News archive

September 2006

Thursday, 21 September 2006

Four-day Visit to Norfolk

Twenty one members of the Group went on this visit, almost a record attendance. The Group met up at Titchwell Reserve. Highlights included Cetti's Warbler, Little Stint, Avocets and Arctic Skua. On the Friday we went looking for Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck but to no avail. We then moved on to Cley where the rain set in. Again good views of waders were to be had along with five Marsh Harriers. On the Saturday we visited Holkham Woods. The weather was really hot. In the woods we saw Redstart, Blackcaps, Siskin and Spotted Flycatcher. A few members were lucky enough to see an Osprey. Also returning were Pink-footed Geese. The last day saw us return to Titchwell where we spent a long time sea watching. Several Red-throated Divers were seen along with both Scoter and Velvet Scoter. At roost there was a huge flock of waders including a few still in summer plumage. In the reeds two to three parties of Bearded Tits gave really good views. In total 104 species were seen.

Thursday, 14 September 2006

Field Trip to Carsington Water & Ogston Reservoir

A small band of members met at Carsington Water, Derbyshire, for the last of the season's midweek visits. The murky conditions were none too promising when we first scanned the bay in front of the visitor centre. Several of the commoner varieties of gull, duck and grebe were present but lapwings were the only representatives of the wader group. A walk up to the large hide at the Wildlife Centre disclosed a few more species and we were treated to close views of several members of the local tree sparrow colony.

In improving weather conditions we drove to the Sheepwash car park to try our luck at the hides in that area. The paths through the pleasantly wooded areas yielded more woodland and garden species and there was a great deal of activity at the feeding stations, mainly tits and chaffinches, but one great spotted woodpecker was noted beating a hasty retreat. The predominant sound was that of the autumn song of the robin - several of them were proclaiming their territories all around us. On and over the water there were good numbers of cormorants, duck (mallard, pochard, ruddy duck, teal, gadwall and two or three early wigeon), gulls (mainly black-headed and lesser black-backed, but also the highlight of the day, one yellow-legged) and on the shoreline a couple of common snipe.

After returning to the picnic area for lunch we headed off to Ogston Reservoir, hoping to add a few more species to our day list. However it was not to be our lucky day, with few birds present on the water while the margins held only a few grey herons, lapwings, pied wagtails and a small flock of linnets. Just before we departed a treecreeper obligingly performed for us at very close quarters and a nuthatch briefly visited a feeder in the car park.

Although we had recorded fewer than 50 species, the day had been most enjoyable - and we still had the scenic return journey through Matlock, Bakewell, Buxton and over the Cat & Fiddle to experience!