The Derbyshire Ornithological Society

   Carr Vale Nature Reserve News

Daily visits continued unabated and the year-list progressed to a healthy 119, the second highest end of April figure. 101 species were recorded during the month, the fourth successive year that we have broken the 100 mark for April and this despite the fact that we failed to record Fieldfare, Redwing or Siskin during the month. Although it was generally a quiet month a few notable birds were found including Shelduck, Goosander, Hobby, Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit (first April record), Green Sandpiper, Iceland Gull (two, latest ever record), Yellow-legged Gull (two), Little Owl, Ring Ouzel and Grasshopper Warbler. It was a very dry month and as a consequence the Southern Flash dried up in mid-month whilst the water level in Meadow Flash dropped to 21 inches.

The only Little Grebe of the month was logged on the 17th and two Great-crested Grebes were present daily but they showed no inclination towards breeding. Cormorants became scarcer with one to three during the first four days of the month followed by single birds on five dates and a party of four that flew north on the 14th. Herons were recorded on 27 dates with a high of four on the 11th and Mute Swans were recorded on 23 dates with a peak of five on the 20th, 29th and 30th. Seven Grey Lag Geese were present between 26th and 28th with five on the 16th and one to four on 19 dates and Canada Geese were present daily with a high of 60 logged on the 28th.

Two Shelduck were present on the 5th and Wigeon numbers remained high until the 4th after which there was the usual sharp decline. 143 were counted on the 4th (a record count for April) and the last seven were seen on the 8th except that a late, injured male appeared on the 29th. Gadwall, for which there were daily log entries, peaked at 16 on the 16th with double figures noted on eight other dates. Teal were recorded daily until the 25th with a peak of 35 on the 1st and a late female was found on the 30th. The first Mallard brood (of 13) found the 19th and two more broods had been found by the end of the month, a male Shoveler was present daily between the 2nd and 5th with a pair noted on the 28th. A pair of Pochard was present on the 13th and Tufted Ducks were logged daily in double-figure counts on 28 dates and a high of 22 on the 10th. A female Goosander was seen on the 19th and 21st.

Sparrowhawks were recorded on 15 dates (22 bird / days) with two pairs displaying on the 11th. Common Buzzards were recorded on seven dates (15 bird / days) with three seen on the 9th and four recorded on the 17th. Once again, though only three were actually over the recording area the rest being to the south or west of the area. Kestrels were logged on 24 dates (a total of 34 bird / days) with a peak count of four on the 28th. The first Hobby of the year was seen on the 28th and a pair of Red-legged Partridges was flushed from the Peter Fidler Reserve on the 10th. The pair of Oystercatchers was present throughout the month and they were joined by an additional bird on the 9th, 12th, 14th and 19th. Little-ringed Plover were recorded daily from the 3rd with a peak of six noted on the 12th and 26th whilst 115 Golden Plovers flew east on the 11th with another 30 noted flying north on the 17th. Lapwings were present daily in small numbers and two Dunlin were present on the 15th and 20th. Snipe were logged on 27 dates but the only double-figure count was ten on the 12th. A Black-tailed Godwit was present daily between the 2nd and 10th and became the first April record whilst a Curlew flew south 1st and two more flew south on the 17th. Redshanks were recorded almost daily with a peak count of six on the 1st and 3rd, single Green Sandpipers were seen on the 12th and 29th and the first Common Sandpiper of the year was present on the 11th and 12th. Two more were present between the 18th and 20th and another was seen on the 24th.

Gulls continued to attract attention as good numbers remained in the area, the highlights being single first winter Iceland Gulls on the 3rd and 4th with a very late bird on the 9th, the latter becoming the latest ever for the site. 16 Common Gulls flew north on the 2nd and a late bird was seen on the 28th and 100 Herring Gulls were present on the 4th. Great Black-backed Gulls remained in good numbers for most of the month and the site record was broken on the 3rd when 230 were counted. The last of the month were eight that flew north on the 30th. Two or three Common Terns were seen on the 22nd followed by one on the 25th and two on the 29th.

A Cuckoo was seen on the 20th with two on the 22nd and another the following day, Kingfisher sightings improved a little with records for eight dates during the month whilst Green Woodpeckers were recorded on five dates and single Great-spotted Woodpeckers were logged on four dates with a pair noted on the 15th. Sand Martins were recorded on 23 dates but double-figure counts were rare with ten or more on just five dates. The highest count was 92 on the 19th of which 82 flew north in 20 minutes in the evening whilst 40 flew north on the 10th. Swallows were only present in low numbers with a peak count of 35 on the 27th and the first House Martins were ten on the 13th with a peak count of 30 on the 23rd and 27th. Meadow Pipit passage continued to be poor with a further 53 logged over eight dates as they made their way north taking the spring total to 224. A late Grey Wagtail flew south on the 10th and single White Wagtails were seen on the 19th and 30th.

A Wheatear was reported on the 9th and a male was in front of the observation mound on the 13th whilst a male Ring Ouzel on the 8th was a nice surprise for the single observer who found it but most unusually no Fieldfares or Redwings were noted during the month. The first Grasshopper Warbler of the year was recorded on the 19th and again on the 20th, after which single reeling birds were located in two other areas on five further dates, although there was never more than one bird on any date. An early Sedge Warbler was recorded on the 13th with daily records from the 16th and a peak count of five (four singing males) on the 28th. The first Reed Warbler was recorded on the 18th with another on the 21st, then birds were noted daily from the 23rd with a high of seven singing on the 28th. Also on the 18th the first Lesser Whitethroat of the year was recorded after which single birds were logged on eight dates with two present on the 28th and 30th. Whitethroats came a little bit later with the first two seen on the 21st with seven singing on the 28th. Two Garden Warblers were singing on the 26th and again on the 28th with single birds on the 27th and 29th and there was a record count of 18 singing male (plus two female) Blackcaps on the 28th. It has been an excellent spring for Chiffchaffs and the site record for singing birds was smashed on the 10th when 33 were heard with 20 still singing on the 28th. Willow Warblers arrived very late this year with the first (six) not recorded until the 10th. On the survey date of the 28th a total of 31 singing males was located and for the first time ever singing Chiffchaffs have outnumbered singing Willow Warblers. Two singing Goldcrests were still present along the southern edge of the recording area on the 28th.

Willow Tits continued to feed at the bird tables with up to four seen regularly and it is thought that three pairs are in the area this summer. Single Coal Tits were logged on three dates with two present on the 6th and 20th and three in the area on the 10th. Single Jays flew north on the 7th, 19th and 25th, 12 Chaffinches were singing on both the 10th and 28th with three pairs of Goldfinch located on the latter date. Four Lesser Redpolls flew north on the 3rd, three pairs of Bullfinches were located on the 28th and Reed Buntings still came into the feeding station on the mound where the highest count was 10 on the 5th.

Seven species of butterfly were logged during the month including up to four Brimstones on four dates and up to two Commas on four dates. It was also a good month for Grass Snakes with three reported from the Stockley trail early in the month and two reported from the Peter Fidler Reserve on the 26th. Single Water Voles were seen on the 17th and 27th, one or two Hares were seen on four dates, a Fox was seen on the 22nd and a Stoat was reported on the 10th and 20th. On the latter date the observer witnessed it kill a Brown Rat. Finally the warm sunny weather encouraged the Red-eared Terrapin from the water and it was seen basking in the sun on the 17th, 26th and 29th.

Mark Beevers

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