October 2008 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 Please note that for obvious reasons we do not publish sightings of rare breeders such as Little Ringed Plover during the breeding season (unless obvious migrants)

For more reports please see Rod Key's Page

31 October 2008
  • Locko Park (SK4038) 8 Brambling, 2 Crossbill, 14 Siskin, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • Shipley Park/American Adventure/Nutbrook Lagoons area (SK4444) Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stonechat, 2 Teal, Little Grebe, 30 Wigeon, 20 Pochard, 8 Shoveler, 14 Siskin, Tawny Owl
  • Kedleston Park (SK3140) 6 Goosander, 2 Gadwall, 20 Mandarin, 2 Pochard
  • Dethick (SK3358) Sparrowhawk, 2 Stonechat, 200 Jackdaw, 100 Wood Pigeon, 100 Starling, 80 Redwing, 20 Fieldfare
  • Thulston (SK4031) 50 Lapwing, 50 Golden Plover, 100 Starling, 2 Buzzard, 2 Skylark
30 October 2008
  • Hilton GP (SK2431) 2 Treecreeper, 2 Jay, 3 Willow Tit
  • American Adventure (SK4444) Stonechat, 12 Siskin, 6 Redwing, Meadow Pipit, 39 Pochard, 14 Wigeon, 2 Little Grebe
  • Alvaston Lake (SK3724) 10 Mute Swan, Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 14 Tufted Duck, Goosander, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, c250 Black-headed Gull
28 October 2008
  • Kirk Langley (SK2937) Male Blackcap (probably overwintering)
27 October 2008
  • Batley Farm, Pleasley (SK4964) c350 Golden Plover, c70 Lapwing
  • Leash Fen (SK2974) Hen Harrier, 4 Short-eared Owl still present
26 October 2008
  • Wilne Lane (SK4531) 3 Grey Partridge
  • Leash Fen (SK2974) Hen Harrier
  • American Adventure (SK4444) Stonechat, 2 Buzzard, 20 Pochard, 15 Wigeon
25 October 2008
  • Leash Fen (SK2974) The Great Grey Shrike, 4 Short-eared Owl still present
  • Beeley Triangle (SK2967) 2 Woodcock, Peregrine, Raven
24 October 2008
  • Dethick (SK3358) 2 Stonechat, Reed Bunting, 5 Meadow Pipit, Barn Owl hunting pm
23 October 2008
  • Locko Park (SK4038) 2 Crossbill, 3 Little Owl, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Raven, 3 Buzzard, 3 Cormorant, Grey Heron, Goldcrest, 2 Great Crested Grebe
22 October 2008
  • Milton (SK3226) 30 Linnet, 55 Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Kestrel, SParrowhawk, Red-legged Partridge, 12 Long-tailed Tit, Grey Wagtail
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) 2 Grey Wagtail, Cormorant, Sparrowhawk
  • Thulston (SK4031) 500 Golden Plover, 300 Lapwing
  • Batley Lane (SK4764) 300 Golden Plover, 100 Lapwing, 100 Starling all in a mixed flock
19 October 2008
  • Avenue Washlands NR (SK3966) 45 Redwing, Chiffchaff
  • Beeley Triangle (SK2967) The Great Grey Shrike still present pm plus Hen Harrier over Harland Edge
  • Batley Lane (SK4764) Buzzard, 250 Golden Plover, 100 Lapwing
  • Newton (SK4459) 50 Golden Plover
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 100 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, Green Sandpiper (Canal Pit)
  • Locko Park (SK4038) Raven, Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 10 Mandarin, 32 Teal, 58 Shoveler, 30 Pochard, 42 Tufted Duck, 47 Wigeon, 18 Goosander, 2 Peregrine, 39 Moorhen, 117 Coot, 3 Snipe, 59 Woodpigeon SW, 4 Kingfisher, Skylark singing, 10 Meadow Pipit, 263 Redwing mainly SW, 450 Fieldfare mainly SW, Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, 19 Redpoll SW, 6 Siskin, Raven
18 October 2008
  • Beeley Triangle (SK2967) The Great Grey Shrike previously at Leash Fen
  • Linacre Res. (SK3372) 2 Raven, Buzzard
17 October 2008
  • Leash Fen (SK2974) A Great Grey Shrike, 2 Short-eared Owl
  • Locko Park (SK4038) Stonechat, 3 Raven, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 7 Siskin, 6 Buzzard
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) Little Owl, Teal, Canada Goose, 2 Swan, Cormorant, 3 Little Grebe
16 October 2008
  • Locko Park (SK4038) Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, Cormorant, Green Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 3 Great Crested Grebe
15 October 2008
  • Leash Fen (SK2974) 5 Short-eared Owl (possibly up to 8)
  • Ramsley Pools (SK2474) 3 Stonechat
  • Avenue Washlands NR (SK3966) 12 Snipe
  • Shillito Wood (SK2974) Raven, 12 Redwing
  • Barbrook Res. (SK2777) 3 Peregrine
14 October 2008
  • Bonsall (SK2858) 40 Pink-footed Goose NW
  • Locko Park (SK4038) 30 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Little Owl, 14 Mistle Thrush, 12 Redwing 2 Sparrowhawk
  • Thulston (SK4031) 104 Golden Plover, 120 Lapwing
13 October 2008
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 21 Snipe, 4 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Wigeon, Willow Tit, 5 Goosander, 450 Lapwing, possible adult Yellow-legged Gull
12 October 2008
  • Avenue Washlands (SK3966) Water Rail, 3 Willow Tit, 4 Fieldfare
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) male Blackcap, Chiffchaff singing
  • Staunton Harold Reservoir (SK3723) Male Red-crested Pochard
11 October 2008
  • Doe Hill Lake (SK4259) Stonechat
10 October 2008
  • Darley Park (SK3538) 2 Siskin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk
  • Barbrook Res. (SK2877) Hen Harrier, Peregrine, 3 Kestrel, 3 Redwing
8 October 2008
  • Rowthorne (SK4764) 70 Golden Plover on Batley Lane
  • Kedleston Park (SK3140) 10 Mandarin, Grey Wagtail, 2 Great SPotted Woodpecker, 2 Treecreeper, 50 Greylag Goose, Kestrel
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) Cormorant
  • Heatherton Brook (SK3132) Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • Barrow GP (SK3528) 8 Redwing, 50 Lapwing, 15 Greylag Goose, 3 Red-legged Partridge, 2 Yellowhammer, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Wigeon, Great Crested Grebe, 6 Mute Swan, 12 Cormorant
  • Penguin Wood, Botany Bay (SK2615) 4 Stonechat, 20 Skylark, 20 Meadow Pipit, 50 Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, 16 Tree Sparrow.
  • Royle Farm (SK2518) 4 Stonechat, 30 Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer.
  • Cauldwell (SK2517) Chiffchaff.
  • Overseal (SK2916) 9 Little Grebe, 4 Snipe, 32 Meadow Pipit, 35 Skylark, 9 Reed Bunting
7 October 2008
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Hobby, 3 Mandarin
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Hobby, Little Egret, 2 Green Woodpecker, Willow Tit
6 October 2008
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) 3 Swallow, Grey Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 11 Pied Wagtail, Jay
  • Carsington Water (SK2451) Red-legged Partridge, 2 Skylark, Redwing, 4 Buzzard, 2 Raven
  • Jeff’s Wood (SK2823) 2 Stonechat, Chiffchaff, 154 Meadow Pipit S, 9 Skylark S, 3 Grey Wagtail S.
  • Drakelow WR (SK2220) Wheatear, 12 Redwing
5 October 2008
  • Williamthorpe Ponds (SK4366) Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail
  • Tupton (SK3965) 4 Buzzard drifting south together
  • Avenue Washlands NR (SK3966) 3 Little Grebe, 5 Snipe, 6 Teal, 1 Cormorant, c15 Meadow Pipits
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Female Garganey on the main pool until 08:30, female Pintail, Shelduck and 50 Pied Wagtail
  • Foremark Res(SK3323) 3w Yelow-legged Gull and juv Arctic Tern
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Hobby, 6 Wigeon, 8 Gadwall, 88 Teal, female Pintail, 15 Shoveler, Pochard, Goosander, 5 Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, 3w Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Green Woodpecker, female Stonechat, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Tit
3 October 2008
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) Water Rail, 2 Swallow, Mistle Thrush, Buzzard, Kestrel, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan
  • Alvaston Lake (SK3724) 2 Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, 10 Mute Swan, Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 60 Black-headed Gull, Grey Wagtail
2 October 2008
  • Locko Park (SK4038) 3 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 2 Green Woodpecker, Goldcrest, 4 Great Crested Grebe, Crosbill, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Little Owl, 2 Sparrowhawk, 212 Greylag Goose, 232 Canada Goose, 92 Mallard, 14 Siskin
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 10 Gadwall, Pintail, 8 Shoveler, 2 Goosander, 7 Little Grebe, Water Rail, Kingfisher, Reed Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, Willow Tit
1 October 2008
  • Foremark Res/Carver's Rocks (SK3323) House Martin, 140 Tufted Duck, 'cream-crown' Marsh Harrier flew W, 3w Yellow-legged Gull, juv Arctic Tern, 2 Kingfisher, 3 Green Woodpecker, 6 Chiffchaff, Marsh Tit, 3 Willow Tit, 10 Siskin, 25 Lesser Redpoll
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Canal Pit: female Pintail, Rock Pipit

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Previous months
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
All of 2007
September 2008 highlights

September was an exceptional month for birds in the county and kept birders on their toes wondering what was going to turn up next. Some were 'twitchable', but others not.

To start with the rarest birds: a Red-rumped Swallow was seen by two lucky observers at Stanton-in-the-Peak SW on 7th, the fifth county record. A Yellow-browed Warbler at Ambaston Village on 28th/29th was the eighth county record and was seen by the majority of the county's active birders.

Two Wrynecks, one showed well at Ogston from 1st-3rd and one was at Ramsley Res on just one day; these were the first since 2003. Ogston also provided a 'ringtail' Montagu’s Harrier on 7th for a few lucky observers and a Red-throated Diver on 23rd. A Grey Phalarope at Carsington Water was less co-operative only being seen briefly by one observer. This site also had two juvenile Shags from the 2nd (part of an influx into the Midlands). Also, two Gannets were reported flying over the county.

However, the big event of the month was another large influx of Honey Buzzards into Britain. As in 2000, the county had its share with a total of 17 birds being recorded almost entirely in the north of the county. Ospreys also seemed to be involved in this influx.

Waders numbers were poor after the good showing in July/August. This was because of very heavy rain over the period 5th-7th after which all the Trent Valley sites became 'lakes', and unfortunately remained like that to the month end. The best birds were a Knot at Carsington and Turnstones at Ogston, but these floods brought a small influx of Pintail, a species which obviously likes these conditions.

A female Ruddy Shelduck was seen briefly at Drakelow NR on 18th before spending two days at Willington GP on 26th/27th. Where was it in between these dates, one wonders? Five species of tern were noted this month, along with both Yellow-legged Gull and Caspian Gulls. Little Egrets continue to show well.

Most of the summer migrants departed but Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were still being seen in the last days of the month. A few winter thrushes put in an appearance along with a single Brambling. But good numbers of Pink-footed Geese moved across the county late in the month.

Finally, a Ring-necked Parakeet was in some Allestree gardens for a few days.

Rod Key