The Derbyshire Ornithological Society

   Carr Vale Nature Reserve News

April was a poor month with just 97 species recorded, the first time since 2003 that we have failed to reach 100 species for the month. My being away for the latter half of the month didn't help but once again Ian and Kevin kept up the daily visits and we remain on target for our 3000th consecutive daily visit on 10th June. 17 new birds for the year took the yearlist to 118, which is about average but highlights were non-existent with the best birds being Green Sandpiper, White Wagtail, Grasshopper Warbler and Brambling, yes it really was that poor a month.

Two Little Grebes were seen on the 11th with a single bird noted on the 13th whilst up to four Great-crested Grebes were present daily. Cormorants were seen on all bar one date until the 26th with a peak count of seven on the 10th and up to three Herons were seen on 25 dates during the month. Mute Swans were logged daily with a maximum count of five on the 13th and 30th. Two Pink-footed Geese were present on the 16th and 17th and Grey Lag Geese were recorded on 27 dates with notable counts of nine on the 3rd and eight on the 27th whilst Canada Geese numbers remained in double-figures all month with a high of 69 on the 5th.

Two Shelduck were seen on the 1st with a male on the 5th and another pair on the 27th. 21 Wigeon were still present on the 1st but they had declined to six by the 4th, this group remaining until the 8th after which all departed. Gadwall were recorded in double-figures on all bar two dates with a maximum count of 21 on the 1st and 4th and Teal were recorded in double-figures until the 24th with a peak count of 35 on the 6th. A Mallard nest with 15 eggs was found on the 13th and a pair of Shoveler was seen on the 3rd and 14th. Tufted Ducks were recorded in double-figures throughout the month with a peak of 23 on the 8th and 28th.

Sparrowhawks were logged on 12 dates with and Common Buzzards were seen on 12 dates. As usual most were seen from the observation mound to the south of the area with a peak count of eight in the air at once on the 10th including four over the reserve. One to three Kestrels were recorded on 27 dates and four were logged on the 12th whilst a Peregrine was seen on the 8th and 10th. A pair of Grey Partridges was recorded on the 6th and 10th.

Five Oystercatchers were seen on the 1st and birds were then seen daily until the 26th. Up to four Little-ringed Plovers were seen daily but six were counted on the 19th and 300 Golden Plovers were seen on the 5th with 34 the following day, which proved to be the last of the winter. A Dunlin flew west on the 1st, another was seen on the 16th and two were present on the 21st and 22nd. Snipe were logged on 24 dates but the highest count was only eight on the 5th. Single Curlews were seen on the 3rd (east) and 21st but Redshanks were daily visitors until the 26th with a peak count of nine on the 2nd. A Green Sandpiper that was seen on the 14th, 16th, 19th and 21st was an unusual spring visitor unlike the Common Sandpiper which was present on the 25th, although this bird was a later arrival than usual. A first winter Common Gull on the 11th was the only one of the month whilst the only other notable gull record for the month concerned a count of 116 Great Black-backed Gulls flying north on the 3rd. Two Common Terns on the 17th were the first of the year and quite early and one or two were seen daily between the 23rd and 28th apart from on the 27th when three were present.

A Cuckoo was present on the 30th, one or two Little Owls were seen on 26 days during the month and the first (six) Swifts of the year were recorded on the 26th. Kingfishers were seen on six dates, a Green Woodpecker was noted on six dates with two on the 11th and a Great-spotted Woodpecker was seen on three dates. Sand Martins were recorded on all bar two dates with notable counts of 33 on the 3rd, 66 on the 5th and 35 on the 21st. The highest count of Swallows was 35 on the 18th and after the first House Martin of the year on the 9th they peaked at 65 on the 30th. The first Yellow Wagtail of the year was seen on the 11th with daily records then until the 13th. Thereafter recorded on nine dates with a peak count of eight on the 21sr (with five the following day). 34 Pied Wagtails were counted on the 6th but the only White Wagtail of the year so far was seen on the 13th.

A breeding bird survey (counting singing males) on the 13th produced 27 Wrens, 11 Dunnocks and 33 Robins. A male Wheatear was present between the 12th and 16th, another was seen on the 24th and two were present on the 26th. 19 male Blackbirds were also located on the 13th whilst Fieldfares were recorded on six dates with 130 on the 2nd, 100 on the 5th and 6th and the last ten of the winter on the 24th.

The first Grasshopper Warbler of the year was reeling on the 21st with another on the 23rd. then two on the 24th and three on three out of the last four days of the month. A male Sedge Warbler was seen on the 23rd, increasing to three by the end of the month and after a very early Reed Warbler on the 12th, birds were logged daily from the 25th reaching six by the 30th. The first Lesser Whitethroats (two) of the year were seen on the 22nd with two more present on the 29th and 30th and the first Common Whitethroat of the year was seen on the 21st with three in by the 30th. A Garden Warbler was seen on the 26th and six male Blackcaps were located on the 13th when 19 singing Chiffchaffs and 11 singing Willow Warblers were also located. A Goldcrest was still singing on the 26th and four pairs of Long-tailed Tits were found during survey work on the 13th. Four Willow Tit territories were also found during early April.

Single Jays were seen on five dates plus four on the 11th, ten singing male Chaffinches were found on the 13th and a female Brambling was on the gate feeding station on the 9th, the first time that this species has visited a feeding table. The only Siskin of the month was seen on the 22nd whilst Lesser Redpolls were seen on three dates (all between the 10th and 14th) with a peak count of 26 on the 14th. Eight Bullfinches were seen on the 15th, 24th and 25th with up to six on many other dates and small numbers of Reed Buntings continued to use the feeding stations.

A Comma was seen on the 1st with another on the 10th when both Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock were noted. The first Green-veined White of the year was seen on the 22nd when two Brimstones were seen. The first Orangetip of the year was recorded on the 23rd and another Brimstone was seen on the 29th. Hares continued to be seen regularly from the observation mound in the large field below Sutton Scarsdale Hall and 20 were counted on the 1st with 14 on the 10th. As the crops became taller however sightings became fewer later in the month. Other mammals included a Water Vole on the 6th, a Fox on the 24th and a Weasel on the 5th, 8th, 10th and 18th whilst a Stoat was logged on the on the 6th. Finally a male Roe Deer was seen on the 3rd, 6th and 8th.

Mark Beevers

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