Review of 2007

2007 was my first full year of birding. Through the year I've covered pretty much the whole park, averaging just over five visits a month. I recorded 97 species, including the Cuckoo, which was only heard, and the three good garden ticks: Pink-footed Goose, Waxwing, and Osprey. Six of the species I recorded were new species for me, having never seen them in the wild before. Each of these first encounters was a highlight for me, but there were many more. Here's a brief month-by-month overview of my highlights.

Having spent the new year in Scotland, my very first visit of the year on the 12th January produced lengthy views of my first Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the woodland and added Egyptian Goose to my patch list at the Mill Lakes. From home on the 23rd, I observed a skein 30-40 Pink-footed Goose, flying NNW over the Pit Tip. In February, I was lucky enough to film an photograph a single Waxwing on the 25th, when it perched on the lamppost at the end of my garden. Two Grey Partridge on the railway line at the Leen Pastures were another patch tick. The main highlights of March were a pair of Common Buzzard over Bestwood Quarry on the 11th, a single Golden Plover near Lamin's Lane on the 14th, and the three Shelduck at the Mill Lakes on the 25th.

The middle of the year was generally quieter, but being my first chance of any warblers there was plenty to aim for. In April my first Willow Warbler on the 19th and Whitethroat on the 22nd were nice, as was the male Yellowhammer at the Mill Lakes on the latter. The main highlight of May, and possibly the entire summer, was the stunning male Garganey present on just the 11th, which was reported around lunchtime and still present when I got there in the pouring rain in the evening - my first patch twitch! The Barnacle Goose on the Golf Course was an interesting find on the 23rd, as were the more tickable Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler. May also produced two stunning male Ruddy Duck that went past me laughing on the 29th and my first ever Tawny Owl on the same evening. A trip to Bestwood Quarry on the last day of May added Linnet to my patch list.

June was quiet, but I got my first footage of a Kingfisher to keep me happy. July produced nice views of a family of Kestrel on the 14th and patch ticks for Common Tern and Reed Warbler the following day. A dozen Mistle Thrush perched together on the 22nd was a nice site and I got some decent footage of a juvenile Kestrel on the 27th. The highlight of August was locating a local colony of Tree Sparrow on the 16th, thanks to an anonymous tip off on the blog.

The end of the year coincided with the start of my new job, which has restricted my weekday visits to the park, but I still managed to get some early mornings in, despite the poor light. On the 5th of September a single Lapwing was on Mud Island, and the Common Snipe have been present since at least the 13th. Two Kingfisher were seen on the 16th, but the three eclipse Wigeon were the highlight. My first Shovelor of the year was on the 18th, and the month finished with a Notts scarcity in the form of an Osprey seen from my garden as it drifted from over the Pit Tip on the 30th.

October brought more good birds in, and the news of the Stonechat that had been present all week on the Pit Tip got me there after work on the 9th - just in time. More notable, was the first winter Whinchat present the following morning - another Notts scarcity. A flock of Lesser Redpoll were on the Pit Tip on the 16th, Fieldfare on the 31st, and I finally caught up with the Water Rail on that day too.

November was a bit quieter, but three Little Grebe on the 10th was my highest site count, and the Stoat was a nice sight too. My first Siskin were small numbers on the 25th, with the larger flock found on the 4th of December at the Mill Lakes, then another flock were found on the Pit Top on the 11th.

In 2008, I'm hoping to catch up with some of the annual visitors that have so far eluded me, such as: Red-legged Partridge, Woodcock, Common Sandpiper, Herring Gull, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo (acutally see one!), Little Owl, Sand Martin, Garden Warbler, Brambling, and Common Redpoll. However, I'll also be looking to see the the scarcer birds again, particularly Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

The End of 2007

A short walk around the woodland with my daughter produced a single Nuthatch and three Goldcrest, at the top of Ted Heath, and a Green Woodpecker calling by the Triangle to finish off the year.

A Foggy and Frosty Morning

The morning started well, with a group of three Reed Bunting feeding along the path and hedgerow of the Pit Tip Top that borders the small conservation area alongside Front Line. The two females were quite showy, and the male more elusive. A single Green Woodpecker was on a fence post at the western side of Pit Tip Plantation, and an adult Pied Wagtail was feeding on the icy path there too.

At the Mill Lakes a single adult Mute Swan was with six juveniles on the Leen by the Reedbed and Vehicle Bridge. A vast amount of the lake was frozen and circa 170 Black-headed Gull were on the ice at the southern end, with another 60 at the north end (a personal site record). A Grey Heron was on Tern Island, and just two Pochard could be seen through the fog. A flock of ten Long-tailed Tit feeding in alder trees between Dipping Ponds and Peninsula contained at least one Siskin. The feeding station at Leen Pastures was empty, but produced brief views of a Water Rail along the railway embankment, which only stood out because there was nothing else moving in the area.

Highlight of the morning was a single Tree Sparrow in the hedgerow that runs alongside the farmer's field at the back of Broad Valley Stables' Horse Paddock, since there are no recent records of them in the park or near this location. The two other locations for nearby records are both over a kilometre away. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was also seen here, flying over in the direction of the Mill Lakes.

Before stopping by the rangers' station for a chat, I noted two Coal Tit on the feeders at Alexandra Lodge as well as the typical species. Heading home, I bumped into some friends from the park's "Friends of" group, and spoke briefly about Goldcrest calls, all of ten seconds before hearing and locating a single Goldcrest in a yew at Khalsa Wood! Two Nuthatch were together in the large trees directly above the path between the Three Ponds and the Triangle, loads of Chaffinch and ten Collared Dove were in trees around the back fence to Big Wood School Field, and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker at the back of Warren Hill finished off the morning.

Winter Quarry Walk

This afternoon was the organized winter walk around Bestwood Quarry for the newly-formed Friends of Bestwood Country Park group. It was a good excuse to get some birding in, whilst finding out more about the quarry area of the park.

On the Pit Tip there was a mixed finch flock of around twenty Siskin and ten Goldfinch feeding in alder down western edge of main plantation, they've been present since Tuesday am, at least. Two Green Woodpecker were feeding in Farmer Fox's Cow Fields, and a single Jay was in the sidings.

The quarry sightings were mainly flyovers consisting of several groups of 2-6 Lesser Black-backed Gull over in all directions (including four juveniles in one party of six), two Mallard were over towards Mill Lakes, as were two Mute Swan. On the ground a family party of four Bullfinch were on the hillside bend and another Jay was in the plantation at the top. An adult Red Fox was also present, showing well as it descended into the valley.

Heading back through the woodland produced another two Jay screeching away along main drive, and numerous Goldcrest were heard calling from yew trees along there too. Highlight of the walk was a Tawny Owl heard calling from conifers along 2nd valley just off main drive. Not bad for an afternoon visit.

Close Encounter with a Sparrowhawk

A morning walk around the Mill Lakes produced just one Grey Heron along the near bank, a single Great Crested Grebe, and two Little Grebe at the north end of the lake around the small island made up of an exposed tree root. Three Common Snipe and a Grey Wagtail were on Mud Island and the Pochard group numbered nine in the middle of the lake. The Siskin flock was at the Leen Pastures, with around forty birds present.

Heading back along the Sustrans path near to Reedbed, a female Reed Bunting was in the bramble and flew off towards Reedbed with two other probables. Two Greenfinch were at Dawson's Corner, and a Green Woodpecker was at the western side of the Pit Tip Plantation. Also present here was a flock of forty or so finches feeding in the alder, composed mainly of Siskin. As I watched them move from tree to tree a Sparrowhawk flew straight past at waist height and within reach! It was carrying some blackbird-sized prey back from the Rise Park gardens and into the western side of the main Pit Tip Plantation. Before leaving I also noted a gathering of eight Magpie on the Pit Tip Top.

Siskin Flock

A morning visit to the Mill Lakes before work produced a family party of Mute Swan at the north end of the lake, with two adults and four juveniles. At least some of the geese had returned, but these were just singles and couples of Canada Goose, numbering nine in total. At least one Common Snipe was hiding on Mud Island, and singles of Common Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull were over the water.

A single Willow Tit was on the Leen Pastures Feeding Station, which was dominated by eight or so Chaffinch. A finch flock of around 50-70 birds was seen briefly flying towards the lake from the trees around the feeding station, and I followed in search of what were probably Siskin. Back down the far side of the lake, I connected with the confirmed Siskin flock of 50+ birds feeding in some birch at the water's edge. Below them, I also got some nice footage of a Wren.