Tag Archives: birds

Greenshank – 22nd August

August 22, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 22nd August, birds, Common Tern, Dunlin, greenshank, Herring Gull, Hobby, House Martin, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Reed Warbler, Slurry Lagoon, Swallow, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

This afternoon the Swallows and House Martins were gathered on the wires by the railway bridge when they all took off in alarm as a Hobby made an appearance. They all flew together and kept above and behind it, some making stoops to drive it away. The Hobby seemed unconcerned, making a couple of stoops of its own, probably at dragonflies. Suddenly the swallows were making a lot more noise and then the Hobby flew up out of its stoop with one of them in its talons. The Slurry Lagoon was a lot more peaceful with several each of Shoveler and Teal feeding on the water and a Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover on the shore and a family of Reed Warblers were feeding in the reeds. The Lesser Black-backed Gull flock contained a Herring Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull plus a couple of Common Terns and later a Greenshank called three times as it flew over the site. PS.

Red Kite – 14th August

August 14, 2011Recent wildlife sightings14th August, 2011, birds, Common Tern, Hobby, Red Kite, Slury Lagoon, warblersPete Smith

This morning, during the monthly bird count, a Red Kite paid a visit to the site. It flew low, over the Slurry Lagoon, before gaining height and drifting away over Carlton. Some Common Terns were moving north along the Trent Valley and a Hobby was seen alarming the Swallows beside the river. There were still plenty of warblers to see, several in family parties. PS.

Whimbrel – 12th August

August 12, 2011Recent wildlife sightings12th August, 2011, birds, Cettis Warbler, Deep Pit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Slurry Lagoon, Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtail, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

During the course of the afternoon three separate Whimbrels flew through the site, going south. There were also a Ringed Plover and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover on the Slurry Lagoon.The flock of Lesser Black-backed Gulls contained a Yellow-legged Gull, and several Yellow Wagtails flew through. In the Deep Pit at least two, possibly four, Cetti’s Warblers were heard giving their ‘tack-tack’ alarm calls. PS.

Whimbrel – 7th August

August 7, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 7th August, birds, fish, Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Slurry Lagoon, Snipe, Ten-spined Stickleback, Three-spined Loach, WhimbrelPete Smith

This morning a Whimbrel flew through and there were two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers and a Green Sandpiper on the Slurry lagoon. Later two Snipe and another Green Sandpiper came in.

The Pond Dipping session netted several interesting creepy crawlies and included a Three-spined Loach and a Ten-spined Stickleback. PS.

Black-tailed Godwit – 14th July

July 14, 2011Recent wildlife sightings14th July, 2011, birds, Black-tailed godwit, Green Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Pochard, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

The Green Sandpiper was heard calling early in the afternoon as it left the Slurry Lagoon. Later there were five Black-tailed Godwits feeding and resting on the Slurry Lagoon, in the shallow water. There were also about six hundred Lesser Black-backed Gulls and the female Pochard still has all three ducklings. PS.

Yellow-legged Gull – 13th July

July 13, 2011Recent wildlife sightings13th July, 2011, birds, Deep Pit, Green Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Slurry Lagoon, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

This afternoon the gull roost on the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon contained three Yellow-legged Gulls amongst the Lesser Black-backs. On the wet end there was a Green Sandpiper and two Oystercatchers flew over the Deep Pit. PS.

Black-tailed Godwit – 11th July

July 11, 2011Recent wildlife sightings11th July, 2011, birds, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed godwit, Coot Lesser Black-backed gull, ducks, Grebes, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

The Slurry Lagoon was a hive of activity this afternoon with young ducks, grebes and coots with their parents across almost the whole of its surface. At the back with some Lapwings were two Black-tailed Godwit and a fairly good roost of Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls, PS.

Black-tailed Godwit – 2nd July

July 2, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 2nd July, birds, Black-tailed godwit, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

This morning ten Black-tailed Godwits arrived on the Slurry Lagoon. RW.

Green Sandpiper – 27th June

June 27, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 27th June, birds, Black-tailed godwit, Brown Hawker, dragonfly, Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, Moths, Six-belted Clearwing, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

This morning two Green Sandpipers and three Little Egrets were on the Slurry Lagoon. There was also a Brown Hawker and thirty Six-belted Clearwings. RW.

Later in the afternoon a Black-tailed Godwit arrived on the Slurry Lagoon. RW.

Red-crested Pochard – 24th June

June 24, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 24th June, birds, Chiffchaff, Hobby, Red-crested Pochard, Slurry Lagoon, Sparrowhawk, water rail, Willow titPete Smith

There are still eight Red-crested Pochard on the Slurry Lagoon. A Water Rail was calling from the Slurry Lagoon reed bed to the south of the bench on the Causeway. By the railway bridge, on the up-river side, a Willow Tit without a tail was seen and heard calling. At first I thought it was a juvenile but it more likely had a close encounter with a Sparrowhawk. A Hobby did a magnificent stoop, half the length of the Lower Path, and rose with what looked like a warbler, perhaps a Chiffchaff, in its talons. It flew off with it in the direction of Holme Pierrepont. PS