The Derbyshire Ornithological Society

Carsington Water News

May Highlights: Great Northern Diver finally departs. Garganey, Hobby, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black Tern and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker call in briefly and Hobby, Spotted Flycatcher and Reed Warbler arrive.

The Great Northern Diver was last recorded on 25th. This departure time coincided with the northward coastal movement of this species. No broods of Grebe or Swan have yet been recorded but there are 4 broods of Barnacle Geese around Stones Island area, 2 broods of Moorhen, 2 broods of Coot and 12 broods of Mallard around the site. Four Shelduck were off Sheepwash on 4th and a drake Garganey gave excellent views from The Wildlife Centre on 18th. Other wildfowl included a drake Shoveler on 31st, 6 male plus 1 female Pochard on 28th, 115 Tufted on 13th, an Aythya hybrid, probably PochardxTufted, at the Wildlife Centre from 13th, a Goldeneye on 5th and a Goosander on 31st.

The return of the migratory Hobby was well noted with 4 records of 1 bird on 7th, 15th, 16th and 31st and a Peregrine was noted from Sheepwash on 8th. Four pairs of Oystercatchers have young, including 1 pair at Wildlife Centre with 4 chicks, but the pair in front of Paul Stanley Hide had failed at egg stage by the 7th. A pair of Little Ringed Plovers keep trying to breed at the Wildlife Centre, and so far, only 1 Lapwing chick and no Redshank young have been reported. Other waders included 1 Ringed Plover at PS hide on 8th, another on Stones Island on 14th and 2 at the WLC on 29th, 22 Dunlin on Sailing Club Island on 19th, 2 Snipe at WLC on 1st, a Bar-tailed Godwit at the WLC on 1st, Whimbrel most days, with a maximum of 4 on 22nd, and 2 Turnstone on Flat Island on 10th and another on Watersports Island on 31st.

For most of the month there were 4 Black-headed Gulls at the Wildlife Centre, 2 Adults and 2 first summer birds. Apart from disturbing other breeding species, the first summer birds paired-up and were seen mating on 18th, they built a nest and were still sitting on it on 31st. The nest may be eggless and further information is needed on whether these young birds are capable of breeding. A Common Tern was looking at the Wildlife Centre tern rafts from the 1st and a mate arrived on 16th. Even with the hassle the Black-headed Gulls were giving them, by the end of the month they had settled with a nest on the new raft. Arctic Terns were present or passing through in small numbers most of the month, with a maximum of 11 on 3rd. Two Black Terns were present with 2 Commons and 1 Arctic on 2nd.

Five Hundred Swift were counted on passage over a 6 hour period on 4th and 300 Swallows were feeding over the water during rain on 28th. A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was reported at Paul Stanley Hide on 26th, 2 Yellow Wagtails were on the Dam Wall on 3rd, a White Wagtail at Watersports on 9th, single Redstarts singing in Wildlife Centre Creek on 7th, in the field above Sheepwash car park on 20th and in Tail Bay on 22nd and a Wheatear was on Sheepwash Spit on 15th. A Reed Warbler has been singing in Hopton Arm new reedbed since 24th, 8 Garden Warblers were noted on 15th, 12 Blackcap on 24th, and the first Spotted Flycatcher was seen near the brick tower on 15th and 2 were on breeding territory in Hall Wood by 24th. The local pair of Raven successfully reared 3 young and have now left site.

104 Species recorded this May compared with 107 in 2006, 107 in 2005, 114 in 2004 and 110 in 2003.

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