All posts by Pete Smith

Stonechat – 21st January

January 22, 2024Recent wildlife sightings2024, 21st January, Ecopark, StonechatPete Smith

This morning the male and female Stonechats were showing well on the Ecopark fencing. PS.

Waxwing – 17th January

January 17, 2024Recent wildlife sightings17th January, 2024, ducks, gulls, Slurry Lagoon, WaxwingPete Smith

This morning there were lots of ducks and gulls on the partly frozen Slurry Lagoon. Late morning a single Waxwing trilled as it flew over. JV.

Marsh Harrier – 16th January

January 16, 2024Recent wildlife sightings16th January, 2024, carrion crow, Marsh Harrier, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

This morning there was a male Marsh Harrier hunting over the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed. Two crows attacked it but it landed in the reed-bed and they flew off. PS

Red Kite – 15th January

January 15, 2024Recent wildlife sightings15th January, 2024, Red Kite, Slurry Lagoon, tealPete Smith

This morning a large flock of Teal were on the Slurry Lagoon and a Red Kite was hunting over the reserve for about half an hour. PS.

Goosander – 14th January

January 15, 2024Recent wildlife sightings14th January, 2024, goldfinch, Goosander, Large Gravel Pit, Redpoll, SiskinPete Smith

This morning, during the Monthly Bird Count, a flock of 26 Goosander flew over the Large Gravel Pit. In the Severn/Trent plantation a flock of Siskin, Redpoll and Goldfinch were feeding in the Alders. PS.

Marsh Harrier – 11th January

January 11, 2024Recent wildlife sightings11th January, 2024, Buzzard, Chiffchaff, Deep Pit, Great White Egret, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, peregrine, Redpoll, Slurry Lagoon, SparrowhawkPete Smith

This morning a female Marsh Harrier was hunting over the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed. Also seen were a Peregrine, two Buzzards, a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk. Later two Great White Egrets flew over the site and a Redpoll and Chiffchaff were in one of the Deep Pit birches. PS

Peregrine – 7th January

January 7, 2024Recent wildlife sightings2024, 7th December, Deep Pit, Egyptian Goose, peregrine, PheasantPete Smith

This morning the flood water had subsided considerably and the Trent was back in its normal course. Three Egyptian Geese flew through, low over the Deep Pit and a Peregrine made a playful stoop at a group of feeding Pheasants. PS.

Pink-footed Goose – 5th January

January 6, 2024Recent wildlife sightings2024, 5th January, carrion crow, Pink-footed Goose, RavenPete Smith

This morning the river was still very high and well beyond its banks. A flock of about fifty Pink-footed Geese were flying over when a low aircraft panicked them into flying in a tight bunch. Once the aircraft had gone they sorted themselves out into a stretched V again and departed to the north. A Raven was seen investigating a Carrion Crow nest on a lighting pylon on the railway land. Several Carrion Crows started to dive bomb it until it flew away. PS.

Great White Egret – 4th January

January 6, 2024Recent wildlife sightings2024, 4th January, Deep Pit, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Great White Egret, Mallard, Slurry Lagoon, teal, Wader ScrapePete Smith

This morning the flooded areas , especially the Wader Scrape, had attracted good numbers of Mallard, Teal and Gadwall and there were five Goldeneye on the Deep Pit. In the late morning a Great White Egret flew over the Slurry Lagoon. PS.

Bittern – 17th December

December 18, 2023Recent wildlife sightings17th December, 2023, Bittern, Large Gravel Pit, Marsh Harrier, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

This morning a Bittern was seen, flying over the Large Gravel Pit. There was also a report of a Marsh Harrier over the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed at about mid-day. RJP.