DECEMBER 2005 BIRD NOTES

December Highlights: Wildfowl Counts set new County records. Red-necked and
Black-necked Grebes attract observers, Chiffchaff and Blackcap seen and Hawfinch and Common Redpoll extend the site list.

Another excellent month for wildfowl numbers, with new county records for a single site being set on 18th [RWK,RMRJ,TD] at 1248 Tufted Duck, 105 Little Grebe and 2048 Coot. Other counts included 61 Great Crested Grebe on 18th, 26 Mute Swan on 13th, 40 Barnacle Geese on 13th, 1020 Wigeon on 18th, 104 Gadwall [site record] on 18th, 4 Shoveler on 15th, 165 Pochard on 23rd, 9 Goosander on 18th, 22 Goldeneye on 18th and 188 Ruddy Duck on 18th. Last month’s Red-necked Grebe stayed all this month, usually found at Lane End but occasionally at Millfields. On the 20th two Black-necked Grebes were found at Sheepwash [DBT]. These grebes moved round to Paul Stanley Hide and stayed for the rest of the month.

Very few records of raptors included up to 4 Common Buzzard in the air over Hall Wood on 12th and a male Goshawk briefly on 6th and 7th. An elusive Water Rail was seen at Sheepwash on 1st and 8th and at Lane End on 29th. Waders included 2 Golden Plover over the Wildlife Centre on 5th, 900plus Lapwing on 21st, 6 Snipe at Paul Stanley Hide on 8th and 23rd, 4 Snipe at WLC on 10th [these numbers are signicantly less than in the past few winters], Redshank most days with 3 Redshank on 5th, a Dunlin at the WLC on 22nd and a Green Sandpiper around Stones Island on 18th.

Two Little Owls were showing in Shiningford Creek on 7th and on other dates. A Kingfisher seen at Paul Stanley Hide on 19th was also at other locations on many dates. A Green Woodpecker was heard/seen around the Sheepwash area on 7th and 11th and 3 Meadow Pipits were on the dam wall on 9th. There are no records of big flocks or roosts of wintering thrushes, and their winter berries have gone already, 17 Fieldfare were over Stones Island on 23rd, 20 Fieldfare in Shiningford Creek on 28th and 25 Redwing over Sheepwash on 22nd. Winter warblers are a rarer sight at Carsington but, on the 18th, a female Blackcap was at Hopton End and a Chiffchaff was on Stones Island. Several flocks of Siskin were recorded, the largest being 100plus at Millfields on 22nd, and 16 Lesser Redpoll were in Shiningford Creek on 4th and 25 on Stones Island on 21st.

Two significant records of finch species are new for this site. A Common [Mealy] Redpoll**[RC] was feeding on willow herb seed heads near the boardwalk to the WLC on 14th. This species has been reported on two previous occasions, both without sufficient supportive detail to submit to DOS for formal identification but, on this occasion, close views and copious notes were obtained, hopefully leading to a new species on our list. Sadly, after several searches, this bird has not been refound. The other finch was the large Hawfinch [TW] coming to the popular feeding station on Stones Island on 29th. This is the first record of Hawfinch at Carsington Water and, again, the bird could not be refound the following day but it should be noted that there are several other records from around the country of Hawfinches attending feeding tables, so watch yours.

Only 87 species recorded [but superb quality] compared with 95 in December 2004, 97 in 2003, 89 in 2002 and 86 in 2001.