Ogston Bird News November 2005-30 Days Covered-82 Species

Little Grebe was seen quite frequently during the month with a best count of six on 2nd, Great Crested Grebe was recorded very sporadically with a maximum of nineteen on 7th, Cormorant was also under recorded with a best count of twenty-three on 23rd.Teal continued to be the most numerous with regards to wildfowl with a maximum of sixty-four on 2nd , Wigeon were recorded on a number of occasions with a best of forty-four on 19th, two Pintail on both the 8th and 9th were very welcome, as were the six sightings of Gadwall with two present on 7th four on 10th two on 11th and three on 12th , four were present on both 24th and 25th and a pair present on 27th. There were at seven visits by Goosander on 6th and 14th when single birds were present on each occasion, with five (three males two females) on16th, three on 19th a single bird on 26th five on 27th and two on 30th. A Shelduck was present on 14th, Goldeneye was recorded on at least fifteen occasions ,with a maximum of ten (one male, nine females) on 17th. Tufted Duck was noted fairly constantly with a best of fourteen on 19th. A Mandarin Duck noted on 2nd was the fourth of the year. Pochard were noted on a regular basis with a maximum of thirty-two on 19th. There were three Barnacle Geese present with the resident flock of Canada Geese on 21st 22nd and 23rd and 28th.A Pink-footed Goose was new on the 28 and remained until month end.
The nine Whooper Swans recorded on 14th consisted of seven adults and two juveniles, and were observed in front of the public hide at 0.945 hours and were a very welcome addition to the year list.

Common Buzzard was noted on 6th 7th and 9th and 20th, with Sparrowhawk seen on 2nd 7th and 8th 15th and 16th,and Kestrel on 5th and 7th and two on 21st. The best sighting of the month with regard to raptors was of a pair of Peregrine Falcons seen on 12th, a single bird flew directly in front of the members hide on 26th causing panic along the whole of the West Bank as the bird made its way towards Brackenfield.

Two Little Owls were seen on 5th with a single bird on 19th and two seen again on 21st, whilst Kingfisher was noted on more than five dates with a best count of two on 1st and 21stst. Green Woodpecker was seen on three occasions during the month on 9th 15th and 16th, with single birds on each occasion, whilst Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen on at least eleven dates with a maximum of two on 13th 14th and 21st.

Common Snipe are making use of the newly created wetland area on the West Bank, with eleven being noted on 21st, a Dunlin was present on the 14th, and one Woodcock was seen on 23rd flying towards Ogston Hall.
Four Jack Snipe together must have been an enjoyable sight for the two observers who saw them whilst gull watching, and were certainly a welcome addition to the year list.

The gull roost began to build up towards mid-month with thirty-five Greater Black Backed, fourteen Common Gulls, and three Yellow-legged Gulls(two Adults and one 3rd Winter ) present on 14th.Four Yellow-legged Gulls (two Adults one 1st and one 2nd Winter ) together with the First Caspian Gull of this Winter period ( a 1st Winter bird) were present on 16th.Three Yellow-legged Gulls together with a 1st Winter Caspian Gull were present on 18th.
An adult and one 1st Winter Yellow-legged were in the roost on 23rd as were two 1st Winters on 24th, and two adults and one 1st Winter on 27th. An adult Mediterranean Gull was present on 26th, with possibly the same bird seen on 27th, also present on 27th were one 1st Winter Caspian Gull and two adult Yellow-legged Gulls together with a 1st Winter.The adult Mediterranean Gull was again in the roost on 29th.Three adult Yellow-legged Gulls were in the roost on 30th, together with two adult Mediterranean Gulls.

Two Skylarks were noted moving South on 6th and 9th, seven Fieldfares South East again on 6th with one hundred North West on 12th.Lesser Redpoll have been noted on more than six occasions with at least two sightings of Common (Mealy) Redpoll Carduelis flammea , last recorded in Derbyshire in 2003 and rated as a rare passage migrant and winter visitor,(source D.O.S. annual report 2004).

Brambling have been noted on a few occasions as have Linnet with best counts of two and twenty-five respectively, Siskin noted on just two dates. Nine Goldcrests on 7th was a good record as was the single Chiffchaff on same date, with another noted on 28th.Two Raven on the 29th were the first for some time.

Keith Turton
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