October 2007 Bird News

These reports are unchecked. Please note that for obvious reasons we do not publish sightings of rare breeders such as Little Ringed Plover (unless obvious migrants) during the breeding season

30 October 2007
  • Locko Park (SK4038) 200 Pink-footed Geese, 250 Fieldfare, 4 Grey Wagtail, 11 Pied Wagtail, 4 Jay, Crossbill, 7 Buzzard, 500 Wood Pigeons
29 October 2007
  • Wyver Lane Water Rail
28 October 2007
  • Baslow (SK2572) Brambling
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220)
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 26 Mute Swan, 265 Mallard, 19 Teal, 23 Shoveler, 22 Pochard, 2 Goldeneye, 29 Goosander, 2 Woodcock, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Stonechat, 31 Blackbird, 4 Goldcrest, Treecreeper, and 4 Bullfinch
  • Old Tupton (SK3865) 471 Black-headed Gulls south-west
26 October 2007
  • Hell Bank Plantation (SK2968) Peregrine
22 October 2007
  • Marlpool Cemetary (SK2873) 16 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker
  • Three Ships (SK2873) A ring-tail Hen Harrier
20 October 2007
  • Pride Park, Derby (SK3734) A Woodcock picked up after hitting car showroom window at 9:15am. After being taken to a safe area of the car park the bird made a full recovery and headed off into cover (see photo on the Photo Gallery page)!
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 2 Whooper Swan, 550 Black-headed Gull, 110 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, 16 Teal, 10 Gadwall, 65 Fieldfare
19 October 2007
  • Pleasley Colliery (SK4964) 6 Fieldfare, 3 Snipe, 200 Lapwing, 2 Gadwall, 12 Teal, 40 Meadow pipit, 8 Skylark, 150 Black-headed Gull, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Green Woodpecker
18 October 2007
  • Kedleston Park (SK3040) 2 Reeve's Pheasant, Gadwall, Kingfisher, 20 Mandarin 4 Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail
17 October 2007
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) A Greenshank went through SW tonight and there were 299 Cormorants in the roost
  • Locko Park (SK4038) 100 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Raven, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Brambling, 9 Buzzard, 2 Little Owl, 17 Fieldfare, 8 Cormorant, 7 Grey Heron
16 October 2007
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 81 Pochard, a new October record for the site. The previous record of 80 was 28 years ago in 1979
  • Long Eaton GP (SK5131) 4 Little Grebes, 37 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Cormorant, 3 Grey Herons, c100 Canada Geese, 84 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 15 Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 20 Tufted Duck and 8 Skylarks moving West
  • Church Wilne Res (SK4632) 5 Little Grebes, 46 Great Crested Grebes, 12 Cormorants, 2 Wigeon, 8 Gadwall, 52 Pochard, 618 Tufted Ducks and 3 Common Gulls
15 October 2007
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Swallow, 2 Stonechat, 287 Cormorant
  • Brailsford (SK2441) Migrant Ring Ouzel with Redwing flock
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) 2 Wigeon, 4 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 3 Ruddy Duck, 5 Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler (sung briefly)
12 October 2007
  • Williamthorpe Ponds (SK4366) 4 Jack Snipe, 14 Snipe, 14 Lesser Redpoll, Chiffchaff, 39 Lapwing
  • Harland Edge (SK2869) Possible Hen Harrier reported
10 October 2007
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Another Cormorant record of 423
  • Harewood Moor (SK3067) c90 Fieldfare
  • Wingerworth (SK3766) 1 Swallow near Garden Centre
  • Dethick (SK3358) Wheatear, 4 Stonechat, 20 Meadow Pipit, 5 Goldfinch
9 October 2007
  • Avenue Washlands NR (SK3966) 14 Teal, 2 Snipe, 2 Kestrel & 2 Meadow Pipits
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) Snipe, Kingfisher, Chiffchaff, 53 Collared Doves
8 October 2007
  • Alvaston Park (SK3933) 2 Goosander
  • Birdholme WR (SK3868) 2 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Treecreeper & 1 Willow Tit
  • Barrow GP (SK3527) Drake Scaup, 5 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 5 Great Crested Grebe, Wigeon, 3 Gadwall, 6 Swan, Little Grebe, 310 Pawing, Redwing
7 October 2007
  • Avenue Washlands NR (SK3966) 10 Teal, 1 Jay, 13 Yellowhammer, 1 Sparrowhawk & 1 Skylark
  • Linacre Res (SK3372) Drake Common Scoter, 13 Mandarin
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Little Egret, 18 Gadwall, 31 Wigeon, 13 Shoveler, female Pintail, female Mandarin, 28 Pochard, 41 Moorhen, 2 Snipe, 2 Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, 13 Fieldfare, 110 Redwing, 8 Mistle Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff (one still in song), 2 Goldcrest and a Willow Tit
  • Leash Fen (SK2974) 100 Pink-footed Geese SW
  • Ramsley Moor (SK2874) 3 Stonechat, 20 Siskin
6 October 2007
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) A new site record (and no doubt a county record) of 401 Cormorant coming in to the roost. Also three Little Egrets
  • Bakewell (SK2168) Osprey NW over town centre at 12:45
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) 67 Collared Dove, 2 Teal, Chiffchaff
5 October 2007
  • R Derwent, Allestree S(SK3541) 3 Goosander, 3 Grey Wagtail
  • Birdholme WR (SK3868) Kingfisher
  • Williamthorpe Ponds (SK4366) 7 Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Green Woodpecker & 33 Lapwing
  • Jeff’s Wood, Bretby (SK2823) 4 Stonechat am
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 5 Buzzard, 5 Snipe, Greenshank, 2 Swallow, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Stonechat and 3 Chiffchaff
4 October 2007
  • Dove Valley Lake (SK2031) 11 Greylag Goose, 78 Canada Goose, 2 teal, 7 Wigeon, Snipe, 75 Lapwing, 8 Buzzard, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Green Woodpecker, Redwing over
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) Wigeon, Chiffchaff, 4 Swallow, Redwing, 2 Gadwall, 4 Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, 3 Tufted Duck
3 October 2007
  • Staunton Harold Res (SK3723) 2 Ravens mobbing a Sparrowhawk, 5 Wigeon, 35 House Martin, Kingfisher, 5 Tree Sparrow, Greylag Goose, 9 Lapwing, 11 Mute Swan
  • Swarkestone Lake (SK3627) Chiffchaff, Kingfisher, Greylag Goose
  • Stenson (SK3329) Barn Owl, Little Owl, Buzzard, Kestel, 5 Grey Partridge, 75 Lapwing, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Skylark, Chiffchaff
2 October 2007
  • Westhouses Engine Shed (SK4257) 28 Meadow Pipits, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Snipe, 3 Stock Dove, 3 Bullfinch & 1 Kestrel
  • Elvaston Castle CP (SK4033) Grey Wagtail
  • Stoney Wood, Wirksworth (SK2953) 39 Redwing SW
  • Carsington Water (SK2451) An Osprey first spotted by school children in a tree opposite the Wildlife Centre at 10:55 andf lew off north up the reservoir shortly afterwards
1 October 2007
  • Long Eaton GP (SK5131) 6 Little Grebes, 45 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Cormorants, 2 Grey Herons, c120 Grey Lag Geese, 70 Canada Geese, 12 Egyptian Geese-this equals the county record number for this species, 29 Wigeon, 18 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Gull-ad, 1 Green Woodpecker, 11 Swallows moving South and a Chiffchaff
  • Church Wilne Res (SK4632) 30 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Cormorants, 30 Canada Geese, 23 Pochard, 628 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Gull-1st Winter, 1 Arctic Tern-juv, 1 Grey Wagtail and 24 Swallows moving South West
  • Windmill Wood, Ticknall (SK3424) Little Owl, Snipe, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 4 Redwing over, 6 Swallow, Moorhen, Nuthatch, Great SPotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Buzzard
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) Chiffchaff, Cormorant
  • Pride Park Sanctuary (SK3725) Meadow Pipit, Green Woodpecker

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Previous months
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
All of 2007 so far
September 2007 highlights

A month of considerable variety with summer migrants leaving and winter visitors arriving. Some of the latter, like Redwing, were early with wildfowl producing both good numbers and a healthy range of species.

There was an excellent mix of waders, whilst the early gull roosts also offered good numbers and a wide range of species/sub-species.

Semi-rarities came in the form of Honey Buzzard, Quail, a possible Arctic Skua and Firecrest but all were “quickies” that would have pleased a lot more of us had they stayed longer.

Several Marsh Harriers and Osprey were seen and there were some interesting movements of Pink-footed Geese. Perhaps the true highlight, however, is that Little Egrets seem on the edge of becoming permanent residents and a breeding record must be close.

Bryan Barnacle