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April 2005 Diary and News from Chasewater
 and Cuckoo Bank

2005

Sightings/News

Photos

Chasewater:  1 Whimbrel, 1 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpipers, many Swifts (GE, IW, PW).

Dunlin - NS

Whimbrel on South Shore - GE

Chasewater:  1 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 3- 4 Garden Warblers (IW). 8 Green Hairstreaks, 1 Orange Tip, 1 Red Deer on Pool Road motorway bridge (GE).

Cuckoo Bank:  1 Hobby, 1 Sedge Warbler, 6 Wheatears, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat
3 Whitethroats, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels (IW).

Can someone please ID this one - GE

Chasewater:  1 Common Tern early am (IW)1 Short-eared Owl, 160 Swifts, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpipers (GE). 1 Kingfisher, 3 Reed Warblers (IW).

Mallard variety nesting on Innovation Centre roof!
IR.

Ringed Plover - GE

Chasewater:  1 Short-eared Owl on North Shore, 30 Swifts, 1 Common Tern (GE).

2 Herring Gulls, 148 Lesser Black-backed
Approx 100 gulls again flew south east at around 8.30 PM

Cuckoo Bank:   1 Buzzard (GE).

Chasewater:  300 hirundines, 20 Swifts, 1 Cormorant, 2 Green Hairstreaks (GE).

Cuckoo Bank - TH

6 Green Hairstreaks in Anglesey Basin (GE, NS).
Chasewater:  10 + Swifts, 2 Whitethroats, 40-50 House Martins, 5 Common Terns through, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Reed Warbler singing Slurry Pool, approx. 40 singing Willow Warblers North shore, Male and female Sparrowhawk displaying over the Swag (IW), 1 male Ruddy Duck (NW). 2 Teal (GE).  194 Lesser Black-backed, 10 Great Black-backed, 7 Herring, 28 Black-headed through at 19.00, 9 Arctic Terns until dusk (IW)
Gull Roost:  194 Lesser Blacl-backed, 10 Great Black-backed, 7 Herring, 28 Black-headed through at 19.00, 9 Arctic Tern tern until dusk (IW).

| Ruddy Duck - NW

23 April
Sat

 

Chasewater:  A Kite flew high (1-32pm) east to west following the Toll Road. Unmistakeable forked tail and only one fleeting glimpse of under wing patches as it banked and reflected the light. 99% certain it was a Black Kite as opposed to a Red Kite (BJ, JJ).
2 Common Terns, 2 Swifts, LRP on rough ground next to Plants Swag, Pair Willow Tits at Plant Swag (IW). Just right of path to Castle - Great Crested Grebe with 3 young - 2 on it's back, the other swimming around and diving. The other pair of Grebes, on the left, still shadowing the Coot on it's nest (NW). 1 Common Whitethroat (GE). 180 Sand Martins, 20 Swallows, 8 House Martins  (GE).
Gull roost - Birds left it very late tonight arriving after 8.30.They had been feeding at Cannock Tip all day: 178 Lesser Black-backed, 3 Great Black-backed, 4 Herring, 1 Common Tern roosting on orange buoy (IW).
Male Muntjac in dense coppice north of Slurry Pool. .1 Pipistrelle picked up with bat detector from south end of dam in cold and wet conditions.
Cuckoo Bank:  1 male Lesser Whitethroat, male Wheatear, 1 White Wagtail, 2 Buzzards, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Little Grebes. Large quantity of newly hatched tadpoles in ditch next to pool 10.  2 male and 8 female Smooth Newts between pool 10 and Eights Wood(IW)

1 'Commic' Tern, 2 Wigeon, 255 Lesser Black-backed, 10 Herring, 2 Great Black-backed,
8 Black-headed (IW).
Cuckoo Bank:  5 Golden Plovers, 6 Wheatears, 1 Sparrowhawk , 2 pairs Grey Partridges (GR)

Chasewater:  2 Gadwall, 8 Shelducks departed by 07:00 but 3 more flew in at 18:30 , 2 Common Sandpipers(IW), 3 Ruddy Ducks, 1 Common Tern (IW), 1 Little Ringed Plover (GE). early am

Gull roost - 2 Herring, 0 Great Black-backed, 175 Lesser Black-backed, 18 Black-headed Gulls (IW).

Chasewater:  Early morning - 1 Arctic Tern flew north at 07:30, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover (IW).
Late afternoon - 1^st summer Little Gull, 2 Common Terns, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Common Sandpiper, 140 Sand Martins (GE, IW).

 Evening - 351 Lesser Black-backed, 6 Black-headed, 2 Herring Gulls, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Short-eared Owl (IW).

Nest of Coot - GE

Gull roost - 561 Lesser Black-backed, 18 Great Black-backed, 14 Herring, 1 Black-headed (IW).

Chasewater:  4 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Redshank (sailing club shore), Mallard with 9 ducklings (IW). 1 Cormorant, 2 Redshanks flew south through low cloud at 9:55 (GE). Green woodpecker on road to outdoor ed centre, Ruddy duck. (N).
Gull roost - 615 Lesser Black-backed, 21 Great Black-backed, 4 Herring, 1 Common, 6 Black-headed (IW).
Cuckoo Bank:  2 Common Snipe (1 drumming), 1 Wheatear (fem), 6 Teal, 2 Little Grebes, 4 Stonechats, 2 Mistle Thrushes (IW).

Chasewater:  1 Dipper was reported between Swag and main lake – does anyone know any details of this sighting; it would be a ‘first’ for Chasewater (Forest of Mercia information board)
1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Teal, 5 Common Gulls (GE).
Gull Roost - 829 Lesser Black-backed, 19 Great Black-backed, 14 Herring, 3 Common, 14 Black-headed Gulls (IW).
Cuckoo Bank:  2 Snipe, 6 Teal, 1 Cuckoo (south of Eights Wood), 40+Golden Plover, Whitethroat (IW), 4 Grey Partridges, 12 Common Snipe (NS, RS).

Chasewater:  8am - Common Tern, Ruddy Duck, Oystercatcher (heard only) (IW).
Midday – 4 Common/Arctic Terns, 1 Common Tern (PW).
Evening – 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Teal, 600 + Lesser Black-backed (some obscured by raft preventing accurate count), 4 Herring Gulls, 11 Great Black-backed Gulls, 5 Common Gulls, 40 Black-headed Gulls, 6 medium sized bats (GE,IW)
Cuckoo Bank:  After a heavy shower of rain - 1 Green Sandpiper, 12 Wheatears, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 10 Grey Partridges 5 pairs, 300+ Linnets, Golden Plover (didn't count, just left them peacefully in the stubble), 2 Stonechats, male Smooth newt, Brown Hare (IW). 45 Golden Plovers seen flying around Cuckoo Bank from Chasewater’s south shore (GE)

Chasewater:  14 Waxwings in a tree by Brownhills West Station. (GR). 3 Redwings (GE), 1 Common Sandpiper (NS, RS).    60 Mute Swans, 18 Canada Geese, 18 Great Crested Grebes, 105 Mallard, 22 Tufted Ducks, 108 Coot (NS, RS).
Cuckoo Bank:  45 Golden Plovers, 1 Wheatear, 1 White Wagtail (in cattle field), 6 Grey Partridges, male Sparrowhawk (IW). 2 pairs of Stonechats (NS, RS).

Chasewater:  33 Tufted Ducks, good hirundine numbers (GE), 2 Little Ringed Plovers (PW)
Gull roost - 650 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 9 Great Black-backed Gulls, 12 Black-headed Gulls, 7 Herring Gulls(GE, IW).
Cuckoo Bank:  2 Stonechats, 5 Golden Plovers, 7 Stock Doves, 4 Wheatears. Good numbers of Yellowhammers , Linnets , Reed Buntings and Meadow Pipits (IW)

Chasewater:  400 Sand Martins, 50 Swallows (GR)1 House Martin, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 28 Tufted Ducks.
Highfield Farm – 2 Teal, 3 Stock Doves, 98 Wood Pigeons, 20 Linnets (GE)
Gull roost:  - 847 Lesser Black-backed (1 Intermedius), 25 Great Black-backed, 51 Black-headed Gulls, 7 Herring Gulls, 2 Common Gulls (IW).

Chasewater:  13 Waxwings flew north along the west shore at 18:40 ,  3 House Martin, 300+ Sand Martins, 35 Swallows, 1 Blackcap, 18 Tufted Ducks (GE, IW).
Gull roost - 15 Great Black –backed, 541 Lesser Black-backed (5 intermedius), 22 Herring Gulls, 43 Black-headed Gulls (IW).

Chasewater:  1 Short-eared Owl in the North Marsh, pair of Sparrowhawks, Willow tit at feeding station (GR).
220 Sand Martins, 8 Swallows, 7 Common Gulls (5 adults, 2 1^st summers), 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 18 Black-headed Gulls (GE).
Below the dam - 2 Siskins, 2 singing Blackcaps, 2 Bullfinches, 3 Goldfinches, 1 Buzzard high North West (IW).
Gull Roost - 8 Great Black-backed Gulls, 7 Herring Gulls in roost + 5 flew through at 13:00, 7 Common Gulls, 4-500 Lesser Black-backed but unable to accurately count Lessers due to torrential downpour making viewing impossible (IW).

Chasewater:  4 Greylag Geese flew south. 1 sinensis type Cormorant, 300+ Sand Martins, 12 Swallows, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 first summer Common Gull, 56 Black-headed Gulls flew north-west, 2 Little Grebes, 2 singing Blackcaps on the dam, a pair of Willow Tits in the West Shore Plantation (GE, IW).
Gull Roost -  numbers up again with an influx of GBB Gulls and intermedius Lessers
18 Great Back-backed, 447 Lesser Black-backed (at least 20 intermedius), 7 Herring Gulls, 14 Black-headed Gulls (IW).
Cuckoo Bank:  12 Red Deer (GE)

23 Teal, 275 Sand Martins (IW).  3 Pintail (Pager).

Gull Roost - An increase in numbers tonight .
Birds were feeding at Cannock Tip at 17:00.
344 Lesser Black-backed, 4 Great Black-backed inc 2 adults, 25 Herring Gulls, 67 Black-headed (IW)

 

Adult Kittiwakes (a fourth joined them later) - GE


1^st summer White-fronted Goose on the Swag. The first record for Chasewater since 1966 (GE)

Chasewater:  1 Jack Snipe, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Goosander, 9 Goldeneye, 61 Tufted Ducks, 3 Ruddies, 1 singing Blackcap, 10 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 1 calling Little Grebe in Fly Bay (GE).
2 White Wagtails, 1 Oystercatcher, 35 Sand Martins, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 168 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 9 Herring Gulls, 21 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Little Grebes (IW).
Cuckoo Bank:  13 Golden Plovers, 4 Buzzards, 4 Kestrels, 2 Stonechats, 2 Grey Partridge, Jay at nest, 14 Red Deer, 1 Fox (GR).
Biddulph’s Pool area - 3 Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk,  2 Kestrels, 4 Bullfinch, 2 Willow Warblers, 4 Lesser Redpolls, 1 Treecreeper, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (IW).

Chasewater:  1 Greylag Goose, 5 Sand Martins, 29 Black-headed Gulls, 13 Goldeneye (GE). 1 Common Sandpiper (BG).
Cuckoo Bank:  3 Kestrels, 100+ Linnets (in 2 flocks 25 and 75+), 35 Yellowhammers, 2 Grey Partridge, 2 Golden Plovers flew over, 16 Fieldfares (Eights Wood), 4 Redwings (Eights Wood) (IW).
No Man’s Bank – 2 Willow Warblers, 4 Buzzards, 8 Teal, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 35 Red Deer. New sites for Hard Fern and Narrow Buckler Fern (GE)
 

Part of a herd of 35 Red Deer - GE
 

Not bad considering the mega at Shugborough