The Derbyshire Ornithological Society

Carsington Water News

June Highlights: First breeding record for Black-headed Gulls but rain stopped play for some other species.

Maximum count of Little Grebe was 12 on 17th and, so far, only one brood of 2 young near Paul Stanley Hide have been noted. Great Crested Grebe totalled 28 on 4th and produced only one brood of 1 young so far. Both these species will have been adversely affected by the weather. On the 25th there was torrential rain which, rapidly raised water levels several inches and, the wind whipped up waves, which, washed away two Great Crested Grebe nests at Millfields, and probably many others. A pair of Mute Swans showed 4 cygnets at Paul Stanley Hide on 7th, these were reduced to 2 by 10th but from the 17th another pair with 7 cygnets were in front of the Wildlife Centre for the rest of the month. Other wildfowl breeding so far this year includes 5 broods of Barnacle Geese, 18 broods of Mallard, 5 of Moorhen, 6 of Coot and only 1 of Tufted Duck, which bred on Green Pond and sadly died crossing the road. Maximum counts total 786 Canada Geese, 86 Mallard, 28 Moorhen and 215 Coot, all on 17th. Other duck species recorded include a Shelduck and a Ruddy Shelduck in flight together from the Wildlife Centre on 18th, 4 Gadwall on 5th, a drake Teal on 5th and 3 Pochard on 19th.

Wader breeding has been reasonably successful, with juveniles from at least 4 pairs of Oystercatchers flying around the site and at least 4 small broods of Lapwing and 3 of Redshank have been noted. The largest single counts include 16 Oystercatchers on 28th, 3 Little Ringed Plover on 9th, 2 Ringed Plover on 6th, 16 Lapwing on 17th, 1 Dunlin on 9th, 1 Whimbrel on 1st, 6 Curlew on 26th, 10 Redshank on 18th, 1 Common Sandpiper on 7th and 22nd and 1 Turnstone on 1st.

The pair of first summer [just 1 year old] Black-headed Gulls proved they can breed by showing 2 chicks on 26th, from the Wildlife Centre. Information states that first breeding takes place at year 2 but can occur at year 1 or 3. Also incubation is up to 27 days so, as these birds have been sitting since 18th May, they were just sitting on pebbles for the initial 2 weeks. However, practice obviously paid off and their record represents the first breeding record of this species at Carsington, appropriately from a pair of first summer birds. There are now 2 other pairs of Black-headed Gulls probably breeding on the rafts. The pair of Common Terns also showed their first chick on their raft from the Wildlife Centre on the same day, 26th.

Swift movements this month seemed to suggest they were still coming in early in the month, moving northeast, and leaving southwest by the end. There were 40 recorded on 5th and 14th and 100 House Martins on 14th. Also on 14th 23 House Martin nests were recorded around the main buildings. The Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen feeding young in a hole on 4th and young were on Paul Stanley feeders on 13th. An early Kingfisher was on Green Pond on 20th, this species is not usually seen here until well after breeding. Five Spotted Flycatchers have been noted in Hall Wood and Tail Bay and 2 family parties of Willow Tit seen. The heavy rains and occasional cold days will have affected breeding success and family parties of Tits, Robins, Thrushes, Sparrows and Finches have been using feeding stations instead of the more nutritious insects, which were difficult to find at times.

93 Species recorded this June compared with 89 in 2006, 94 in 2005, 96 in 2004 and 84 in 2003.

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