Erewash Valley Wildlife

Notts sightings for Wed 16th May (courtesy of Notts Birdwatchers)

rssfeeds — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:13:13 +0000

Holme Pierrepont - 1 Whooper Swan.
Arnold - 1 Hobby [over at 10:30].
Collingham Pits - 1 Turtle Dove, 150+ Common Swift [including one leucistic bird - initially regarded as possible Pacific Swift].
Besthorpe NWT - South: 1 Little Egret, 1 Dunlin.
Gringley Carr - 1 Eurasian Curlew, 1 Marsh Harrier, 12 Corn Bunting, 1 Common Quail [calling].
Skegby Trail - Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Grasshopper Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Skylark, Barn Swallow, Common Swift, Chaffinch , Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail.

_{-- Delivered by Feed43 service}

Notts sightings for Thu 17th May (courtesy of Notts Birdwatchers)

rssfeeds — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:13:13 +0000

Carlton - Cemetery: 2 Northern Wheatear [1 male, 1 female].
Cotham Flash - 3 Ringed Plover, 1 White Wagtail [in adjacent flooded field].
Kilvington - West Lake: 10 Ringed Plover.
Attenborough Nature Reserve - 1 Whooper Swan [Tween Pond], Red-crested Pochard, Pink-footed Goose.
Besthorpe - 1 Northern Wheatear, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Common Cuckoo, 4 Linnet.

_{-- Delivered by Feed43 service}

Notts sightings for Fri 18th May (courtesy of Notts Birdwatchers)

rssfeeds — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:13:13 +0000

Nottingham - 1 Northern Wheatear [foraging in grassy area on Boden Street off Alfreton Road].
Hoveringham - [Sailing Lake:] 1 Sanderling [adult on shoreline next to Sailing Club], 1 Hobby.
Attenborough Nature Reserve - 1 Sanderling.

_{-- Delivered by Feed43 service}

The Norfolk Journal. A Cloudy Cley.

PaulS — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:34:41 +0000

Another week and another trip to Norfolk. Managed to drop into Narborough Railway Cutting on the way out. There was a marked difference to last year at this time. As you can see from the shot below there was a real dearth of wildflowers. Last year it was a picture but all I could find this year was Germander Speedwell, Dandelion & Stitchwort. There were signs of flowers emerging. Lots of Pyramid Orchid shoots for example so hopefully things will pick up. Not much occurring on the butterfly front. Orange Tip, Holly Blue and Brimstone were all that showed.

A very flower free Narborough.

Germander Speedwell.

Someone was enjoying the flora.

Wednesday night took me to Cley and a circular walk around Wolsey Hills, Salthouse and Cley East Bank. It was very quiet to start with. Apart from the usual Geese and Waders nothing much was showing. The nearest I got to anything else was this Hare popping up out of the grass.

And that was a long way off!!

As I headed up onto the shingle things started to liven up a bit, literally. A Short Eared Owl flew across the scrapes causing all sorts of mayhem as it went. The Sandwich Terns started to turn up with beaks full of Sand Eels. I then spotted a pair of Stonechat. I patiently made my way towards them. I must say I’m very proud of my stalking techniques. I managed to get close enough to the birds to not disturb them but get some decent shots.

This is the male.

And here’s the female. This was on the bush they had a nest in. She’s looks like a footballers wife with all that bling on

Not a bad way to end the evening. I did pop back over first thing this morning to see if the Marsh Harriers were about. I managed to see one doing a spot of nest DIY.

No shots but did add Reed Warbler, Whitethroat and Grasshopper Warbler to the year list. In fact the only other shot I got was this Meadow Pipet.

Finally, seeing the Marsh Harrier reminded me of some shots I took last year. This bird was taking food to its nest over at Sculthorpe Moor. Has anyone any idea what it’s carrying? It looks like a huge lump of meat but from what? The shot is heavily cropped so sorry about the detail.

Cheers

Paul

Notts sightings for Mon 14th May (courtesy of Notts Birdwatchers)

rssfeeds — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:42:02 +0000

Attenborough Nature Reserve - Dunlin [Wheatear Field].

_{-- Delivered by Feed43 service}

Notts sightings for Tue 15th May (courtesy of Notts Birdwatchers)

rssfeeds — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:42:02 +0000

Cotham Flash - 2 Dunlin [in adjacent flooded field].
Kilvington Lakes - West Lake: 6 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin.
Gonalston - 6 Yellowhammer [4 male, 2 female], 1 Eurasian Nuthatch, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Marsh Tit.

_{-- Delivered by Feed43 service}

Notts sightings for Wed 16th May (courtesy of Notts Birdwatchers)

rssfeeds — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:42:02 +0000

Skegby Trail - Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Grasshopper Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Skylark, Barn Swallow, Common Swift, Chaffinch , Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail.

_{-- Delivered by Feed43 service}

Large Red Damsel

GarryH — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:42:31 +0000

Saw and managed some shots of my first Large red damsel of the year down the M1 bridge today………..

Large red Damselfly

Large red Damselfly on Hawthorn Blossom

Was also able to get these

Male Orange Tip

14 spot Ladybird

Notts sightings for Tue 8th May (courtesy of Notts Birdwatchers)

rssfeeds — Mon, 14 May 2012 22:17:48 +0000

Bentinck Void - 8 Northern Wheatear, Whinchat.
Skegby Trail - Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, Skylark, Yellowhammer, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Common Swift.
Kinoulton - 4 Linnet, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, 3 Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Green Woodpecker [heard].
Arnold - Lesser Redpoll [over].
Holme Pierrepont - Brent Goose [dark-bellied bird with Canadas], Garganey [male on A52 pit, 2 Hobby.

_{-- Delivered by Feed43 service}

Notts sightings for Wed 9th May (courtesy of Notts Birdwatchers)

rssfeeds — Mon, 14 May 2012 22:17:48 +0000

Bentinck Void - 5 Northern Wheatear.
Kilvington Lakes - 2 Little Gull [1st summer], 2 Common Tern, 2 Oystercatcer, 1 Northern Wheatear.
Kingston on Soar - 4 Little Egret.
Wollaton Park - Common Sandpiper [lake].

_{-- Delivered by Feed43 service}