I was out and about in north Notts yesterday, which allowed me a patch visit on the way home, in the hope of catching up with a Ring Ouzel that Susan Purdy had found earlier in the day at Besthorpe NWT. When I arrived, I quickly located it - then a second bird, and then a third! The three then fed together on the main grassy area at Meering Marsh (on the old works site). Very nice too.
A patch visit tonight was less productive - 2 Greenshank that Ken Lomas had had this morning at Meering had departed. However, the Knot was still on Mons Pool, and the drake Scaup was still on Ferry Lane Lake.
Showing posts with label Besthorpe NWT (North). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Besthorpe NWT (North). Show all posts
Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Gulls and swans
Today played out much like Wednesday; I had the morning at Cotham Landfill and the afternoon on the patch, seeing much the same birdwise... The 1st W Caspian Gull from Wednesday had been replaced by an adult Caspian Gull, but there was, again, no sign of any white-wingers. A 1st W Herring Gull with a white head and dark body caught my eye, and although it had a good dark tail, the rump was pale and only lightly barred...
On to Collingham, where one of the highlights was no fewer than 14 Shelduck (13 on Mons Pool), up from the 3 that have been present the last couple of weeks. They must think Spting is on its way. The other highlight was a flock of 38 Whoopers and the 2 Bewick's Swans in the field next to Trent Lane.
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| Caspo (front) with a Herring Gull |
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| Caspo |
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| 1st W Herring Gull |
On to Collingham, where one of the highlights was no fewer than 14 Shelduck (13 on Mons Pool), up from the 3 that have been present the last couple of weeks. They must think Spting is on its way. The other highlight was a flock of 38 Whoopers and the 2 Bewick's Swans in the field next to Trent Lane.
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| Wild Swans |
Wednesday, 24 December 2014
Christmas Eve eve
One final check of the patch before Christmas, between running some final errands, produced 2 Merlins at Besthorpe NWT over the access track to Meering Marsh, with 2 Whooper Swans and 2 Egyptian Geese with 22 Mute Swans in the adjacent field. A quick check of Ferry Lane Lake failed to produce anything of note...
Saturday, 29 March 2014
A day in the field
Today was one of those slightly hazy early spring days; warm and pretty perfect. After an absence of a couple of weeks, the butterflies were back, with plenty of Brimstones around, and smaller numbers of Small Torts and Peacocks. I spent all morning at Collingham Pits, covering the whole site and doing a complete count for Birdtrack, notching up 70 species (72% of my patch yearlist thus far); I missed Sparrowhawk, and yesterday's Pochard and Green Sand were absent, so it could easily have been a few more. However, Grey Wagtail was new for the year (taking my 2014 Patchwork Challenge list to 89), and other good bits 'n pieces included a total of 8 Sand Martins, 7 singing Chiffies, a singing Blackcap, a Lesser Redpoll, 3 Egyptian Geese, 2 Oycs, single Ringed Plover and Curlew, 3 LRP's, 4 Goosander, and a Peregrine (which almost took my head off as it swooshed past just a few metres above ground level). Oh,and the Glossy Ibis, showing well along the southern side of Ferry Lane Lake - it's nice having a resident rarity.
After lunch I headed for Girton Pits, there were plenty more singing Chiffies and another Blackcap, a Green Sand, a total of 37 Shelduck (of which 35 where on Spalford Pit, 5 Sand Martins, and a high-flying Short-eared Owl which came across the Trent and flew east through the site, being harassed by Crows. John Ellis had singing Willow Tit and Willow Warbler here yesterday, but neither was in evidence today. I'm going to have another go for Willow Tit tomorrow. I wrapped things up at Besthorpe, where c.30 Fieldfares were hanging around on the western side of Besthorpe Meadow.
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| Grey Wag |
After lunch I headed for Girton Pits, there were plenty more singing Chiffies and another Blackcap, a Green Sand, a total of 37 Shelduck (of which 35 where on Spalford Pit, 5 Sand Martins, and a high-flying Short-eared Owl which came across the Trent and flew east through the site, being harassed by Crows. John Ellis had singing Willow Tit and Willow Warbler here yesterday, but neither was in evidence today. I'm going to have another go for Willow Tit tomorrow. I wrapped things up at Besthorpe, where c.30 Fieldfares were hanging around on the western side of Besthorpe Meadow.
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
2013 at Collingham and Besthorpe
Although Collingham and Besthorpe has been my (main) local patch for some time now, I have never kept a tally of how many species I record on an annual basis. However, in 2013 I decided to take part in the inaugural Patchwork Challenge – I do like a bit of competitive birding (which doesn't just involve driving miles and ticking off someone else’s bird ).
One of the things about birding a site like Collingham Pits is the way it changes within, and between years, partly due to ongoing extraction and restoration works, and partly due to water levels. The year started with water levels the highest I’ve ever seen them, following flooding at the end of 2012, and Ferry Lane Lake was full to the brim. Water levels gradually receded during the spring and summer with the aid of a pump, and extraction recommenced mid-July. As a result, some passable wader habitat had reappeared within the new workings area by late summer. As usual, water levels on Mons Pool fluctuated unpredictably, to the detriment of both passage waders and breeding species, although this site did host the county’s first breeding Little Egrets during the year.
January
8 visits
Species added = 76
Running total = 76
My year started with a visit on 5th, which produced 58 species. There were no real surprises during the month, but a Med Gull on Ferry Lane Lake with small number of BHG’s on 27th was my only one of the year. Decent winter birds included Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Brambling, Pink-footed Goose and Goosander. A decent, if unspectacular, start.
February
3 visits
Species added = 7
Running total = 83
I actually rather neglected the patch in February, with gulls at Cotham Landfill proving too attractive, and a holiday in Majorca also getting in the way. However, the first Whooper Swan of the year was added, along with a party of 6 Bewick’s Swans (on Smithy Marsh, scoped from Meering) and one of only two Merlins recorded during the year.
March
7 visits
Species added = 5
Running total = 88
March was rather slow, but targeted searching for Woodcock eventually paid off, with one flushed at Besthorpe Warren, and a Grey Plover on the Silt Lagoon was the first decent wader of the year. Although not a new addition, a herd of 40 Whooper Swans in the field west of Ferry Lane Lake was notable for its size.
April
16 visits
Species added = 20
Running total = 108
An LRP on 1st heralded the arrival of spring, and my visit rate duly increased. Most common summer migrants were recorded during the month, along with two sought-after raptors – a patch-tick in the form of a Red Kite, and a more expected Marsh Harrier (which I chased from Girton as it flew south). April also brought the first Black-tailed Godwit of the year, and a pair of Avocets which briefly took up residence on Mons Pool.
May
11 visits
Species added = 9
Running total = 117
Several more summer migrants were added, including Turtle Dove (whose reappearance at both Mons Pool and Meering was a relief). Two new wader species were Turnstone and Sanderling, with three of the latter during the month, and a Yellow-legged Gull was the first of several. Visits at the end of the month were curtailed by a week in Scotland.
June
8 visits
Species added = 3
Running total = 120
June was a rather slow month, but Red-legged Partridge, Peregrine and Barn Owl were new additions. Two Avocets made a brief visit at the start of the month (probably the pair present at the end of April and which had relocated to Langford Lowfields), and another 3 Sanderling turned up mid-month.
July
10 visits
Species added = 2
Running total = 122
Another week away, this time in France, limited visits at the start of the month, but two new species, both waders, were duly added - the first Greenshank of the autumn, and 3 Whimbrel on the Silt Lagoon at the end of the month.
August
17 visits
Species added = 4
Running total = 126
At the start of the month, a Wood Sandpiper on Mons Pool became the best wader of the year so far, whilst towards the end of the month, a Ruff finally made appearance and an Egyptian Goose took up residence for a short time on Mons Pool. A Spotted Flycatcher on Carlton Ferry Lane was the first I’ve seen on the patch (they breed in Collingham village itself) – no Pied Flycatchers though, despite one just up the road at Dunham Lagoons and good passage elsewhere.
September
22 visits
Species added = 6
Running total = 132
September was a fairly productive month; a Ring-necked Parakeet (127) which flew through the site on 5th was also a patch tick, and after lots of searching I finally tracked down a Garganey (128) on Mons Pool. Two Little Stints (129) on Ferry Lane Lake were a welcome find (after dipping a bird earlier in the year), and I finally located my one and only Water Rail (130) of the year. Two drake Red-crested Pochards (131) were my only non-self-found birds of the year, and my final visit of the month paid dividends when I found a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper (132) on the old Eon Lagoon at Meering Marsh; with several birds elsewhere in the county, it was good to get in on the action.
October
5 visits
Species added = 0
Running total = 132
October was my first, and only, blank month of the year, not helped by time away on Scilly at the start of the month and in Norfolk at the end, although the Pec Sand remained at Meering at the beginning of the month.
November
4 visits
Species added = 1
Running total = 133
Having not been onto the patch for two weeks, a morning visit on 9th produced the most memorable moment of my birding year (not just on the patch), when I found a Pied Wheatear (133). This bird stayed until the following day and was well twitched. Not only a first for Notts, this was also the first ever inland county record, and a very welcome reward for a lot of time spent on the patch (and not just this year). A moment to savour! And maybe even a challenger for the Patchwork Challenge Best Find prize...
December
5 visits
Species added = 2
Final total = 135
I have to admit I was slightly losing motivation at this stage, partly due to the lure of gulls again at Cotham Landfill. However, a nice adult Caspian Gull (134) just before Christmas was a welcome addition. My last visit before Christmas was made on the 23rd, and after time back in Suffolk with my family, I squeezed in one more visit before the New Year, when I finally added Tawny Owl (135)!
In summary, I visited my patch on 116 occasions during the year; some were flying visits, others longer, and sometimes I covered all areas (Collingham Pits, Mons Pool, Meering Marsh and Besthorpe Warren), and other times I checked choice locations. Sometime I even managed two visits in one day. Things like holidays and hockey matches meant I couldn't always visit when I wanted to (or should’ve done), but nevertheless I clocked up a total of 135 species during the year, and 166 points.
So what did I miss? Well, with the last-minute addition of Tawny Owl I had no glaring omissions. However, birds I know of that were seen by others during the year were Black-necked Grebe, Common Scoter, Osprey, Rock Pipit, and Spotted Redshank. No doubt there are a couple of extras too. Other birds I might reasonably have hoped for include things like Whinchat and Stonechat. So 140 would be do-able. And hopefully I'll have some local competition in 2014 - John Hopper would give me a run for my money at Hoveringham!
Postscript: checking my totals, it became clear I'd somehow missed Common Sandpiper off my list, so my final total was in fact 136 species, and 167 points.
One of the things about birding a site like Collingham Pits is the way it changes within, and between years, partly due to ongoing extraction and restoration works, and partly due to water levels. The year started with water levels the highest I’ve ever seen them, following flooding at the end of 2012, and Ferry Lane Lake was full to the brim. Water levels gradually receded during the spring and summer with the aid of a pump, and extraction recommenced mid-July. As a result, some passable wader habitat had reappeared within the new workings area by late summer. As usual, water levels on Mons Pool fluctuated unpredictably, to the detriment of both passage waders and breeding species, although this site did host the county’s first breeding Little Egrets during the year.
January
8 visits
Species added = 76
Running total = 76
My year started with a visit on 5th, which produced 58 species. There were no real surprises during the month, but a Med Gull on Ferry Lane Lake with small number of BHG’s on 27th was my only one of the year. Decent winter birds included Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Brambling, Pink-footed Goose and Goosander. A decent, if unspectacular, start.
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| Med Gull |
February
3 visits
Species added = 7
Running total = 83
I actually rather neglected the patch in February, with gulls at Cotham Landfill proving too attractive, and a holiday in Majorca also getting in the way. However, the first Whooper Swan of the year was added, along with a party of 6 Bewick’s Swans (on Smithy Marsh, scoped from Meering) and one of only two Merlins recorded during the year.
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| Bewick's Swans |
March
7 visits
Species added = 5
Running total = 88
March was rather slow, but targeted searching for Woodcock eventually paid off, with one flushed at Besthorpe Warren, and a Grey Plover on the Silt Lagoon was the first decent wader of the year. Although not a new addition, a herd of 40 Whooper Swans in the field west of Ferry Lane Lake was notable for its size.
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| Grey Plover |
April
16 visits
Species added = 20
Running total = 108
An LRP on 1st heralded the arrival of spring, and my visit rate duly increased. Most common summer migrants were recorded during the month, along with two sought-after raptors – a patch-tick in the form of a Red Kite, and a more expected Marsh Harrier (which I chased from Girton as it flew south). April also brought the first Black-tailed Godwit of the year, and a pair of Avocets which briefly took up residence on Mons Pool.
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| Avocet |
May
11 visits
Species added = 9
Running total = 117
Several more summer migrants were added, including Turtle Dove (whose reappearance at both Mons Pool and Meering was a relief). Two new wader species were Turnstone and Sanderling, with three of the latter during the month, and a Yellow-legged Gull was the first of several. Visits at the end of the month were curtailed by a week in Scotland.
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| Turnstones |
June
8 visits
Species added = 3
Running total = 120
June was a rather slow month, but Red-legged Partridge, Peregrine and Barn Owl were new additions. Two Avocets made a brief visit at the start of the month (probably the pair present at the end of April and which had relocated to Langford Lowfields), and another 3 Sanderling turned up mid-month.
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| Sanderling |
July
10 visits
Species added = 2
Running total = 122
Another week away, this time in France, limited visits at the start of the month, but two new species, both waders, were duly added - the first Greenshank of the autumn, and 3 Whimbrel on the Silt Lagoon at the end of the month.
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| Whimbrel |
August
17 visits
Species added = 4
Running total = 126
At the start of the month, a Wood Sandpiper on Mons Pool became the best wader of the year so far, whilst towards the end of the month, a Ruff finally made appearance and an Egyptian Goose took up residence for a short time on Mons Pool. A Spotted Flycatcher on Carlton Ferry Lane was the first I’ve seen on the patch (they breed in Collingham village itself) – no Pied Flycatchers though, despite one just up the road at Dunham Lagoons and good passage elsewhere.
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| Wood Sand |
September
22 visits
Species added = 6
Running total = 132
September was a fairly productive month; a Ring-necked Parakeet (127) which flew through the site on 5th was also a patch tick, and after lots of searching I finally tracked down a Garganey (128) on Mons Pool. Two Little Stints (129) on Ferry Lane Lake were a welcome find (after dipping a bird earlier in the year), and I finally located my one and only Water Rail (130) of the year. Two drake Red-crested Pochards (131) were my only non-self-found birds of the year, and my final visit of the month paid dividends when I found a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper (132) on the old Eon Lagoon at Meering Marsh; with several birds elsewhere in the county, it was good to get in on the action.
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| Garganey |
October
5 visits
Species added = 0
Running total = 132
October was my first, and only, blank month of the year, not helped by time away on Scilly at the start of the month and in Norfolk at the end, although the Pec Sand remained at Meering at the beginning of the month.
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| Pec Sand and Ruff |
November
4 visits
Species added = 1
Running total = 133
Having not been onto the patch for two weeks, a morning visit on 9th produced the most memorable moment of my birding year (not just on the patch), when I found a Pied Wheatear (133). This bird stayed until the following day and was well twitched. Not only a first for Notts, this was also the first ever inland county record, and a very welcome reward for a lot of time spent on the patch (and not just this year). A moment to savour! And maybe even a challenger for the Patchwork Challenge Best Find prize...
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| Pied Wheatear |
December
5 visits
Species added = 2
Final total = 135
I have to admit I was slightly losing motivation at this stage, partly due to the lure of gulls again at Cotham Landfill. However, a nice adult Caspian Gull (134) just before Christmas was a welcome addition. My last visit before Christmas was made on the 23rd, and after time back in Suffolk with my family, I squeezed in one more visit before the New Year, when I finally added Tawny Owl (135)!
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| Caspo |
In summary, I visited my patch on 116 occasions during the year; some were flying visits, others longer, and sometimes I covered all areas (Collingham Pits, Mons Pool, Meering Marsh and Besthorpe Warren), and other times I checked choice locations. Sometime I even managed two visits in one day. Things like holidays and hockey matches meant I couldn't always visit when I wanted to (or should’ve done), but nevertheless I clocked up a total of 135 species during the year, and 166 points.
So what did I miss? Well, with the last-minute addition of Tawny Owl I had no glaring omissions. However, birds I know of that were seen by others during the year were Black-necked Grebe, Common Scoter, Osprey, Rock Pipit, and Spotted Redshank. No doubt there are a couple of extras too. Other birds I might reasonably have hoped for include things like Whinchat and Stonechat. So 140 would be do-able. And hopefully I'll have some local competition in 2014 - John Hopper would give me a run for my money at Hoveringham!
Postscript: checking my totals, it became clear I'd somehow missed Common Sandpiper off my list, so my final total was in fact 136 species, and 167 points.
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Feb's WeBS
It was a bit damp and blowy out today, but I managed a good WeBS count at Girton Pits. Most notable was a very high count of 1608 Wigeon, the majority of which were on the Sailing Lake, and among which was a single drake Pintail.
From the fishermen's carpark, I spied some swans on Smithy Marsh which looked interesting - and indeed they were: 6 Bewick's Swans. I travelled round to Besthorpe NWT (North) to get a closer look - and to get them on my Patchwork Challenge list! A female Merlin sat in a nearby field was a nice bonus.
Bewick's Swans on Smithy Marsh
Thursday, 31 January 2013
76 up
I managed an hour at Besthorpe NWT (Meering) this afternoon, first failing to find any Woodcock again in Meering Wood (disappointing as I flushed two at Manton Pit Wood earlier), but then getting a nice pair of Goosander on the Trent, bringing my Patchwork Challenge total to 76 (equating to 78 points).
Saturday, 26 January 2013
Tracks in the snow
We had a bit of a walk at Besthorpe today, parking at the Silt Lagoon at Collingham, and then walking up the side of Mons Pool, along the Trent, through Besthorpe NWT, and back down through Mons Pool. It was fairly quiet on the bird front, with 2 Redshank and a Little Egret the best; the hoped for Goosander on the river and flyover Peregrine, or even a Red-legged Partridge, didn't materialise. There were were plenty of mammals tracks in the snow, and some interesting bird tracks too, including what looked like Woodcock (notice the bill probes where it changes direction):
We tried to track it for a while (this would be a good patch yeartick), but then came across this, and gave up!
I then had a go for gulls at Cotham Landfill after lunch, but there were no gull present. Given that there had been a fair few here last saturday, including the Glauc, I can only assume that some rubbish had been left uncovered, and hadn't been today. However, I did flush two Woodcock (I didn't have to rely on footprints this time).
But bird of the day goes to the Fieldfare that was in my garden eating apples. Very nice too.
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| Presumed Woodcock tracks and bill probe holes |
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| Lots of tracks! |
But bird of the day goes to the Fieldfare that was in my garden eating apples. Very nice too.
Saturday, 5 January 2013
New names for 2013
Towards the end of last year, there was an effort (led by Notts Wildlife Trust) to come up with some consistent names for the pits at Collingham and Besthorpe, given that most observers use their own names. This seemed sensible, and after some consultation, a new set of names have been settled on - see the Collingham Pits page for further details. I will be using these new names from henceforth...
Saturday, 7 July 2012
A taste of the Mediterranean
A look at Mons Pool this afternoon produced the three Mediterranean Gulls (2 ads and a 2nd summer) that had been found here yesterday; they flew in with a small group of Black-headed Gulls and bathed, before flying off north - where there were some more gulls wheeling around. Not finding much else (although 2 female Pintail were nice) I decided to go and check these gulls out (after giving Collingham Pits a very cursory look - 1 Green Sand on Carlton Ferry Farm Pit).
I found the gulls in a bare, partially flooded field on the north side of the access track to Besthorpe NWT North (beyond the track down to Mons Pool). Scanning through the several hundred Black-headed Gulls, I came across at least 5 Common Gulls, and a 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull with a few Lesser Black-backs. The 3 Med Gulls were also present - and amazingly so was a fourth - this time a 1st summer Med Gull.
Earlier, I'd had a bit of a look round Langford, hoping for some waders. As I was just about to leave, having only seen single Common Sand and Green Sands, a nice Black-tailed Godwit dropped in. I managed some distant record shots, but unfortunately in the time it took me to get round to the viewing screen it had vanished. Also here, a Hobby hawking overhead, and a Peregrine flying south with a Wood Pigeon in its clutches (tailed by the 17 Common Terns that were feeding over Phase 1!).
I found the gulls in a bare, partially flooded field on the north side of the access track to Besthorpe NWT North (beyond the track down to Mons Pool). Scanning through the several hundred Black-headed Gulls, I came across at least 5 Common Gulls, and a 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull with a few Lesser Black-backs. The 3 Med Gulls were also present - and amazingly so was a fourth - this time a 1st summer Med Gull.
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| 2 adult Med Gulls at Besthorpe |
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| Ad Med Gull at Besthorpe |
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| 2nd summer Med Gull at Besthorpe |
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| 1st summer Med Gull at Besthorpe |
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| 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull at Besthorpe |
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| Lots of gulls at Besthorpe |
Earlier, I'd had a bit of a look round Langford, hoping for some waders. As I was just about to leave, having only seen single Common Sand and Green Sands, a nice Black-tailed Godwit dropped in. I managed some distant record shots, but unfortunately in the time it took me to get round to the viewing screen it had vanished. Also here, a Hobby hawking overhead, and a Peregrine flying south with a Wood Pigeon in its clutches (tailed by the 17 Common Terns that were feeding over Phase 1!).
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| Black-tailed Godwit at Langford Lowfields |
Friday, 15 June 2012
Besthorpe North
A quick look at Besthorpe NWT North late this arvo didn't reveal much, although there was an Oystercatcher and several Lapwing in the bare field on the north side of the access road, a Yellow Wag flew over, and there were 54 Southern Marsh Orchids in their usual spot on the southern bank of the Eon Lagoon, at the western end.
I then accessed Mons Pool from the north for a change, rather than via Collingham Pits, seeing a pair of Shoveler and the female Shelduck brooding her young (it was raining, again). Best was a Gropper reeling in the south-west corner of Besthorpe Meadow SSSI.
I then accessed Mons Pool from the north for a change, rather than via Collingham Pits, seeing a pair of Shoveler and the female Shelduck brooding her young (it was raining, again). Best was a Gropper reeling in the south-west corner of Besthorpe Meadow SSSI.
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Hello yellow
With the Thayer's Gull readily accessible today up near Brigg, I instead went round Collingham, Besthorpe and Girton as I'd promised myself some local birding before going back to work (and yesterday had been a write-off cos of the weather). Nothing too amazing - smatterings of hirundines (a total of 6 Swallows and 2 House Martins, the latter at Mons Pool) and Willow Warblers, and the new reedbed area at Besthorpe NWT (North) actually held a couple of birds, including an LRP.
Single Little Egret and Green Sand were on the Sailing Lake at Girton, and most notably a 1st W Eurasian White-fronted Goose was with the Greylags on the River Trent off the fishermens carpark (mind the asbestos).
An evening visit to Cotham Flash was notable for two reasons; 1. the flash is actually holding some water (and some birds - a Redshank, a Ringed Plover and a few duck), and 2. it produced my first Yellow Wags of the year, glowing in the sun. These were in the horse paddocks to the south, along with c.15 Pied Wags (but no alba's) and a Wheatear.
So will I regret not going for the Thayer's? I will if it doesn't hang round until saturday...
Single Little Egret and Green Sand were on the Sailing Lake at Girton, and most notably a 1st W Eurasian White-fronted Goose was with the Greylags on the River Trent off the fishermens carpark (mind the asbestos).
An evening visit to Cotham Flash was notable for two reasons; 1. the flash is actually holding some water (and some birds - a Redshank, a Ringed Plover and a few duck), and 2. it produced my first Yellow Wags of the year, glowing in the sun. These were in the horse paddocks to the south, along with c.15 Pied Wags (but no alba's) and a Wheatear.
So will I regret not going for the Thayer's? I will if it doesn't hang round until saturday...
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Reed all about it
Girton Pits today, and for once no time constraints. There was quite a lot of disturbance, especially on the sailing lake - some guys (presumably from the sailing club) were cutting scrub with chainsaws on one of the islands, and there were several fisherman dotted around. However, the A1133 Pit was a bit quieter, with lots of duck on the southern part. There was nothing of particular note, with a total of 358 Tufted Duck and 45 Goldeneye the stand-out counts. Single Redshank and Green Sands were also present (the latter on the Spalford Pit). Nearby, I took a drive through Spalford Warren to check the feeders - loads of tits and finches, plus a single Lesser Redpoll.
A revisit of Mons Pool (this time accessed from the north) didn't produce much different from yesterday, so I bumped down the track to Besthorpe NWT North. The new reedbed was officially opened here last week, with water let in from the adjacent storage lagoon. The Newark Advertiser rather optimistically described this as a 'vast' wetland with the creation of 8 hectares of reedbed and 3 hectares of wet grassland during recent works (across both this site and Mons Pool). Whilst definately not 'vast', these sites will no doubt become important areas of habitat, and I look forward to seeing how the sites evolve over the next few years.
A revisit of Mons Pool (this time accessed from the north) didn't produce much different from yesterday, so I bumped down the track to Besthorpe NWT North. The new reedbed was officially opened here last week, with water let in from the adjacent storage lagoon. The Newark Advertiser rather optimistically described this as a 'vast' wetland with the creation of 8 hectares of reedbed and 3 hectares of wet grassland during recent works (across both this site and Mons Pool). Whilst definately not 'vast', these sites will no doubt become important areas of habitat, and I look forward to seeing how the sites evolve over the next few years.
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| The newly flooded (future) reedbed at Besthorpe NWT North |
Saturday, 7 January 2012
Pinkies on the move
I paid my first visit of the year to Girton Pits this morning. Generally things were pretty quite, although there was a Green Sand on the North Pit, and about 10 Tree Sparrows and 3 Bullfinches were in with a flock of Reed Bunts feeding in the winter beet field at the intersection of Trent Lane and Green Lane - there were also good numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing in this area.
At the far end of Trent Lane at the fisherman's carpark I scanned the Holmes on the opposite side of the river for geese, instead finding 3 Whooper Swans to the south of Smithy Marsh. I decided to drive round to Besthorpe NWT (North) to get a better look at them, although by the time I got there they'd moved onto the Trent; this did mean I also came across a nice group of 8 Goosander (3 drakes and 7 redheads) which I wouldn't otherwise have seen.
At the same time, 35 Pink-footed Geese passed overhead, battling into the westerly wind, and another larger group appeared to land back towards where I'd just come from; I retraced my steps back to Girton and down Trent Lane, and a quick check of Grassthorpe Holme produced a group of c.120 Pinkies - the most I've ever seen on the ground in Notts, and in the exact same spot where I had 13 Eurasian White-fronts in mid November.
At the far end of Trent Lane at the fisherman's carpark I scanned the Holmes on the opposite side of the river for geese, instead finding 3 Whooper Swans to the south of Smithy Marsh. I decided to drive round to Besthorpe NWT (North) to get a better look at them, although by the time I got there they'd moved onto the Trent; this did mean I also came across a nice group of 8 Goosander (3 drakes and 7 redheads) which I wouldn't otherwise have seen.
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| Whooper Swans (with three of the 8 Goosander behind) on R. Trent at Besthorpe NWT (North) |
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| Pink-footed Geese on Grassthorpe Holme |
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