Birding Day Out 19/02/18

Every February half term, me and my uncle go out for a day birding. This year we decided to go off round the Midlands and I managed 4 lifers and quite a few year ticks.

The first stop of the day was Willington Gravel Pits to try to find a Great White Egret which has been there for a while. We arrived about 8am and had a walk around all of the hides and managed to spot Water Rail, Oystercatchers, Redshank, Wigeon, Shoveler, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Shelduck, Great Black-Backed Gull and a lovely summer plumage Mediterranean Gull which did some fly-bys of the hide. Calling in the reeds there were also some Cetti's Warblers and some Reed Bunting. Whilst waiting in the main bird hide for the Great White Egret to return we also got some lovely close views of a Kingfisher as it fished just outside. We saw it manage to catch 3 fish in about 5 minutes. We waited for about 10 minutes before the Great White Egret returned and we got nice views as it flew past the hide and whilst walking back to the car we found it again sat in a neighbouring field with some Grey Herons.

Kingfisher

Record shot of Great White Egret as it flew past

The next stop of the day was about a 10 minute drive away at Newton Solney to try to find two Cattle Egrets that were in some sheep fields by the side of Repton Road. We located one of the birds straight away and watched it feeding for about 10 minutes before it flew off. Unfortunately we could not locate the other bird that had been reported.

Cattle Egret

The next stop was Albert Village Lake near Swadlincote to try see a Black-Throated Diver that had been there for about a week. We had a walk down to the lake and within 20 minutes had found the bird fishing. Unfortunately it was quite distant and dived for along time so I only managed a record shot but it was still a lovely bird to look at through the scope.

Black-Throated Diver record shot

Other birds seen on the lake included 1 Little Grebe, 6 Mute Swan, Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull and Great Crested Grebe.

Albert Village Lake

The last stop of the day was Holme Pierrepont Watersports Centre near Nottingham to look for a Spotted Sandpiper and a Long-Tailed Duck. The Long-Tailed Duck was near the finish line on a 2km long rowing lake. At first we went to the wrong end of the lake but eventually after walking the full length of the lake twice we found the bird swimming with the Tufted Ducks about 15 metres away from the shore.

Long-Tailed Duck

The Spotted Sandpiper was not as easy. It had been seen where the Slalom Course met the River Trent by the 750m marker on the rowing lake. We searched for about 2 hours and 30 minutes up and down the rapids course but there was no sign of the bird. Just as we were about to give up it appeared out of nowhere and we got great views of the tiny birds as it walked within 10 metres of us.

Spotted Sandpiper

Other birds seen at this sight were Kingfisher, Goldeneye, Wigeon, Gadwall, Egyptian Goose, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Grey Wagtail and Pied Wagtail.

The rowing lake at Holme Pierrepoint

Holmebrook Valley 20 - 23 - 25/02/18

This week I have been down to Holmebrook Valley three times.
On the 20th of February I went down for about an hour. On the lake there was the usual Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swans, 40+ Black-Headed Gulls, a few Mallards, Coots and a couple of Moorhens. The Tufted Ducks were there as usual and I counted 9 of them which I think is a new site record. Also on the lake were two Canada Geese which were new, but no Greylag Goose, although there was one seen at Linacre Reservoirs which would have been the same bird. This bird has flown from Holmebrook Valley to Linacre before as is just about a 5 minute flight for it.

8 of the 9 Tufted Ducks

Both Canada Geese

On the 23rd I went down for about 50 minutes. There was basically the same on the lake but instead there were no Tufted Ducks, no Canada Geese and the Greylag Goose had returned from his/her flight up to Linacre Reservoir. Also on the lake was 1 Common Gull, 2 Cormorants, 1 Great Crested Grebe and about 120 Black-Headed Gulls which was a lot. Unfortunately I couldn't find any ringed gulls but quiet a few of the birds were in breeding plumage and I managed to get some nice photos of one of these birds.

 Also on the 23rd there were 2 Kingfishers calling on the river.

Today the sun was out and it was quiet a nice day so I went down for half and hour. I knew that there had been quiet a few Whooper Swans around South Yorkshire this morning so I kept my fingers crossed that they might fly over to the lake at Holmebrook.
Unfortunately there were no Whoopers on the lake but there were 6 Tufted Ducks, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Mute Swans and about 60 Black-Headed Gulls. Also there were very low numbers of Mallards today with only about 20 - 30 birds present.

2 of the Mute Swans

Holmebrook Valley Park 17 - 18/02/18

This week I am off school and I have managed to get down to Holmebrook Valley a couple of times.

17/02/18

I popped down for about 45 minutes on Saturday and had a walk round the lake. On the lake there was a flock of about 60 Black-Headed Gulls, 1 Common Gull, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Greylag Goose, 3 Tufted Ducks, all 3 Mute Swans and 2 Cormorants.

Common Gull

The tame Robin was still by the boardwalk in his normal tree and I managed to get some nice shots of him.

18/02/18

Today I went to Holmebrook Valley about half an hour.
Birds on the lake were 50+ Black-Headed Gulls, 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Tufted Ducks (3 Male + 2 Female, A good record for HBV), 2 Cormorants, all 3 Mute Swans and 1 Greylag Goose.

Great Crested Grebe nearing full breeding plumage.

I also saw 1 female Goosander fly over and it was coming in to land but it flew off. Around the lake there was the usual tame Robin and I could hear the Kingfisher calling on the river and when I went to look, it flew off. I guess seeming that it was calling a lot, there was another bird.

Tame Robin

Also I added Green Woodpecker and Tawny Owl to my year list. I saw the Green Woodpecker this morning at Linacre Reservoirs and the Tawny Owl last weekend flying over a roundabout near Batemoor.

Holmebrook Valley Park 12/02/18

From last Saturday night through to Monday it snowed a bit in Chesterfield, so when I woke up I found out that my school was closed due to the snow. This gave me chance to get down to Holmebrook Valley to see if there was anything about.

I walked round the lake for about an hour and 25 minutes. On the lake there was a big flock of gulls with at least 100 birds present. I had a quick scan through the Black-Headed Gulls and managed to find 2 Common Gulls and a juvenile Black-Headed Gull with a metal ring on it. The ringed bird was to far out on a raft to reed the ring so unfortunately I don't know where it has come from.

A few on the gulls including the ringed Black-Headed Gull (2nd from the right on the raft) and the common gull (Just left of the middle Cormorant)

Other birds present on the lake where, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Tufted Ducks, 3 Cormorants, all 3 Mute Swans and a Grey Heron which was fishing. A bird that I thought had gone was the Greylag Goose, but it was back on the lake so it may have been hiding somewhere. If it was there the day before, then I don't know how I missed it.

                                                                  The Greylag Goose

                                 Black-Headed Gulls on the boardwalk. Unfortunately no rings!
Around the lake there was a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, a couple of Bullfinch, a Greenfinch calling at the top end of the lake, which is a nice Holmebrook Valley record as I don't see them much there, and this very friendly and tame Robin in his/her normal location by the boardwalk. I have not seen this Robin for at least a month so it was nice to see it back and in the snow I got some nice photos.

                                                    I tried to hide the seed in the snow!

                                                                 The lake in the snow

Holmebrook Valley Park 11/02/18

I went down to Holmebrook Valley today for about an hour despite the horrible weather. It was drizzling, cold and worst of all very windy, which made it feel even colder. I cycled down to the lake to see if there was anything about. On the lake there was 2 Tufted Ducks (Male and female), 3 Goosanders, including 2 which landed on the lake whilst I was there, about 60 Black-Headed Gulls including some near summer plumaged birds, all 3 Mute Swans and 3 Cormorants that were on a raft in the middle of the lake. The Greylag Goose that has been on the lake since December wasn't on the lake today so I guess it has flown away. Another bird that I found was a Great Crested Grebe which has been gone since November. Its nice to see the grebe back on the lake and hopefully it will successfully breed this year.

                                                                 Great Crested Grebe

                                               Near summer plumage Black-Headed Gull
I also found a Goldcrest which came within about 5m of me by was to quick and surrounded by branches to photograph. I spent about 15 minutes trying and here's the best I managed.

 Also with the Goldcrest were a few Goldfinch and Siskin which were feeding on the ground below.

                                             The lake whilst the sun was out for 5 minutes

Holmebrook Valley Park 04/02/18

I went down to Holmebrook Valley for about 15 minutes today just to check the lake for any new birds that might have come since yesterday morning. The sun was out today but it was still quiet chilly. On the lake there were 2 Goosanders (1 Male and 1 Female), only 1 Tufted Duck and the Greylag Goose had returned. I presume that it was there yesterday, but was asleep on the bank in the trees where we couldn't see it. All of the Mute Swans were still there but I couldn't locate the Kingfisher which wasn't even on its normal perch. Around the lake I could here at least 3 different Bullfinches but they were to far in the bushes to see.

                      The cygnet Mute Swan with quiet a few white feathers coming through.

                                                                    Greylag Goose

 One last thing I saw was a Rat at the bottom end of the lake. It froze when it saw me and stopped for just enough time for a photo. Over the last winter I have seen Rats on nearly every visit. Some people don't like Rats but I actually think there cute.

Holmebrook Valley Park 03/02/18

I was up early this morning with my Uncle and we had a 30min walk round the lake. There wasn't much about but the Greylag Goose that has been here since December had gone and there were only 2 Tufted Ducks (1 Female + 1 Male). All 3 Mute Swans were there and the Kingfisher was back on her favourite perch at the top end of the lake. I tried to photograph the Kingfisher but it was still to dark. As we were about to leave my uncle noticed a Goosander which must have landed whilst we were not looking. The bird was a female and looked like the bird that was present last Saturday and Sunday.

                                      My record shot of the Goosander. It was still quiet dark.