The Derbyshire Ornithological Society

Carsington Water News

September Highlights: Pink-footed Geese, Common Scoter, Water Rail, Goshawk, Grey Plover, Little Stint, Curlew and Wood Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Little Tern and Redwing.

Pink-footed Geese were noted on their early autumn passage south to Norfolk this year, with 42 over Stones Island at 1900hrs on 25th, 60 at 0845hrs on 27th and 150 at 0950hrs, again on 27th. The record at 1900hrs is unusual as southward records are usually 2hrs after first light, which is the flight time from the Lancashire feeding grounds of Marshside and Martin Mere. Their northward journey is usually at least 4hrs after first light Jan-Mar, reflecting the hundred miles from Norfolk. A male and 3 female Common Scoters were seen from Stones Island on 26th. Common wintering wildfowl numbers are now increasing and maximum counts included: 41 Little Grebe on 5th, 28 Great Crested Grebe on 13th, 48 Cormorant on 7th, 9 Heron on 4th, 36 Mute Swans on 23rd, 2 Greylag on 7th, 28 Barnacle on 23rd, 4 Shelduck on 12th, 318 Wigeon on 23rd and 306 in a single flock at Sheepwash on 30th, 39 Gadwall on 23rd, 95 Teal on 23rd, 203 Mallard on 23rd, 3 Pintail on 10th and 23rd, 3 Shoveler on 21st, 5 Red-crested Pochard on 15th, at least 100 Pochard on 24th, 650 Tufted Duck on 23rd, 1 Water Rail at Hopton End on 30th, 61 Moorhen on 23rd and 1611 Coot on 23rd.

Raptor records this month can be summed up by the records from one observer, on 26th in Paul Stanley Hide, enjoying one of those exceptional sessions, recording 1 Goshawk, 1 Sparrow Hawk, 5 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 2 Hobby, 1 Peregrine and 2 Raven.

Following August's good mix of waders, this month has kept up the standard, even if their visits were again brief, including: 1 Ringed Plover on 4th and 8th, 1 Grey Plover flying past the Wildlife Centre on 27th demonstrating its distinctive call, 1 juv Little Stint on Watersports shoreline on 19th, a juv Curlew Sandpiper on Stones Island on 29th, 3 Snipe on 27th, 2 Curlew on 25th, 3 Redshank on 8th, a Geenshank at Sheepwash on 4th, 1 Green Sandpiper from last month until the 23rd, mainly around the Wildlife Centre Creeks and Paul Stanley Hide area, 1 Wood Sandpiper on 9th and 1 Common Sandpiper up to 27th.

The gull roost reached 7000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls by the 20th and contained a first winter Mediterranean Gull on 24th, an adult plus a juv/first winter Little Gull on 28th and 14 Yellow-legged Gulls of various ages on 14th. ReTern passage southward included 1 juv Common Tern on 1st, 2 adults on 11-12th, 1 juv on 14th and 1 adult on 28th, 1 adult Arctic Tern on 7th, 2 juv on 12th and 1 juv 16-17th and an elusive juvenile Little Tern from 1st to 4th.

A leucistic Collared Dove was among 14 on the Wildlife Centre Feeders on 12th and an albino Starling was seen around the Visitor Centre on 23rd. A Barn Owl was seen early morning or late evening from Sheepwash Hide on 3rd, 4th, 8th and 13th, and a Tawny Owl was being chased by a Jay and a Blackbird behind Sheepwash Hide at 1100hrs on 30th. A flock of 18 Skylarks were noted flying south on 24th, single Yellow Wagtails were seen on 5th, 8th, 16th and 19th, a Pair of Stonechat were in front of Paul Stanley Hide for most of 30th, 2 Wheatear on 3rd and 13th and 2 early Redwings were recorded on 27th, brought in nationally by the strong north winds over the past 24hrs. Other records include 50 House Martin on 25th, 76 Pied Wagtails on 5th, 20 Chiffchaff on 2nd, 2 Spotted Flycatchers on 3rd, 80 Jackdaws on 28th, 70 Goldfinch on 2nd, 3 Siskin on 27th and 2 Linnet on 30th.

107 Species recorded this September compared with 101 in 2006, 101 in 2005, 94 in 2004 and 104 in 2003.

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