Tag Archives: water rail

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

Cetti’s Warbler – 6th March

March 6, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 6th March, birds, Deep Pit, Grey Wagtail, Lower Path, peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Slurry Lagoon, water rail, Willow titPete Smith

A cold wind was blowing as we walked around the site today but a pair of Grey Wagtails and a pair of Pied Wagtails did not seem too bothered by it, even though the male Grey Wagtail’s tail was blown right over his back at one time. The Cetti’s Warbler was heard in the Deep pit and the pair of Peregrines was perched on a pylon ( is this a different pair to those seen on the Newton Building ?). Three Water Rail were heard on the Slurry Lagoon and a Willow Tit was heard along the Lower Path. PS/AE/AR/DG/PG/RW.

Oystercatcher – 18th February

February 18, 2011Recent wildlife sightingsBarn Owl, Goldeneye, Oystercatcher, Shoveler, water railPete Smith

An Oystercatcher was seen and heard calling very loudly along the river this afternoon. The Barn Owl was present again and a Water Rail was heard on the Slurry Lagoon. There were four Goldeneyes on the Large Gravel Pit and 49 Shoveler on the Slurry Lagoon. PS.

Glaucous Gull – 12th January

January 12, 2011Recent wildlife sightings12th January, 2011, birds, Black Swan, Deep Pit, Glaucous Gull, Large Gravel Pit, Mitigation Field, Slurry Lagoon, Tree Sparrow, water railPete Smith

This afternoon, as I worked in the Deep Pit with my volunteer, a Black Swan flew over the site, with three Mute Swans, giving a pathetic squeak as it passed. Later two adult and two juvenile Mute Swans landed on the ice on the Slurry Lagoon, skidding as they landed accompanied by hilarious screaming from a Water Rail. As we were preparing to go, an immature Glaucous Gull flew over the site, possibly from the Large Gravel Pit, and headed towards Holme Pierrepont. PS. DM.

Earlier in the day two Tree Sparrows were seen in S.T. hedge line near to the Mitigation Field. JMD.

Merlin – 6th January

January 6, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 6th January, birds, Cettis Warbler, Merlin, peregrine, Small Gravel Pit, water rail, Willow titPete Smith

This morning up to six Water Rail were heard or seen around the site. A Peregrine flew over and a Cetti’s Warbler was heard calling near the Small Gravel Pit. DM.

This afternoon a Willow Tit was seen near the Irish Bridge, AE, and a Merlin flew over towards Colwick, PS, DM.

Barn Owl – 8th December

December 8, 2010Recent wildlife sightings2010, 8th December, Barn Owl, birds, Curlew, Kestrel, Little Egret, Mitigation Field, Ouse Dyke, Snipe, Sparrowhawk, water railPete Smith

This afternoon a Barn Owl was seen along the Ouse Dyke. JMD.

The fishing spot is getting even more popular, with seven Little Egrets, four Herons and two Kingfishers trying their luck. Water Rail and Snipe were also seen.

Whilst looking over the ‘Mitigation’ field two Little Egrets flew past, then a Kestrel, then a male Sparrowhawk, which flew into a sunlit tree and fluffed out its white under-tail coverts like a pom-pom, then a female Sparrowhawk started quartering the field like a Harrier, landing on the ground twice as she formed her next plan of attack. Shortly afterwards a Curlew flew along the power lines and straight overhead. PS.

Shelduck – 18th November

November 18, 2010Recent wildlife sightings18th November, 2010, birds, Cettis Warbler, Deep Pit, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Large Gravel Pit, Mallard, Shelduck, Shoveler, Slurry Lagoon, teal, water rail, WigeonPete Smith

The Large Gravel Pit had over 200 Coots on it this afternoon with good numbers of Gadwall and some Wigeon. Amongst the throng was an out of place Shelduck. They normally prefer the Slurry Lagoon, which had good numbers of Shoveler and Teal on it as well as the gull roost. On the Deep Pit were about 50 Mallard and a male Goldeneye, and Cetti’s and Water Rail were heard calling.

Ruff – 2nd September

September 2, 2010Recent wildlife sightings2010, 2nd September, birds, Common Tern, Green Sandpiper, Hobby, Kestrel, Ruff, Slurry Lagoon, Sparrowhawk, water railPete Smith

This evening a juvenile Ruff flew onto the Slurry Lagoon, there was also a Green Sandpiper and two Water Rail. Two Common Terns flew through and a Hobby was catching dragonflies before joining in some aerial capers with a Sparrowhawk and two Kestrels.

Black-tailed Godwit – 2nd August

August 2, 2010Recent wildlife sightings2010, 2nd August, birds, Black-tailed godwit, Caspian gull, crickets, Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, Long-winged Conehead, Lower Path, Mediterranean Gull, roesels bush cricket, Slurry Lagoon, Snipe, water rail, Willow tit, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

There were three Black-tailed Godwits, five Dunlin, five Yellow-legged Gulls and a Caspian Gull on the Slurry Lagoon this afternoon. Both Roesel’s Bush Crickets and Long-winged Coneheads were found and a Willow Tit was heard along the Lower Path. PS.

In the evening a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, three Green Sandpipers, a Snipe and a Water Rail were present on the Slurry Lagoon. RW.

Little Egret – 22nd July

July 22, 2010Recent wildlife sightings2010, 22nd July, birds, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, Little Egret, Slurry Lagoon, water rail, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

On the Slurry Lagoon this afternoon there were one Little Egret, 43 Common Tern, 102 Lapwing, one Common Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers, two Yellow-legged Gulls and a Water Rail. RW.