The Derbyshire Ornithological Society

Ogston Reservoir News

Ogston Bird News July 2007 31 Days Covered.

Little Grebe was very easy to find throughout the month with a maximum of eight birds on 28th and juveniles noted on 8th (one), 10th (one), 14th (two) and 15th (one), maximum numbers for Great Crested Grebe were eighteen, but there have been no records of any young birds. Cormorant numbers appear to have decreased with a best count of twenty three on 11th, whilst the pair of Mute Swan were present until 22nd of the month on almost a daily basis but not after that date.

A single Greylag Goose was with the resident flock of Canada Geese for most of the month; a juvenile Shelduck made a very brief appearance on 15th and a female Pochard was present on both 10th and 22nd. Tufted Duck reached a high of forty three on 18th including five juveniles and another brood of seven 22nd and a single juvenile bird same date.

A very welcome addition to the monthly list a female Common Scoter was present for most of the 31st.

Six raptor species were noted with Common Buzzard on at least fourteen dates with a maximum six birds on 28th, Sparrowhawk on six dates with a best count of two, Kestrel on thirteen days with maximum of three on both 7th and 31st. Hobby was noted on just four dates (all singles) and a single Peregrine record on 15th. A Goshawk seen on 30th was a very good record.

Given the extremely high water levels ten species of wader was more than we could have hoped for. The young Oystercatcher continued to thrive and was flying before month end, the parent birds providing a constant supply of food, two Little Ringed Plover were present on 7th, and there was a maximum one hundred Lapwing on 29th, a single Dunlin on 18th with four present on 22nd. Common Sandpiper was present on a daily basis with a best count of four on 15th, Redshank noted on two dates with five birds on 11th, a single Whimbrel stayed for an hour on 18th.A candidate for bird of the month and a very welcome addition to the year list occurred when two Black-tailed Godwit flew through in the direction of Carsington on the evening of 6th. Another very good record and addition to the year list occurred on 28th when five Golden Plover made a very brief appearance, before flying south. A Curlew was present for most of the day on 30th.

Common Tern were spasmodic visitors with seven birds a maximum on 7th. Single Black Tern was present for a short period on 21st and an Arctic Tern visited on the same date, during the evening.

Little Owl was observed on at least fifteen days with juveniles on 7th(one), 8th(three), and 11th(one), Tawny Owl was seen on 8th and heard calling on 29th.A Barn Owl was observed on 29th.

Juveniles of Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Goldcrest and Blackcap were all seen. A single Willow Tit seen on 30th was the first record since April. The second Whinchat of the year, a male was present on 29th. The first record of the year for Tree Sparrow occurred on 30th and Raven was noted on three dates with a best count of three birds on 28th.

Keith Turton.

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