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July 2005 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) (jpeg your photos and Zip them)
OR submit your records via Chasewater Chat FORUM 
June 2005   May 2005   April 2005  March 2005  February 2005  January 2005  December 2004  November 2004

Key to Contributors:  Julian Allen (JA), John Bennett (JB), Martine Bevan (MB), Steve Bevan (SB), Bruce & Liz Bolton (B &  LB), Ian Butler (IB), Harvy Carter (HC), Roger Clay (RC), Gareth Clements (GC), Kevin Clements (KC), Bevan Craddock (BC), Peter Dedicoat (PD), Graham Evans (GE), Andrew Fisher (AF), Dave Garrad (DG), Brian Jones (BJ), Jackie Jones (JJ), Terry Hancox (TH), John Harris (JH), Steve Haynes (SH), Paul Hyde (PH), Robert Jeffery (RJ), Paul Jeynes (PJ), Ian Littlewood (IL), Brian McGeough (BM), Andy Mabbett (AM), Graham Mant (GJM), Chaz Mason (CM), Natalie (N), Peter Newman (PN), Steve Nuttall (SN), Eric Phillips (EGP), Ivan Poole (IP), Geoff Quemby (GQ), Bruce Read (BR), Steve Richards (SR), Geoff Richardson (GR),  Ian Ryding (IR), Bernard Smith (BS), Roy Smith (RSm), Tony Stackhouse (AS), Neil Stych (NS), Rachel Stych (RS), Steve Tomkinsons (ST), Ade Turner (AT), Ian Ward (IW), Phill Ward (PW),  Geoff Williams (GW), Ted Winks (TW), Ian Whitehouse (ICW), Nigel Wright (NW), Martyn Yapp (MY). Records also from Birdguides (BG) and WMBC Hotline (WMBC)
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2005

Sightings/News

Photos
Sunday
31 July		 1 Peregrine, 1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 12 Common Terns, 2 Common Sandpipers (GE).  
Sat
30 July

Yet more canoeing on the Swag (Wolverhampton Scouts with PERMISSION FROM THE RANGERS). Just two weeks ago we had the third highest ever Tufted Duck count for July (163) and now we have 30, seeking refuge on the Slurry Pool. The Rangers are very good at raising Indian Runners and Donald Ducks but have no idea about PROTECTING THE WILDLIFE.

16 Common Terns, 4 Common Sandpipers (GE, PW).

 


1 Coot, 2 Swans , 4 cygnets, 9 Scouts (GE)
Fri
29 July		 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Common Terns (GE).  
Thurs
28 July		 3 Common Sandpipers, 4 Common Terns, 1 Buzzard hunting over North Heath after the torrential rain had stopped (GE).  
Wed
27 July

1 Common Snipe flew over from the south at 08:00, 1 Common Sandpiper, 9 Common Terns, 1 Buzzard, 3 Herons.

Fly Pool/Bay: 2 Kingfishers (GE).

Ryders Mere: There are now seven juvenile Common Tern on the island. For a couple of weeks there appeared to five juveniles. On Monday there were six and today seven. They can all fly well and seem to be thriving. .Also I have been seeing up to three Common Sandpipers (JAS). 		  
Tues
26 July		 2 Redshanks flew in from south at 08:45, 3 Common Sandpipers, 12 Common Terns (GE).  
Mon
25 July

2 Common Sandpipers (GR). 6 Common Terns, 1 Kestrel (GE)

Swag: Good quantities of Floating Water-plantain leaf flotsam on the shoreline, indicating a strong population of this UK BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) species. 53 Tufted, 1 Kingfisher (GE). 		  
Sunday
24 July

165 Triathlon Swimmers to swim 2.4 miles in the lake starting at 06:00 am.

1 juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 4 Common Sandpipers, 6 Common Terns, 62 Mute Swans + 6 cygnets, 42 Canada Geese, 267 Mallard, 65 Tufted, 1 Ruddy, 25 Great Crested Grebes., 497 Coot, 2 Herons  (GE, PW). 		  
Sat
23 July

Information about Heathland Grazing at Innovation Centre 10:30 am – 3:00 pm.

2 Common Sandpipers, 6 Common Terns, 62 Tufted Ducks, 1 Kingfisher (GE). 		  
Fri
22 July		 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 11 Common Terns (GE).  
Thurs
21 July

10 Common Terns (GE), 2 Common Sandpipers (PW).

Gull Roost: 3 Yellow-legged Gulls (2 adults and 1 2nd summer), 2 adult Common Gulls, 1 1st summer Great Black-back, 150 Lesser Black-backs, 1100 Black-headed Gulls (GE). 		  
Wed
20 July		 Swag: 67 Tufted Ducks and only 10 on the Slurry Pool – Sunday’s boating on the Swag appears to have displaced around 100 Tufties. 9 Common Terns (GE).  
Tues
19 July

 

 

6 Common Sandpipers, 9 Common Terns (GE).

Gull Roost at 21:45: 1 adult Mediterranean Gull in full breeding plumage, 1000+ Black-headed Gulls, 250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (too dark to check for Yellow-legged) (GE). 		 
Mon
18 July		 Gull Roost at 21:30: 1150 Black-headed Gulls, very few large gulls, 9 Common Terns (GE).  
Sunday
17 July

 

 

 

 

 

1 Oystercatcher heard calling at 00:30. Juvenile Tawny Owl called from Vicarage Garden area.

1 Sedge Warbler uttering snatches of song near the Sailing Club.

Very few wildfowl on the Swag for reasons shown on the photo (GE).

 

 


There is a need for ‘No boating’ signs to be put up at the Swag  (GE).

Sat
16 July

3 Common Terns (GE).

Moth Trapping session from 10:00 pm into the early hours of Sunday morning. Results to be included when everything has been identified.		  
Fri
15 July

2 Yellow-legged Gulls (2nd summer and adult), several hundred Black-headed Gulls, 4 Common Terns, 39 Canada Geese.

Jeffrey’s Swag: 163 Tufted Ducks, 1 Ruddy Duck, 6 Common Terns, 70 Coot, 1 Heron, 1 Kestrel (GE).		  
Thurs
14 July		 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (2nd summer and adult), 7 Common Terns, 1 Oystercatcher (GE).  
Wed
13 July		 670 Black-headed Gulls, 190 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Common Terns (GE).  
Tues
12 July

3 Common Terns, 1 Common Sandpiper. Water level now down to 80 cm off maximum.

Gull Roost: 1 2nd-summer Yellow-legged Gull, 105 Lesser Black-backed, 1 1st-summer Great Black-backed and 70 Black-headed Gulls (GE).		  
Mon
11 July

 

 

 

 

1 juvenile Tawny Owl calling at north end of dam.

Several bats around dam, probably Pipistrelles but also Daubentons skimming over the lake. 1 Swallow-tailed Moth.

Wyrley Grove Bridge (1.5 miles south-west of Chasewater): White-letter Hairstreaks around the top of a Wych Elm, Red-eyed Damselflies over and Floating Water-plantain in the canal (GE).		  
Sunday
10 July

 

 

 

 

1 Oystercatcher, 2 Common Terns.

Anglesey Basin: 1 male Banded Demoiselle.

Swag: 118 Tufted, 2 Herons, several Black-tailed Skimmers.

Slurry Pool/Norton Bog: Several Reed Warblers, 1 Heron, several Black-tailed Skimmers, Four-spotted Chasers and Common Darters, 1 Emperor (GE). 		 
Sat
9 July

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Common Sandpiper, 12 Lapwings

Swag: 103 Tufted Ducks, 1 Pochard, 1 Common Tern, 1 Heron (GE).
 Cuckoo Bank:   1 Raven flew north, 1 Hobby feeding on dragonflies, 6 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel + calling young, 1 male Stonechat, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Heron, 2 singing Reed Warblers. 1 Willow Tit in Eights Wood (GE).

30+ Black-tailed Skimmers, 30+ Four-spotted Chasers, 2 Broad-bodied Chasers, 6 Emperors, 1 Brown Hawker, 1 Southern Hawker, 1 Ruddy Darter, 20+ Common Darters, many Common Blue and Azure Damsels, 6 Large Red Damsels, several Emeralds and Blue-tailed Damsels (GE).

Several Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Small and Large Skippers, 1 Common Blue (GE).


Wolf Spider sp. in Sphagnum carrying young (GE).
Fri
8 July		 7 Common Terns, 140 Lesser Black-backs, 200 Black-headed Gulls (GE).  
Thurs
7 July

 

 

 

 

3 Common Terns, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 12 Lapwings, 4 Stock Doves.

1-2 Ringlets near the Nine Foot.

21:45 - 156 Black-headed Gulls including 12 juveniles, 58 Lesser Black-backs (GE).

 

 


Small patch of Sundew in the Overflow (GE).
Wed
6 July		 37 Canada Geese, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Lapwing, 2 Rooks, no terns seen (GE).  
Tues
5 July

 

 

 

 

 4 Cormorants flew over, 3 Common Terns, 37 Canada Geese, 59 Tufted Ducks (GE).

 

 

 

 


Summer’s Evening (GE).
Mon
4 July		 1 Common Tern, 37 Canada Geese, 14 Black-headed Gulls (GE).  
Sunday
3 July

1 Hobby by the Rugby Club (GR).

1 Common Tern (GE).		  
Sat
2 July

 

 

 

 

1 2nd-summer Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Common Terns, 3 Lapwings(GC, KC, GE).

Jeffrey’s Swag: 1 Kingfisher, 99 Mallard, 56 Tufted Ducks (GE).

 

 


Second-summer Yellow-legged Gull (GE).
Fri
1 July		 3 Common Terns (GE).  

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