
and ROPP but most interestingly of 25+ intermedius
Lesser Black-backs there were two with Norwegian rings; blue with
white JOJ1 and JPK2 with the latter bird having a
fascinating history. It was ringed as a pullus on 10th July
1999 at Farsund at the south-western tip of Norway, 550 miles away.
It was next recorded at the end of its 3rd winter on the north coast
of Spain but the following 2 winters were spent around Gloucester
and by the summer of its 5th year, as a full adult, it was back at
its natal site in Norway. Since then it would appear to be regularly
wintering at the Gloucester landfill and breeding at Farsund but
calling in locally on passage with a sighting at Kingswood on 14th
October 2006 and today at Stubbers Green (PJ). |
|
-
7th
- Sat
|
- 10°C
- Sunny
intervals
- WSW3
|
|
|
The Balcony Shore, just north of the
Watersports Centre was, until today, the least disturbed and
least damaged of all Chasewater's shores. The site of a Little
Ringed Plover nest this year, Orange Foxtail, a good lawn of
Shoreweed and a proposed SSSI. But today the lads in their diggers
and dumpers (yes, the dumper is being steered by a young
child) told me that the Council had asked them to dig into the shore
to see what was under the surface! He (the chap holding the young
child) said that the Ski-club wanted to use the area. By the end of
the day a channel 5m wide, 40m long and up to 1m deep had been dug
and the material dumped on top of a good patch of Shoreweed closer
to the embankment. Its appears that they are trying to make an access
channel to deeper water with absolutely no regard to the
environmental impact, safety or common sense, but what's new? (GE). |
| The water level is now
270cm below maximum. The usual adult Mediterranean Gull was
by the pier and a 3cy Yellow-legged Gull was at the north of
the lake. Other totals included large increases of 54 Great Crested
Grebes, and 46 Cormorants, 8 Little Grebes, 23 Wigeon, 11 Teal, 1
Gadwall, 393 Tufted Ducks, 21 Pochard, 28 Goldeneye, 9 Goosanders, 2
Ruddy Ducks, 42 Common Snipe, 15 Jack Snipe, 192 Lapwings, 2-3
Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 70 Fieldfares and several
redpolls, Siskins and Bullfinches. At least 4 Common Darters
were very active at the south-west corner of the Slurry Pool but
there was little insect activity on the ivy at the north end of the
dam. Several hundred Starlings gathered in the pylon, wheeled around
for a couple of minutes and dropped into the Slurry Pool reed-bed at
16:10 (GE). The gull roost held two more (3cy and 4cy) Yellow-legged
Gulls (IW, GE). |
- Adult Mediterranean Gull (GE)
|
- 3cy Yellow-legged Gull (GE)
|
|
|
|
| The Slurry
Pool bay where at least 4 Common Darters were still very active
(GE). |
|
|
|
| The Feeding
Station is attracting all the regulars (GE). |
| At Stubbers Green there
were 2 (3cy and 4cy) Yellow-legged Gulls, 16 Great
Black-backs and 35+ intermedius Lesser Black-backed
Gulls. Rings noted were JOJ1, JPK2, VF, BN,
PYC, HMT and ALL (PJ). |
|
- 8th
- Sun
|
-
- 9°C
- Sunny
intervals
- N2
|
| At least 82 Cormorants were
present this morning but motivation to stay more than a few minutes
was lacking and perhaps the photos will explain why (GE). |
- Chasewater's least disturbed and least
damaged shore, until yesterday (GE).
|
- The spoil on the left and the pool draining
away (GE).
|
| A family party of 4 Whooper
Swans flew over Ryders Mere towards Chasewater at 10:40
(CM). |
|
- 9th
|
- 8°C
- Fog
- N1
|
|
Due to poor visibility the only birds noted were a few
Goldeneye off the dam. The tree clearance continues with the large
Silver Birch in Anglesey Basin being the latest victim (PW).
|
|
- 10th
|
- 8°C
- Light
rain
- SW1
|
| A late visit to a damp and murky South
Shore produced a 2cy Yellow-legged Gull, a Goosander and a
probable 3/4cy Caspian Gull that within 10 seconds of being
found was put to the air by a firework and lost amongst 1000s of
other gulls (GE). |
| A Curlew flew over Cuckoo Bank (BM). |
|
- 11th
|
- 8°C
- Cloudy
- SE3
|
| The adult Mediterranean Gull and
an adult Yellow-legged Gull were present and 6 adult Whooper
Swans were near the Sailing Shore from 10:00 until 10:15 when they flew
south-east over the dam (PJ), the southern half of which has been
denuded of hawthorns. 7 Dunlin and at least 52 Cormorants
were also seen (PW). The roost was impressive with both the 3cy
and 4cy Caspian Gulls, 6 Yellow-legged Gulls, an
adult Mediterranean Gull and 400 Lapwings (IW). |
| There were few gulls at Stubbers Green
due to the presence of an adult Peregrine but the 3cy Caspian
Gull was present again along with 4 (3 adults and 2cy) Yellow-legged
Gulls and a Dunlin. Lesser Black-back rings were PYC,
VF and a new white with green M:W (PJ). |
|
- 12th
|
- 12°C
- Sunny
intervals, rain in pm
- S3
|
| During the late morning a Peregrine
panicked the gulls. 52 Cormorants and a Dunlin were also present (PW). |
| At Stubbers Green the 3cy Caspian
Gull was present (RC). |
|
- 13th
|
- 14°C
- Heavy
rain in afternoon
- S3-6
|
| 40+ Cormorants, a Kingfisher and 8
Goosanders were present in the morning and during the late afternoon
there were 2 Dunlin, the 4cy Caspian Gull, 5 (3
adults, 3cy, 2cy) Yellow-legged Gulls and 2 adult Mediterranean
Gulls (PJ, EGP, GE). |
|
- 14th
- Sat
|
- 10°C
- Heavy
showers
- SSW5
|
|
The adult Mediterranean Gull and a 2cy Yellow-legged
Gull were by the pier, 46 Cormorants, 2 Dunlin, 28 Goldeneye, 3
Ruddy Ducks, 5 Little Grebes, 9 Goosanders and a Kingfisher were also
present and 5 Red Deer were disturbed by dogs below the dam (GE). The gull roost was impressive but very disturbed by
wind-surfers. However, the 3cy and 4cy Caspian Gulls were both
present (IW).
|
- Goosanders (©GE)
|
|
The 3cy Caspian Gull was at Stubbers Green along
with the Russian Herring Gull KX41 and several intermedius
Lesser Black-backs. Three Peregrines were also in the sky
together (PJ).
|
- 4cy Herring Gull KX41 from the White Sea
- in arctic Russia (©GE)
|
- 3cy Caspian Gull (©GE)
|
- Small leucistic 1cy probable Herring Gull
looking
- very like an Iceland Gull (©GE)
|
- A pale 2cy Herring Gull (©GE)
|
|
- 15th
- Sun
|
- 12°C
- Mainly
sunny
- SSW3
|
| At least 3 Common
Darters were around the Slurry Pool, this being Chasewater's
latest ever dragonfly record. Also on the Slurry Pool were 374
Tufted Ducks, 2 Pochard, 7 Mute Swans, 9 Mallard and a Buzzard was
overhead. On the Swag there were another 52 Tufted, 37 Pochard, 3
Goosanders, 46 Goldeneye, 24 Wigeon, 1 Gadwall and a Grey Wagtail.
At the north end of the lake there were another 4 Tufted (total =
430), 46 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Little Grebes and Cormorants
totaled 52 again. As usual, the adult Mediterranean Gull and
2 Dunlin were on the South Shore (GE). |
- Common Darter still basking in the sun (GE)
|
- The North Shore (©GE)
|
- The dam looking very bare (©GE)
|
- View from the Dam (©GE)
|
- South Shore (©GE)
|
- Tawny Owl (© N Stych)
|
- One of 3 Willow Tits at the Feeding
Station
- (© N Stych)
|
| At Stubbers Green the 3cy Caspian
Gull was present until 14:15 and a Green Sandpiper was also
present (PJ). |
|
|
Fine images of the Caspian Gull
showing signs of immaturity in the bill, tail and coverts but 2
'mirrors' in the outer primaries indicating greater maturity (© Jim
Almond). |
|
- 16th
|
- 12°C
- Heavy
rain, sunny intervals
- SW5
|
| The Feeding Station was busy with the
regulars and 2 Red Deer were nearby (DG). |
|
- 17th
|
- 11°C
- Sunny
intervals
- SW4
|
| The mild weather and lack of frosts has
enabled the continued survival of a Common Darter in a
sheltered area at the northern end of the causeway (EO).
Unfortunately, this morning a kite surfer cleared the South Shore of
birds, including many Lapwings, a Dunlin and 2 Grey Wagtails
(PW). As the use of boats becomes increasingly difficult due to
the low water levels it is inevitable that alternative forms of
water sports will be tried out but kite surfing is bound to have a
devastating effect upon all the bird-life using the proposed SSSI
(GE). |
| On a waterlogged Cuckoo Bank there were
2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Stonechats, 1 Kestrel and 3 Buzzards. On the
top fields there were 7 Grey Partridges, 25 Skylarks, 15 Meadow
Pipits, up to 30 Fieldfares, another Stonechat and a flock of 100 finches,
mainly Linnets with 15 Greenfinches and 10 Chaffinches (EO). |
|
- 18th
|
- 13°C
- Light
rain
- SSW5
|
| At Stubbers Green there were 2 3cy Caspian
Gulls and 3 (adult and 2 2cys) Yellow-legged Gulls. There
were also over 450 Herring Gulls, 20 Great Black-backs, and 15 intermedius
Lesser Black-backs. Rings noted were YF, PYC, CYS,
861, 306, 934, ALL, 968N and
Herring Gull WB2H. The new 3cy Caspian Gull is a small female
and, like the larger regular male bird, has a 'mirror' on primary 9
as well as p10 which is more typical of an older bird. However, it
also shows immaturity in the tail, tertials and coverts and has a
greenish-yellow bill with a bold black sub-terminal bar (PJ). |
|
- 19th
|
- 13°C
- Sunny
intervals
- SSW6
|
| The adult Mediterranean Gull was
on the South Shore and a Dunlin, 2-3 Grey Wagtails and a
Buzzard were also present. All the hawthorns have now been cleared
off the dam and the bushes around the Nine-foot appear to be the
next to go (PW). |
| The large 3cy Caspian Gull was
present at Stubbers Green (RB). |
|
- 20th
|
- 13°C
- Heavy
rain then sunny intervals
- SW4
|
| The two 3cy Caspian Gulls were
seen in the roost making a total of 4 birds in the area today. Also
present were 2 (2cy and the dark-eyed adult) Yellow-legged Gulls,
an adult Mediterranean Gull (PJ, IW, JA) and a Dunlin (PW). |
| At Stubbers Green 3 Caspian
Gulls were present; a new 2cy, the large 3cy and the 4cy bird (EGP,
JA). |
|
- 21st
- Sat
|
- 13°C
- Cloudy
then heavy afternoon rain
- S3-4
|
| Walking along the dam induced
a very strange agoraphobic feeling now that all the hawthorns have
been cleared. 15 Goosanders were pack hunting just off-shore and at
least 32 Cormorants were present. The adult Mediterranean Gull
was on the South Shore along with the dark-eyed adult Yellow-legged
Gull, 70 Canada Geese, 230 Lapwings and 2 Golden Plovers
(GE). |
- Five species of gull! (GE).
|
|
|
|
|
A few images of the adult, or near
adult, dark-eyed Yellow-legged Gull that has been present in
the area since at least September 14th; creating much discussion as to its
purity and provenance. Its dainty appearance, darkish eye, rounded
head, short stubby bill and extensive dark primaries with small white
tips and possibly only one mirror are all even more akin to Armenian
Gull! But other features such as the lack of a black band on the bill
are not. Thoughts please! (GE). |
|
| At Stubbers Green the 2 3cy Caspian
Gulls were present along with a 2cy Yellow-legged Gull, at
least 650 Herring Gulls, including a yellow-legged argentatus
bird and a Norwegian bird with blue and white ring JCH6 (PJ). |
- 3cy Caspian Gull (© Roger Clay)
|
|
-
22nd
- Sun
|
- 10°C
- Heavy
showers
- SSW6
|
| The WeBS count produced 38 Mute Swans, 63
Canada Geese, 655 Coot, 12 Moorhens, 207 Mallard, 380 Tufted Ducks, 32
Goldeneye, 31 Pochard, 60 Great Crested Grebes, 11 Little Grebes, 9
Teal, 11 Wigeon, 9 Goosanders, 3 Ruddy Ducks and 178 Lapwings (NS). Three (adult, 4cy and 3cy) Caspian
Gulls roosted tonight and only 2 (adult and 2cy) Yellow-legged
Gulls. The adult Mediterranean Gull was also present (PJ,
JA, IW). |
| At Stubbers Green a new adult Caspian
Gull was seen along with the large 3cy bird and Herring Gull JCH6
(PJ, JA, IW). |
|
- 23rd
|
- 12°C
- Heavy
showers
- WNW5
|
| The three (adult, 4cy and 3cy) Caspian
Gulls were again present in the roost along with 3 (1cy, 2cy,
adult) Yellow-legged Gulls and the adult Mediterranean
Gull (IW). |
| The large 3cy Caspian Gull was
seen at Stubbers Green (EGP). |
|
- 24th
|
- 11°C
- Heavy
rain
- SSW5
|
|
The adult Mediterranean Gull was on the South
Shore and 2 Goosanders were near the dam (PW).
|
|
A 3cy Caspian Gull was reported from Stubbers
Green (per PJ).
|
|
- 25th
|
- 11°C
- Sunny
intervals
- SW5
|
| The tall sycamores at the north end of
the dam have now been felled. A probable Wood Lark flew
over the Sailing Shore, briefly settling before flying off over Fly
Bay. Its short-tailed, dumpy appearance and undulating flight were
clearly seen but no call could be heard in the strong wind. A Dunlin
was also present (PW). The gull roost held at least 3 Caspian
Gulls with possibly 2 adults, the 4cy and the large 3cy birds
present. Three (2 adults and a 2cy) Yellow-legged Gulls were
also seen (PJ). |
|
-
26th
|
- 8°C
- Sunny
intervals
- SW4
|
| 4 Caspian Gulls were confirmed
in the roost, there being 2 adults, the 4cy and 3cy birds. Two adult
Yellow-legged Gulls were also present (IW). |
|
- 27th
|
-
- 8°C
- Sunny
intervals
- WSW4
|
| The large 3cy and an adult Caspian
Gull roosted tonight along with an influx of 6 adult Yellow-legged
Gulls (PJ, IW, PDH, EGP). There were also 13 Goosanders, a Chiffchaff
and, remarkably, a Comma near the Swag (PDH). |
|
- 28th
- Sat
|
- 6°C
- Cloudy
- W2
|
| A total of 74 Great Crested Grebes was
equal to the highest ever seen at Chasewater. Also present were 13
Little Grebes, 470 Tufted Ducks, 42 Pochard, 63 Goldeneye, 12
Goosanders, 3 Ruddy Ducks, 9 Gadwall, 8 Wigeon, over 30 Cormorants,
15 Common Snipe, 3 Jack Snipe, 30 redpolls and 2 Grey Wagtails. The
Feeding Station was busy with at least 10 Greenfinches, 10
Bullfinches, Coal Tit, Willow Tit and an enterprising Grey Squirrel.
A herd of 12 Red Deer were on the North Heath. During the afternoon
the dark-eyed Yellow-legged Gull was near the North Shore
with the 4cy Caspian Gull and later the 3cy Caspian Gull
roosted (GE) along with minima of 4 adult Yellow-legged Gulls,
1140 Herring Gulls and 2500 Lesser Black-backs (PJ, JA). |
- One of 12 Red Deer on the North Heath © G
Evans
|
- The felling continues on the dam
- © G Evans
|
- 4cy Caspian Gull on the North Shore
- © G Evans
|
| The large 3cy Caspian Gull
(photos below © Phil Parsons) was
seen at Stubbers Green along with 40 Great Black-backed Gulls and a Green
Sandpiper (PJ, JA, RC, PP). |
|
|
|
|
-
29th
- Sun
|
- 6°C
- Sunny
morning, rain in afternoon
- NE4
|
| 3 (adult, 4cy and 3cy) Caspian Gulls
were on the Sailing Shore (PJ) before disappearing into the roost
and the adult Mediterranean Gull was present throughout the
day (PW). At least 6 adult Yellow-legged Gulls roosted along
with 9500 Black-headed Gulls, a few Common Gulls and similar numbers
of large gulls as yesterday (PJ, GE). |
- All the willows have been cleared from
the Nine-foot
- © G Evans
|
| On Cuckoo Bank there were 2 Ravens,
9 Grey Partridges, 20 Fieldfares, 5 Stonechats and a Buzzard
(GR). |
| At Stubbers Green a four
hour long session produced the 3rd w Caspian Gull which flew
in at 11:45 until 13:05 and the adult Caspian Gull (or is
this the one folk are calling 4th w??) which dropped in at 13.35 for
a mere 5 minutes before flying off. The 3cy then returned at 14.15.
All the gulls then flew at 14.55 (JAl). |
-
- Three photos of 4cy or adult Caspian Gull © J Almond
|
|
|
|
|
-
30th
|
- 5°C
- Light
showers
- NNW4
|
| The wettest November comes to a close. This evening there was a wonderful
display from the Starlings around the Slurry Pool. Over 2000
performed for 20 minutes. Two Sparrowhawks arrived, one of which
went into the flock and caught a Starling whilst the other chased
after one along the reeds. The sight and sound is well worth a visit
(GR). |
|
