Potteric Carr Nature Reserve: Bird News

Please send all Bird sightings and images to Dave Carroll email until 12th February

Song Thrush on approach path to Roger Mitchell Hide this morning, 4th February 2012 © Robin Mokryj.

Pied Wagtail on the Piper Marsh ice after a snow shower, 4th February 2012 © Robin Mokryj.

Friday 3rd
A Kingfisher was seen along Mother Drain. 155 Teal stood on the ice-covered cell 1b Huxter Well Marsh and 4 Song Thrushes arrived from NE and settled in front of Roger Mitchell Hide (D Carroll, R Hazelwood). 3 pairs of Jacdaws were courting in the vicinity of Sedum House. A smal flock of Goldfinches was near the Reserve entrance.

The January 2012 bird news summary table is published (click on link above) and the 2011 nestbox results can be found on the Recording and Surveys page here. 60 Redwings were in Short Lane Fields.

Tony Elliott reports: "What looked like a blue morph Snow Goose apart from a very small black bill, was with Greylags on Huxter Well Marsh today, also 5 Dunlin were on the marsh." A Kingfisher was at the favoured place along Mother Drain, and 2 Common Buzzards were over Seven Arches Carr. 4 Meadow Pipits arrived on Central Grassland near West Scrape Hide (C Bell).

12 Dunlin flew W over Huxter Well at 10.45am, with a further two settled on the marsh (cell 1b), and 2 Ringed Plovers flew through, also W, at 3pm (D Carroll, S M and R W Bird). 70 Greylag Geese arrived quite low from the NE and alighted on Huxter Well Marsh, followed by a further 18 shortly afterwards. There were 30 Wigeon and 4 Shelduck on the same marsh, and a Common Buzzard flew over. Green Woodpeckers were seen at Big Hedge and Decoy Lake.

A Bittern was seen at Decoy Marsh for 20 minutes from 3.20pm (RJ Scott, J & W Badger et al.). This came at the end of today’s Potteric Carr Bittern census, a report of which is published on the Recording and Surveys page here.

Another elusive species, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (female), was seen along Hawthorn Bank (B & D Ellison, et al.), meanwhile Great Spotted entertained visitors at Willow Pool feeding station. Kingfisher was perched along Mother Drain as expected due to the overnight ice covering most of the Reserve’s waters. A flock of Siskin (30) with Lesser Redpolls included a possible Mealy Redpoll near the wardens car park.

A good count of 12 Bullfinches together at the north end of Cottage Drain demonstrates how Potteric Carr attracts this species during the winter months (A & C Sawbridge). Other reports included 2 Goldcrest (C Bell), and 2 Jays in dead trees at Decoy Marsh.

Additional records by Richard Scott: Treecreeper (2 pumping station); Wigeon 12 Huxter Well Marsh; Teal 525 HWM including one with bill saddle, 2 Low Ellers; Shoveler 14 HWM, 3 over Old Eaa Marsh; Gadwall 68 HWM; Mallard 151 HWM, 2 Willow Pool; Tufted Duck 7 HWM; Pochard 23 HWM; Common Gull 17 HWM; Shelduck 5 HWM; Willow Tit 1 Piper Marsh, 1 Willow Pool; Rook 1 over; Green Woodpecker 1 HWM.

A Curlew arrived to roost on Huxter Well Marsh at sunset. There were 15 Wigeon on the same marsh and in the large oak tree 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (one male and two females) displayed. A Green Woodpecker was also in the area. Kingfisher showed on Mother Drain at the usual perching branches between the two railway bridges (Sue and Roger Bird). 2 Green Sandpipers were at Piper Marsh (Mark Roberts).

Bullfinches were seen near the Royal Mail railhub, at Piper Marsh scrub and along Willow Bank. Signs of springtime came with Greylag Geese pairing up and claiming nest sites (Mick Bird).

Tomorrow, Sunday 29th, is Potteric Carr's annual Bittern census. Co-ordinators will be on site and there will be clipboard forms in key observation hides — visitors are requested to record any sightings on the form.

A Barn Owl, almost certainly the same bird as yesterday, was flying along the path to the east of Piper Marsh hide heading towards Rossington Bank (Glyn Hudson).

A Barn Owl, a very scarce bird at Potteric Carr, flew in front of Duchess Hide early morning and continued flying alongside Hawthorn Bank towards the motorway (Tony Elliott).

A Bittern was reported, early morning on the island to the right of the Decoy Marsh Hide.

The Sheffield Thursday Birders paid a visit to the Reserve today and on a very quiet day recorded just over fifty species including the following.

Low Ellers had an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull which appeared to be back in full breeding plumage. A male Sparrowhawk made a 'pass' through disturbing around forty Black-headed Gull. Teal numbered around one hundred.

Willow Pool hide had all the usual small birds coming to the feeders and these included two Coal Tit and two Willow Tit. Out on the water two Canada Goose, four Greylag plus Teal, Gadwall and Mallard were present.

Noted from Duchess Hide on Hawthorn Bank overlooking Huxter Well Marsh were two pair of Shelduck, a pair plus a single male Shoveler, two pair of Wigeon, about eighty Teal only three Tufted Duck and ten Gadwall. Also noted from here was a single Grey Heron. A Green Woodpecker flew from behind the hide and out over the Marsh and fifteen Lapwing were also in flight.

Seen from St. Catherine's Hide was a small flock of Pochard numbering fourteen and just six Tufted Duck. A single Common Gull flew past along with several Lesser Black-backed Gull and single immature Herring Gull and immature Great Black-backed Gull.

Also reported were Great Spotted Woodpecker, another Sparrowhawk and three Common Buzzard in flight over Huxter Well Marsh.

A male Kingfisher was feeding along Mother Drain next to the railway bridges and a female Kestrel was hovering along the drain bank. A single Cormorant was seen flying over the area. (Allan Parker, et al)

Taken recently (Saturday 20th January) from Willow Pool hide by Geoff Barker-Read the two images below show a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a female Pheasant at the Willow Pool bird feeding station.

Left, Great Spotted Woodpecker and right, female Pheasant both images © Geoff Barker-Read.

Heavy rain in the morning limited today's observations and photography, even from the hides. A Bittern seen in flight at Decoy Marsh around 10am was the best report (M Bird, K Lynes). Only 3 Golden Plover and 13 Lapwings were logged at Huxter Well Marsh. Bullfinches were in small groups around the Reserve and amounted to at least 14. Up to 3 Willow Tits visited the Willow pool feeding station. Visitors to the Willow Pool Hide are requested to add their sightings of Willow Tits seen there on a form pinned to the hide notice board; see the Recording and Survey page on this website for further details.

A Green Woodpecker was in the Big Hedge and Treecreeper in Childers Wood. On Sunday, 29th January the annaul Potteric Carr wintering Bittern census will take place. Forms will be available in key hides for visitors to participate, which simply means, if you see a Bittern, please record the time and any other details. There will be co-ordinators in some hides from 10am to 3pm.

A Bittern was fleetingly viewed today at 16:12 flying into the back of the reed bed located in front of Decoy Marsh Hide. I presumed it flew from the reed bed at the far side of the marsh. My first Potteric Carr Bittern of 2012 (Chris Bell).

Report from Ian Heppenstall who has taken-up birding now there are no moths about:-

Around three hundred (300) Teal were on Huxter Well, mostly on the Lagoon, plus smaller numbers of Mallard and Gadwall, a few Shoveler and Shelduck. Single Sparrowhawk and Kestrel were also noted here.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in Black Carr Wood. Six Bullfinch were noted around Black Carr Field / Piper Marsh.

Good numbers of Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tit plus a few Coal Tit were in the Black Carr Field / Wood area.

No Willow Tits seen or heard in the areas I visited today and, unusually, no Redwing either. Perhaps they have largely moved on.
I didn't visit Willow Pool or Decoy Marsh Hides, where Willow Tit and Bittern might have been seen.

I didn't walk all the way round Huxter Well but, as far as I could tell, there was no Ring-necked Duck or Bean Goose present, in fact I didn't see a single goose of any sort. Huxter Well was still part frozen.

With most of the water on the Reserve frozen a male Kingfisher was again fishing on the unfrozen Mother Drain under the railway bridges.

The wildfowl had managed to keep an area of water open between Hawthorn Bank and St. Catherine's Hides. The wildfowl included Mallard, Teal, Gadwall and a single Shelduck. Two Common Gull were also noted here.

Two separate flocks, totalling some circa one hundred, Lapwing came from the east and headed over Huxter Well heading west along the M18. A flock of Greylag numbering between eighty and one hundred birds flew in from the east before landing on one of the frozen lagoons unfortunately there was no sign of the Tundra Bean Goose with them.

Elsewhere on the Reserve there were reports of small numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare.

Most of the Reserve's waters were frozen and today's WeBS count revealed that most diving ducks had moved elsewhere, the Ring-necked Duck, for example, was found on Doncaster Lakeside at 3.30pm (per BirdGuides).

A Red Kite flew over at 11.30am heading West. Kingfisher showed on Mother Drain between the rail bridges around midday (IH).

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was seen in the Piper Marsh area early morning (RM) other small birds were noticeable by their absence but several Bullfinch were noted along with small flocks of Long-tailed Tit.

The Tundra Bean Goose and Ring-necked Duck (cell 2a) were again seen today, as was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in scrub near Piper Marsh (GJ), with a second bird also reported. 120 Pink-footed Geese flew W (Des Roberts). Also, 1 Bittern, a Grey Wagtail, and 2 Willow Tits (Willow Pool feeders). Tomorrow, Sunday 15th January, Zeiss will be on site to demonstrate their range of optics.

This image of a Mute Swan in flight was taken at Piper Marsh today by David Roberts.

The Ring-necked Duck showed on Huxter Well Marsh cell 2b from St Catherine's Hide and the Bean Goose was seen on cell 3a from the observation screen. At one stage it flew off to feed in fields south of the motorway. Little Egret was also on Huxter Well Marsh. A Bittern appeared just before dusk at Decoy Marsh and presumably intended to roost there. Kingfisher was seen today and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was reported in scrub near Piper Marsh. So, despite the date, it was a lucky day for year listers, Yorkshire listers and anyone else birdwatching at Potteric Carr today. Opticron will be at Potteric Carr on Saturday 14th January with their range of optics for sale (10% off on the day).

The Ring-necked Duck and Tundra Bean Goose were again on Huxter Well Marsh today, seen from the Roger Mitchell Hide.

The Tundra Bean Goose arrived on Huxter Well Marsh at 10.15am (DC, GH, and see photo by SB) with about 150 Greylag and remained until at least 3.30pm. At 2.30pm the same water body, cell 1b, was found to be holding the female Ring-necked Duck (SMB, RWB, DC, PKG) first reported at Potteric Carr a week ago (see photos by Steve Furber and Pete Greaves, below). It was associating with a drake Tufted Duck and best viewed from the Roger Mitchell Hide, as was the Tundra Bean Goose. Also from this hide today, a Little Egret, Kingfisher and Green Woodpecker, as well as, in flight, a Common Buzzard, 25 Golden Plover, a single Green Sandpiper and Snipe. More news for today below photos.

Tundra Bean Goose (right) on Huxter Well cell 1b on 10th January 2012 © Sue Bird.

Ring-necked Duck (female) on Huxter Well Marsh, 10th January 2012 © Pete Greaves.

Ring-necked Duck (female) on Huxter Well Marsh, 10th January 2012 © Steve Furber.

Ring-necked Duck (female) on Huxter Well Marsh, 10th January 2012 © Pete Greaves.

Two Shelduck were seen from the Duchess Hide and single Common Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull were noted from the viewing blind. Also on the Reserve were Willow Tit, fifteen (15) Lesser Redpoll, small numbers of Siskin, four Bullfinch, two Treecreeper. Good numbers of Redwing and Blackbird were scattered throughout the Reserve feeding on hawthorn berries.

At Decoy Marsh a Cormorant flew in at about 8.40 am and on it's second dive came up with a fish some six to eight inches long which it promptly swallowed. The fish was a very dark olive green and plumpish and I am informed it was probably a Tench. I was then pleasantly distracted by a Bittern (my first for this year) which flew from the south east corner to the north west corner of Decoy Marsh. On my way to Decoy Marsh Hide I saw ten Bullfinch (not sexed as a number were in silhouette) together near the Royal Mail Building. (KW).

Two bird images taken on the Reserve yesterday by Barry Wardley and Peter Dawson show a Kestrel in flight and a Treecreeper.

A Tundra Bean Goose was found amongst the flock of Greylags and 2 Green Sandpipers were on Huxter Well Marsh (per MR).

KW saw a female Sparrowhawk at the east end of Decoy Marsh about 8.45 a.m. then during a morning amble with AP the following birds were noted :---

At the Willow Pool three Willow Tit were coming to the feeders along with all the usual species.

Along Mother Drain a Kingfisher was in the usual place (two were reported in the same area about noon). A flock of circa fifty Redwing with several Blackbird were also in this area.

Black Carr Field had two Jay and a brief glimpse of a Green Woodpecker which a few minutes later flew off north-east over Black Carr Wood.

On Piper Marsh there was a single Grey Heron and two male Pied Wagtail. A flock of Bullfinch in this area consisted of a single male and four females.

Along the 'Big Hedge' by the Central Grassland a flock of circa fifteen Long-tailed Tit. (there were other small flocks of this species in various places throughout the Reserve).

Seen from the Mitchell Hide were three Shelduck, circa one hundred and seventy Greylag Geese, five Grey Heron and single Little Egret plus the usual other birds.

Other cells on Huxter Well Marsh held sixty plus Gadwall, forty / fifty Pochard and about fifty Lapwing plus all the other usual wildfowl.

In the afternoon KW had four male and two female Bullfinch near the Royal Mail building plus two Snipe which flew into Decoy Marsh around 2.45pm and were still there when he left about one hour later.

Three Tawny Owl were calling round the cafe, car park area at 7.00 am this morning. Two Great-Black Backed Gull, three Herring Gull and seven Lesser Black Backed Gull were on Cell 1b first thing (Tony Elliott).

There were circa ten Siskin and a single Lesser Redpoll with Goldfinch in Alders at the corner of the path past Decoy March this morning (Ken Woolley).

A search for the Ring-necked Duck was unsuccessful. Pochard and Tufted Duck numbers on Huxter Well Marsh were lower than yesterday.

An exciting start to the New Year came late morning when a female Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris was found on Huxter Well Marsh cell 2a (SMB). The bird, considered to be in first-winter to adult plumage, was associating with a group of about 30 Tufted Duck and Pochard at the reedbed edge, viewed from St Catherine’s Hide. Identification details were appraised and news of the Ring-necked Duck was circulated by early afternoon. Lots of birders were able to get to see it and a number of photographs were taken by Richrd Collis, Stewart Pigg and Glyn Hudson. The duck was still present at sunset.

It is 28 years since the previous occurrence of this rare Nearctic waterfowl at Potteric Carr, when it was then a BB rarity. In April 1984 a drake appeared on the nature reserve and was not only a new bird for Potteric, but the first record for the DDOS Doncaster district recording area. So, today’s sighting had been long awaited by Potteric Carr listers.

One, possibly two Little Egrets were on site, with a single on Huxter Well Marsh and perhaps a second, seen to fly from Old Eaa Marsh westwards.

A Bittern, was seen from the Decoy Marsh Hide, flying from the Loversall Pool direction and landing out of sight in a reed bed at Decoy Marsh. (SP).

The feeding station at Willow Pool had all the usual passerines which included Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, up to three Willow Tit, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Robin, a single Wren in the reed bed, Jay, Magpie and a female Great Spotted Woodpecker. A female Sparrowhawk made a pass through the feeder area but failed to connect with anything. Other birds present were Greylag, Mallard, Gadwall, Teal, Coot and Moorhen out on the Pool.

A flock of Redwing in the Pumping Station area numbered some fifty to sixty birds and included several Blackbird. There was another flock at the western end of the Reserve (SP).

A male Kingfisher was in its usual place on Mother Drain between the railway bridges.

Birds seen from Duchess Hide included nine Mute Swan, a mix of adult and 1st year birds, Shoveler, Mallard, Teal and Coot. A single Shelduck was also noted from this hide.

From the Hawthorn Bank Hide there were two more adult Mute Swan, three Greylag flew past followed a little later by nine more and trailing behind them was a single Pink-footed Goose, five Wigeon (three male plus two female), small numbers of Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, twenty / thirty Black-headed Gull included both adult and immature birds, a single adult Herring Gull, a single immature Commorant and a Grey Heron was standing next to the reeds and a second was noted in flight.

From St Catherine's Hide we had views of circa thirty Pochard, plus six Tufted Duck and several Gadwall, Mallard Coot and Moorhen were also present. On the lagoon further back there were a similar number of Pochard, up to twelve Tufted Duck and more Mallard and Coot. A flock of circa forty Greylag flew west over Huxter Well Marsh.

We note several Carrion Crow and Magpie about the area and a single Jay was in the hedge along St. Catherine's Field.

A male Kestrel was hovering near the viewing stockade and four Jackdaw were in flight heading east. On the lagoon to the west of the path were it turns ninety degrees towards the viewing stockade we had four Common Gull with a flock of Black-headed Gull

From the viewing stockade we noted circa sixty Lapwing plus circa one hundred and fifty Black-headed Gull and a further four Common Gull along with twenty more Greylag. Another pair of Mute Swan with two 1st year birds were also noted.

Single lesser Black-backed Gull and Herring Gull (1st winter) were noted in flight along with an adult Cormorant heading east has we made our way to the Mitchell Hide,.

Viewing from the Mitchell Hide we saw Mallard, Teal, circa seventy Greylag, three Shelduck, a Little Egret was noted in flight then landing in front of the Duchess Hide.

It was from the Mitchell Hide we watched a male Peregrine (a young bird judging by its performance) make up to eight stoops on to a Lapwing, missing every time, it then gave and flew to to perch in an Oak tree. A couple on minutes later a larger female Peregrine appeared and chased the male bird out of the tree, there was then lots of in flight action between them with much calling before they parted company the female heading north over the Black Carr area and the male going south along Hawthorn Bank. Without a doubt this made our New Year's Day birding!!

West Scrape which is still lacking much in the way of water had nothing more than three Carrion Crow plus a 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull in flight.

Piper Marsh still extremely low on water had two Carrion Crow, two Pheasant and a male and a female Pied Wagtail.

Back near the Pumping Station an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull flew over but there was no sign of the Kingfisher seen earlier.

The Access track had a large tit flock which include several very confiding Long-tailed Tit. also present here were six Bullfinch including two superb males.

We then spent sometime in Decoy Marsh Hide in the hope that the Bittern may show but we had no luck. A Little Egret, possibly the same one noted earlier on Huxter Well Marsh, flew in to roost in a Willow tree.

Potteric Carr Wildlife Bird News

Potteric Carr Wildlife
Bird News