The Derbyshire Ornithological Society

Carsington Water News

October Highlights: Hooded Crow and Lapland Bunting, both new species for the site.

A Slavonian Grebe was seen from the Wildlife Centre on 28th and 4 Whooper Swans moved around the site on 18th until finally driven off by the local Mute Swans. 65 Pink-footed Geese flew over southeast on 9th and another 60 flew east on 17th. A female Scaup was at Sheepwash on 8th and 2 were there on 9th. 2 Common Scoter were near Stones Island on 3rd, 1 on 20th and 22nd and 2 on 23rd. The first Goldeneye of the winter appeared on 10th and a Red-breasted Merganser on 3rd was followed by 3 on 31st. Maximum counts included: 83 Little Grebe on 26th, 45 Great Crested Grebe on 7th, 60 Cormorant on 9th, 6 Herons on 7th, 13 Greylag Geese on 21st, 45 Barnacle Geese on 15th, 972 Wigeon on 7th, 45 Gadwall on 2nd, 156 Teal on 7th, 205 Mallard on 7th, 5 Pintail on 4th, 6 Shoveler on 25th, 1 Red-crested Pochard on 11th, 159 Pochard on 26th, 706 Tufted Duck on 7th, 5 Goldeneye on 25th, 1 Goosander on 25th, 122 Moorhen on 7th and 1785 Coot on 7th.

A Common Buzzard was found bathing on 2nd and 5 were in the air on the same day. An Osprey gave good views to many when perched opposite the Wildlife Centre on 2nd and there were further sightings of 1 bird on 21st and 23rd. A Merlin flew past the Wildlife Centre at dusk on 7th and Peregrine was recorded on many dates, including one taking a duck off Horseshoe Island on 27th.

Wader sightings included: 29 Golden Plovers flying through on 17th, a Grey Plover flying northwest past the Wildlife Centre on 8th, 185 Lapwing on 7th, 2 Dunlin on 14th and singles on other dates, a Jack Snipe was flying around Horseshoe Island on 7th, 10 Snipe on 29th, a Black-tailed Godwit flying northeast on 25th, a Bar-tailed Godwit from Paul Stanley Hide on 13th, a Curlew over Shiningford Creek on 19th, 1 Redshank on 10th and on many subsequent dates, a Common Sandpiper until 3rd and a Turnstone landed in front of Sheepwash Hide on 17th. Yellow-legged Gulls have been seen during the daytime from Paul Stanley and Sheepwash Hides, with 3 present on both 13th and 26th and 5 in roost on 13th, and an adult Mediterranean Gull was on Sheepwash Spit late afternoon on 31st.

Late dates for summer migrants were 3 Swallows on 4th, 1 Wheatear on 12th, 2 Blackcap on 9th, 2 Chiffchaff on 1st and 1 Willow Warbler on 6th. Autumn/Winter movement included 3 Skylarks flying over on 14th and 26th, 30 Meadow Pipits on 11th and 14th, 1 Rock Pipit on the Dam Wall on 14th, 2 Stonechats on 5th, 1 Fieldfare on 11th and 32 on 30th, 100 Redwing on 25th, 8 Mistle Thrushes on 15th, 1 Brambling on 14th and 2 on 26th, 8 Siskin on 17th and 7 Lesser Redpoll on 9th. Also, a Green Woodpecker was seen in Middle Wood on 12th and a flock of 300 Jackdaw was noted on 27th from P.S. Hide. And, the highlights: a Hooded Crow was seen flying south over Stones Island at 1000hrs on 21st and a Lapland Bunting flew west over the Dam Wall at 0905hrs on 11th. Both these birds are species new to Carsington and both are subject to submission to Derbyshire Ornithological Society Rarities sub-Committee with full supporting notes for consideration.

So, what a month! 108 species recorded this October compared with 99 in 2006, 99 in 2005, 91 in 2004, 94 in 2003 and the previous October maximum of 103 in 2002.

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