The Derbyshire Ornithological Society

   Carr Vale Nature Reserve News

Daily visits continued and produced a low September tally of 98 species, the first time since 2001 that we have failed to break a century in September and no species were added to the year list, which remained on 138, although this does equal the highest ever end of September figure. Several notable species were seen including Pink-footed Goose, Pintail, Hobby, Peregrine, Water Rail, Ruff (from August), Greenshank, Mediterranean Gull (14th record), Caspian Gull (10th record), Kittiwake, Common Tern (latest ever), White Wagtail, Sedge Warbler (latest ever) and Clouded Yellow. The dry spell from the end of July continued throughout the month providing good muddy margins round the flashes. There is now a facility for casual visitors to report their sightings. To do so visit the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust web site (www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk) and click on "latest sightings on reserves".

Little Grebes were recorded on 17 dates with two birds noted on four dates but this species failed to breed for the first time since 2001. Three Great-crested Grebes were seen daily until the 6th after which two were present daily until 19th with one remaining until the 30th. Cormorants were present daily in single figures until the 28th when 11 were seen and they peaked at 17 on the 28th with double-figures until the end of the month. Herons were recorded daily but only in very low numbers for the time of year with a maximum of four on four dates. Mute Swans were also present daily and reached nine by the 22nd, these birds remaining on site to the end of the month. The first Pink-footed Geese of the autumn were 20 flying north on the 17th. These were quickly followed by 105 east on the 18th, 55 east on the 20th, 100 east on the 27th and 120 east on the 29th. One or two Grey Lag Geese were seen on 21 dates amongst the large Canada Goose flock, which peaked at 580 on the 4th.

A pair of Shelduck was present briefly before they flew off north-west on the 29th and Wigeon were present daily from the 5th increasing to 31 on the 29th. Gadwall were recorded daily in double-figures with a peak count of 49 on the 17th and Teal were also present daily increasing to 39 by the 23rd with 39 also counted on the 27th and 28th. Three-figure counts of Mallard were made throughout the month with a peak of 250 on the 2nd and two Pintail were a nice surprise on the 12th. Shoveler were recorded on ten dates between the 2nd and 13th with a peak count of three on the 6th, then after a short gap birds were seen daily from the 17th to the month end with a maximum of six noted on the 18th, 28th and 29th. A male Pochard was seen on the 13th with two males present on the 28th followed by a single bird on the last two days of the month whilst Tufted Ducks were recorded on all bar two dates with a peak of nine on the 14th.

Sparrowhawks were recorded on 26 dates (30 bird / days) and Common Buzzards were noted on 23 dates (68 bird /days). Notable counts of the latter from the observation mound were seven on the 3rd and 10th. However on the 30th there was a count of 11 birds, which is a record for the area. 33 of the birds were seen over the recording area. Kestrels were recorded daily with a peak count of four on the 18th and a total of 55 bird / days. Hobbies continued to show well with daily records until the 5th after which single birds were seen on the 7th, 17th and 23rd with all birds being seen over the reserve area. Peregrines also continued to perform with a single bird on 13 dates with two on the 12th. As usual the birds favoured the pylons to the south or west of the recording but even so four sightings were from over the reserve area.

Red-legged Partridges were proved breeding on the 10th when an adult and four half-grown young were seen whilst 15 were counted on the 28th. Grey Partridge was also proved breeding on the 10th when a pair and four young were located just a few minutes after the Red-legs. They too peaked at the end of the month with ten counted on the 30th. A Water Rail was heard calling on the 6th and 7th, 30 Moorhens were counted on the 26th and Coots peaked at 81 on the 3rd. The first Golden Plover of the autumn was noted on the 3rd after which eight flew north-east on the 17th. Birds were then seen almost daily from the 26th with a peak count of 49 on the 27th. Lapwing numbers still remained low with a peak count of 150 on the 15th whilst a single Dunlin was seen daily between the 7th and 10th. Another single Dunlin was noted on the 28th and three were present early on the 30th. A Ruff remained from August until the 3rd and although Snipe were logged on 20 dates the highest count was only ten on the 15th. Finally amongst the waders a Curlew was seen on the 18th and a Greenshank was present on the 2nd.

It was a good month for gulls with a first winter Mediterranean Gull noted on the 18th and 21st whilst counts of 200 Black-headed Gulls were made on the 17th and 29th. A Common Gull was present on the 8th and birds were seen daily from the 27th with an impressive count of 36 north on the 29th, this being the second highest count for the reserve, the highest being 46 way back in 1996. 550 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were logged flying north on the 28th and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was seen on the 27th. A juvenile, moulting into first winter, Caspian Gull came on the flashes on the 18th and more unusually for the time of year an adult Kittiwake flew north on the 10th. An adult Common Tern on the 28th was the latest ever record for Carr Vale, the previous latest date being 13th September.

A Little Owl was seen on the 8th, 15th and 16th whilst Tawny Owls were recorded on the 2nd and 17th but unusually no Swifts were recorded during the month. Kingfishers were seen on 25 dates with two on the 9th and 22nd, a Green Woodpecker was recorded on 11 dates and single Great-spotted Woodpeckers were seen on 15 dates including one flying south on the 29th.

Skylarks became more noticeable from mid-month as they started to flock and notable counts of birds over the fields included 21 on the 17th and 50 on the 30th. Autumn migrants included 29 flying south-west and 25 south-east on the 19th, 14 north-west and 11 north on the 26th and 36 east and five south on the 29th. There were only two records of Sand Martin during the month, three on the 3rd and three on the 23rd and the Swallow roost continued to decline with a peak count of 800 on the 2nd. By the 6th it had broken up completely. Southerly movement was recorded later in the month with a peak of 185 flying south on the 23rd with another 38 south on the 30th. 150 House Martins were counted on the 2nd and 97 flew south on the 22nd. Meadow Pipit passage was frustratingly disappointing as although birds were noted flying south on 18 dates the total number of birds flying south was just 288 with highs of 53 on the 17th and 48 on the 25th. A major passage occurred on the 22nd (when 1100 flew south over Bentink Pit Tip due south of CV) but this went unrecorded at Carr Vale due to reduced observer coverage. Three Yellow Wagtails flew south-west on the 9th, two were seen on the 5th and single birds were noted on another nine dates with one still present on the 30th (and remaining into October). One to three Grey Wagtails were seen on 18 dates, five, of which three flew south-west, were seen on the 27th and six were counted on the 3rd. A total of 33 Pied Wagtails flew south over nine dates and c20 were on the sewage works on the 28th when two White Wagtails were caught and ringed.

The first two Redwings of the autumn were recorded on the 19th and then a week later an impressive 645 flew north-west in five hours on the 27th. This was a very heavy and early movement and indeed smashed the September record at Carr Vale by 610! 80 flew north-west the following day as did 85 on the 29th. 22 Mistle Thrushes were seen on the 9th and 24 were present on the 14th. A Sedge Warbler on the 30th became the latest ever for Carr Vale but all the other Warblers had unremarkable last dates apart from perhaps Willow Warbler with one present on the 17th. A single flock of Long-tailed Tits numbered 38 on the 14th and also contained four Willow Tits whilst 30+ Long-tailed Tits were seen on the 21st. Single Coal Tits were logged on 12 dates and it was a good month for Jays with sightings on 16 dates from the 7th and a peak of ten on the 29th. 70 Jackdaws was a notable count on the 17th whilst equally notable was a feeding flock of Rooks that peaked at 150 on the 23rd and 30th. 45 Goldfinches was the highest count of the month on the 2nd and Siskins started to move south from the 11th (two) with a total of 38 noted flying south over ten dates by the end of the month. The first Redpoll of the autumn flew south on the 9th and by the end of the month a total of 30 had been noted flying south with an isolated peak of 26 south on the 29th. Finally eight Bullfinches were seen on the 21st.

Amongst the dragonflies Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Emperor and Common Darters were all logged during the month and finally Migrant Hawkers made an appearance with two on the 22nd and one on the 30th. It was an excellent month for Clouded Yellows with three on the 15th, two on the 18th and singles on four dates with the last being seen on the 30th. Single Commas were seen twice and three were present on the 30th. The only Mammal sighting of note was that of a Fox, which was seen on four dates between the 3rd and 18th.

Mark Beevers

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