Thursday, May 29, 2008

Full House at the Quarry

This morning I worked the Bestwood Quarry area in the hope of some scarcer summer visitors - a certain falcon comes to mind! The usual species were all present including some good views of the more and more numerous Linnet. A Sparrowhawk was hunting the area and several Lapwing flew over in singles, often calling as they went. Both common woodpecker species were on show, and good numbers of Common Swift and House Martin could be seen over the woodland and at the top of the hillside.

From the top of the quarry (and scope assisted) I could make out at least one Tree Sparrow on the feeder tree of the house along Lamin's Lane. A Yellowhammer was on the wires over the farmer's field, and a falcon flying towards me and perching up on a telegraph pole had me rushing to focus the scope in apprehension of a scarce species, but I'll settle for some half-decent views of a female Kestrel, before she took off to hunt over the adjacent field. Thirty seven species for that area alone is pretty good going.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Golf Course Birding

This morning's walk focussed around the Mill Lakes area and I spent most of the time looking for signs of breeding. At least three Reed Warbler were singing around the Reedbed Boardwalk, and plenty of hirundines were over the water, including four or more Sand Martin and about thirty House Martin. The male Little Ringed Plover was again on Mud Island with the female also nearby. A single 1st summer Black-headed Gull was over the lake to the north.

Good numbers of Canada Goose were present, with about ten adults on the field by main entrance of Mill Lakes, two adults with fourteen young seen at the northern end of lake, and another two adults with four young on the Golf Course. Also on the Golf Course were a pair of breeding Mute Swan, and a single male Gadwall on the small pond, and successfully breeding Mallard. A male Kestrel was hunting over a group of trees to the north, and three Mistle Thrush were feeding on the fairways.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Hucknall-on-Sea

This morning I went to the Mill Lakes again to see what was around. On the way there I had my first juvenile Long-tailed Tit of the year at Dawson's Corner, and a singing male Common Whitethroat too. Two Reed Warbler were singing near the end of the Reedbed Boardwalk and a male Reed Bunting was in and out of the reeds.

Heading to the north end of the lake on the far side I heard a familiar sea-side sound - gulls calling. I lokked up to see a group of around twenty Herring Gull flying over from the direction of Hucknall, probably coming from a landfill site - quite unseasonal. They flew off to the north east. On the north shore of Mud Island I was surprised to see the male Little Ringed Plover again, and the female was nearby too.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

A Pair for Life

Another life tick this evening with a pair of Little Ringed Plover, which were feeding together on Mud Island at 8pm, and were still present when I left at 8:45pm. Phonescoped photo on the left; vidiscoped image on the right.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Partridges

This morning I headed out early to Lamin's Lane before work, getting great unaided views of a Goldcrest feeding on the trunk of a tree near Andy's Coppice. A Nuthatch was singing near the Three Ponds and a pair of Mallard were again in the grounds of Woodside Liveries.

There was nothing too unusual along Lamin's Lane, but all the regular good birds were around, including both species of Partridge. A pair of Red-legged Partridge were in the field by Lamin's Plantation, and another pair were in the field opposite the first house. A pair of Grey Partridge were in the field to the north of the Golden Plover field (which all seem to have gone off to their breeding grounds now). At least one Lapwing chick was sticking close to its parent in the fallow field, and a couple of male Skylark were vying for territory, or the attentions of a nearby female. The hedgerows and overhead wires produced Common Whitethroat, Tree Sparrow, Linnet, and Yellowhammer, with a single Pied Wagtail in one of the nearby fields.

Heading back to the woodland, I got great scope views of a female Kestrel hovering over Lamin's Plantation, and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull flew over NNW. Three Swift were over, and plenty of Barn Swallow too. A pair of Blackcap were along the northern edge of Warren Hill Plantation and two House Martin were over Broad Valley Stables' Horse Paddock. The Bestwood Quarry area produced more Common Whitethroat, Linnet, and a male Kestrel, plus a pair of Willow Warbler on the hillside. In total, I recorded 41 species, which is the only time I've exceeded forty in one visit without visiting the Mill Lakes.

Monday, May 05, 2008

Four More for the Year

The weather conditions seemed to be good for raptors this morning, because from the house I had my first Common Buzzard of the year over the park, and a pair of Sparrowhawk up very high over the woods. In the afternoon a Kestrel was over the woodland too.

In the evening I took a walk to the Mill Lakes via the Pit Tip where a single Meadow Pipit flushed from, calling as it flew away. A Willow Warbler was singing from a tree in the smaller western plantation, and plenty of Skylark were singing too. At the lake, a pair of Greylag Goose had eleven young with them, and another pair alongside them had four more-recently fledged young. From the Reedbed Boardwalk I could make out a pair of Mallard with at least two ducklings in the reeds.

My first Sedge Warbler of the year was singing (sub-song only) from somewhere towards the back of the the Reedbed. At the Peninsula, two unseasonal Black-headed Gull flew over quite low, heading north, and a Common Swift flew over the main entrance just before sunset. Back on the main site a Kestrel was hunting over Parkside after sunset, and two male Tawny Owl were calling behind Alexandra Lodge.

Friday, May 02, 2008

Another Brief Visit

A quick visit to the park again this morning. The more notable sightings around the woodland were a pair of Blackcap, two singing male Chiffchaff and a Nuthatch collecting nest material.