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A range of new Opticron binoculars are now on sale at the Potteric Carr shop
BIRD NEWS
August 2008
Tuesday 26th
2 Spotted Flycatchers were in Hawthorn Field all day (TE et al.). 3 Little Egrets (cr), 2 Dunlins, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Snipe were on Huxter Well, where a HOBBY was seen in the morning (TE) and again in the afternoon (SMB). 9 Siskins flew over the Field Centre, and 2 Shelducks over the Reserve.
Monday 25th (Bank Holiday)
2 Willow Tits and 2 Blackcaps were near Decoy Marsh Hide. At Low Ellers 50 House Martins were overhead and 22 Starlings flew through. A Greenfinch was in Midland Hedge, Huxter Well. The latter area had 240 Coot, 124 Canada Geese, 300 Lapwings, a juv Black-necked Grebe, 2 Little Egrets, single Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper, and 3 Snipe. A Common Buzzard was seen from the hexagon hide. 12 Swallows were noted.
Sunday 24th
A BITTERN flew from Old Eaa over to Willow Marsh at 12 noon (DB). More waders were back on Huxter Well Marsh with 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 5 Snipe, 2 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, and a Ruff (flew through at 10.10am (RJS, TE). For the third consecutive day a MARSH HARRIER was over Huxter Well/Piper Marsh (TE, RJS) and was a cream-crown (thought to be a juv male), present from 8.50–9.35am. A Common Tern circled the same marsh before flying N at 8.45am. Also at Huxter Well, 1 Wheatear, a second-year Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Black-necked Grebes, 3 Common Buzzards, 7 Grey Herons, 150 Starlings, 400 Lapwings and 5 Little Egrets (including the colour-ringed juv). 11 Siskins were at Willow Marsh/Old Eaa Marsh. 7 Swifts flew through and 3 Swallows perched on Sedum House wires. In the evening a Little Egret and 9 Cormorants roosted at Old Eaa Marsh.
Wheatear on Huxter Well, 24th August 2008 © Roger Bird
Saturday 23rd
A BITTERN was on Piper Marsh. At 12.20pm 2 cream-crown MARSH HARRIERs arrived at Huxter Well and circled at low level for ten minutes before gaining height and flying off SW (IH, DC). The juv Wheatear was still in Central Grassland (TF, DC). 3 SPOTTED FLYCATCHERs (RWB et al.) comprised 2 together along Willow Bank and at Cottage Drain/Mother Drain. A HOBBY (TRa et al.) and 2 Common Buzzards were also over Huxter Well; also the 2 Black-necked Grebes and 2 Little Egrets (cr) remained and waders included 3 Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper and at least 500 Lapwings. Other noteworthy birds today were Green Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Siskin (6 pumping station), Willow Tits and Lesser Whitethroat.
Blackcap immature or female, Potteric Carr, 23rd August 2008 © Rob Mokryj
Friday 22nd
Visible autumn migration was evident when a MARSH HARRIER circled high over the Reserve at 12.10pm (SMB, RWB). 4 CROSSBILLs flew over Childers Wood (TG), the first record of this finch for three years. A scarce migrant to Potteric Carr, SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, was found in Hawthorn Field (SW) before it moved to Cottage Drain (SMB, RWB) along with 5 Chiffchaffs and 3 Willow Warblers. Two Little Egrets remained on Huxter Well (cr), as did 2 Black-necked Grebes and 500 Lapwings. Other sightings were 6 Blackcaps, Bullfinch (Loversall Delph), 3 Siskins, 1 Mistle Thrush, 3 Sparrowhawks (over Black Carr Wood) and a Goldcrest (in song). 3 new Little Grebe young were on Huxter Well.
Thursday 21st
A WHEATEAR was perched on top of the hexagon hide briefly (TE). Huxter Well also had 2 Dunlins, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Ringed povers, 2 Black-necked Grebes and 3 Little Egrets (including the colour-ringed juv). 5 Swifts in the evening.
Tuesday 19th
A BITTERN flew across Huxter Well from the direction of Willow Marsh
towards Piper Marsh (BGAB, AT). The same marsh was visited by 16 Black-tailed Godwits for 15 minutes before flying off E, with other waders there including 1 Dunlin, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Snipe and 500 Lapwings; and other birds, 3 Little Egrets (including the colour-ringed juv), 2 Garganey, 2 Black-necked Grebes, 3 Wigeon, 1 Herring Gull and 1 Common Gull. At least 30 Swifts moved through, generally W. A Common Buzzard and Sparrowhawk were over Piper Marsh.
Monday 18th
A PEREGRINE flew over Huxter Well at 3pm and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was present there (SF).
News has just reached us on the provenance of a colour-ringed Little Egret sighted on Huxter Well on 25th July, 8th and 12th August 2008. The bird was ringed on 10th June this year as a nestling at
Terrington St Clement, Norfolk. This is the third Little Egret to have colour-rings identified in the field at Potteric Carr, the previous two were last August and had also been ringed as nestlings; one on the Channel Isles and the other in Lincolnshire.
Sunday 17th
A 'golden' Sunday's highlights involved a BITTERN on Decoy Marsh, HOBBY, Garganey (Lagoon), 2 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (adult & first-summer; RJS) and 4 Little Egrets on Huxter Well, and the eclipse Mandarin Duck on Low Ellers Marsh (SMB), still present at 6.30pm (RCC). Most waders on Huxter Well visited the Lagoon at some point where the water level was shallow and included 2 Greenshanks, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Dunlin, 1 Little Ringed Plover, and in the evening 2 Curlews (HW), later flushed by a Fox. 2 Common Buzzards were over Willow Marsh and 2 Kingfishers at Piper Marsh. A pair of Wigeon also visited the Lagoon and 500 Lapwings were gathered on Huxter Well. In the evening 2 of the Little Egrets roosted at Old Eaa (SF). Visible migration came in the form of Swifts moving through the Reserve, with 13 in the day and 1 in the evening. A Collared Dove overflew the site, probably on the autumn feeding forays by this species between Bessacar's suburbs and harvested cereal fields near Rossington. Other noteworthy gulls were single Herring Gull (second-summer) and 3 Common Gulls (mixed ages).
Two Curlews in the shallow Lagoon on the evening of 17th August 2008 © Helen Womack
Saturday 16th
Huxter Well held 2 Black-necked Grebes, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 3 Little Egrets, a juv Shelduck, 1 Garganey, 16 Little Grebes on cell 1b, and a Common Buzzard over (TF, BGAB). A Grey Wagtail was at Low Ellers.
Friday 15th
A BITTERN was on Willow Marsh in the morning (PC). A ?second BITTERN took flight from the right-hand reedbed and flew across the full length of Low Ellers Marsh and dropped into the left-hand reedbed edge at 1pm. A gathering of 14 inquisitive ducks close to where the bird settled included a MANDARIN DUCK male in eclipse plumage (DC, HW), still present at 6.30pm (KD, PG). The Low Ellers Bittern was seen again walking along the edge of the reeds (left of Childers Hide) at 2pm. Huxter Well had Black-necked Grebe, 1 Dunlin and a Swift.
This fabulous new hexagon hide at Huxter Well Marsh gives panoramic viewing across the wetlands
Thursday 14th
A BITTERN was on Old Eaa Marsh, and 2 Little Egrets. On Huxter Well:
2 Dunlins, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Black-necked Grebes, 1 Little Egret, 37 Little Grebes, 500–600 Lapwings, 2 Swifts, 6 Linnets and 2 Common Gulls. A Garganey was on Piper Marsh. A pair of Reed Warblers was feeding young near Cottage Drain Hide and a Garden Warbler was near the pumping station (AB), where there were also 3 Blackcaps. Tufted Duck was with 6 new young on Piper Marsh. In the evening a HOBBY hunted over Huxter Well and caught a Sand Martin (RWB) and 1000 gulls assembled there. 2 Little Egrets roosted at Old Eaa Marsh. A family party of Goldcrests was near Black Carr Field.
Wednesday 13th
A Peregrine was again over Huxter Well in the morning (SF, TE) and 3 Garganeys were on Piper Marsh (SF). A single Golden Plover, 2 Little Egrets (Lagoon), Green Sandpiper and juv Black-necked Grebe were on Huxter Well. Kingfisher was seen from Loversall Bank.
Tuesday 12th
BITTERN was again seen at Willow Marsh (JS). 2 Garganey were still on Piper Marsh (SMB). Black-necked Grebe and the colour-ringed Little Egret remained on Huxter Well, where 2 Little Ringed Plovers and a Yellow Wagtail were at the Lagoon and a Green Sandpiper in cell 2a. Common Sandpiper, Greenshank and a new brood of 4 Little Grebes were also on Huxter Well. A Treecreeper was near Duchess Hide. At the iron-railed bridge over Mother Drain a large mixed tit/warbler flock included Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.
Monday 11th
Shallow water in the Lagoon attracted 3 Greenshanks (SMB). Huxter Well had a Common Sandpiper, 300 Lapwings, 2 Black-necked Grebes, a hunting PEREGRINE and 50 Starlings. A juv Kingfisher was on Decoy Lake, Garganey on, and Common Buzzard high over Piper Marsh. 4 Swifts flew S. A juv Green Woodpecker was near Duchess Hide. Warblers included a family party of Blackcaps on Loversall Delph, Reed Warblers at Piper Marsh/Seven Arches Carr and Chiffchaffs calling around the reserve. 2 Bullfinches were over Old Eaa and 1 in Corbett Wood.
Sunday 10th
An adult male PEREGRINE chased pigeons over Huxter Well in the morning (TE). Huxter Well also had a Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Redshanks and 3 Black-necked Grebes (RJS) and 65 Swifts flew E. In the evening a Common Buzzard was low over Huxter Well, and 3 Little Egrets and 10 Cormorants roosted at Old Eaa Marsh.
Saturday 9th
In the morning 3 Little Egrets, 2 Green Sandpipers and a Black-tailed Godwit were on Huxter Well (BGAB, AT). In the evening: 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull (RJS), 3 Black-necked Grebes, 1 Common Buzzard (perched, St Catherine's Field), 1 Common Gull, 32 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Black Swan. The 3 Garganeys were still on Piper Marsh where 400 Jackdaws flew over to a roost, and a Feral Pigeon near the iron bridge for its fourth day.
Friday 8th
Huxter Well had 3 Little Egrets (one with colour-rings), 2 Black-necked Grebes (juvs), 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin (evening) 5 new Little Grebe chicks (Lagoon nest), 98 Gadwall, 70 Starlings and 2 'commic' terns flew E; the same site was overflown by 2 Fan-tailed Pigeons. A Willow Warbler was heard.
Thursday 7th
The summering BITTERN was again on Willow Marsh and seen in the afternoon and evening (SMB). At least 2 of the Garganey were still on Piper Marsh (CGJ). Huxter Well had 4 Dunlins, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Greenshank, 2 Little Egrets,
2 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 6 Snipe, 3 Common Sandpipers, 300 Lapwings, and 3 Common Buzzards high and distant from the panoramic-viewing hexagon hide. A Lesser Whitethroat was in the hedgerow beside the former bridleway. 8 Grey Herons were on Piper Marsh. 9 Linnets and 50 Starlings were on Huxter Well. Kingfisher was noted.
Wednesday 6th
4 Dunlins were on Huxter Well in the morning (TE) and 15 Black-tailed Godwits on West Scrape in the afternoon (SMB, RWB); also a Common Sandpiper, 3 Black-necked Grebes, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Herring Gull and 170 Lapwings. A Garganey was still at Piper Marsh. Herons numbered 6 at Piper Marsh and 4 at Decoy Marsh. A brood of 4 new Tufted Ducks swam on Old Eaa Marsh. Common Buzzard was over Black Carr Wood. There was a juv Shelduck on Huxter Well and 5 Cormorants on Piper Marsh. 3 Swallows flew S.
Tuesday 5th
The Reserve continues to hold some good birds and there were some interesting new species discovered in the morning. By the afternoon light rain did not prevent birders from viewing many of them from the comfort of the Gilleard-built hides. Waders on Huxter Well were interesting with 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Ruff (KLy), 3 Dunlins, 2 Greenshanks, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Snipe, 3 Redshanks, 2 Green Sandpipers, a Little Ringed Plover and 50 Lapwings. Raptors were also notable with a Marsh Harrier (cream-crown) through at 1.45pm (HB, MB) and a Hobby (DC, SMB) which overflew the reserve high in the sky and did not loiter. 5 Sparrowhawks seen today included a family of 3 juvs. 3 Black-necked Grebes remained on Huxter Well, where 3 Little Egrets (also 2 on Piper Marsh at the same time; and 3 Garganey there) were still showing and a count of Coot numbered 145. 12 Swallows headed S, and up to 10 Swifts flew low during drizzle. 6 Common Gulls were on Huxter Well and Kingfisher and 40 Siskins were noted elsewhere on the reserve.
Monday 4th
One of the Garganeys on Piper Marsh, 3rd August 2008 © Richard Scott
Sunday 3rd
In the morning a TURNSTONE and Greenshank (DK) and Black-tailed Godwit (TE) were on Huxter Well. Further sightings on that wetland involved 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Redshank, 3 Little Egrets, adult and 2 juv Black-necked Grebes (see photo), 185 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 first-summer and 1 third-summer Yellow-legged Gulls, 3 Common Gulls (inc. 1 juv), circa 60 Swifts, 2 Swallows through, a Feral Pigeon over, 16 Starlings over, and a Lesser Whitethroat along the former bridleway. Elsewhere on the Reserve were 2 Common Buzzards over the motorway, 3 Garganey (inc. an eclipse male; RJS) on Piper Marsh and 30 Siskins near the Field Centre. A Tufted Duck was with 3 new ducklings on the Lagoon. In the evening the 3 Little Egrets roosted at Old Eaa Marsh along with 5 Cormorants.
Black-necked Grebe with one of the well-grown juvs, Potteric Carr 3rd August 2008 © Richard Scott
Saturday 2nd
4 Common Sandpipers and 4 Little Egrets were on Huxter Well (BGAB) as well as the adult and 2 juv Black-necked Grebes. Common Buzzard flew over Black Carr Field/Black Carr Wood. 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (1 ad, 1 juv) were on Black Carr (BGAB).
Friday 1st
4 Green Sandpipers, 3 Black-tailed Godwits (TE), 2 Common Sandpipers and 2 Dunlin were on Huxter Well Marsh. One of the juv Garganeys was seen on Piper Marsh. Decoy Marsh held 2 adult and 3 young Little Grebes and 2 adult and 2 young Great Crested Grebes. Small numbers of Swifts were moving through, 2 Swallows fed over Huxter Well, and House Martins numbered 60+ at Low Ellers Marsh. Of interest in the woodland species were Green Woodpeckers at Corbett Wood and Childers Wood, Willow Tit near Sedum House, 4 calling Chiffchaffs around the reserve, and a tit flock exceeding 65 birds, including Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Siskin and Chaffinch in Corbett Wood.
Potteric Carr NR 'Recorder' Newsletter (2008 edition) (550 KB PDF). A 12-page review of Potteric Carr NR highlights in 2007.
Summary Spreadsheet of Potteric Carr Birds in 2007 (42 KB PDF). A List of birds seen in 2007.
2005 Potteric Carr Extension Land BBS (525 KB PDF). A survey of birds breeding on the Reserve's extension land in 2005.
2006 Potteric Carr Extension Land BBS (610 KB PDF). A survey of birds breeding on the Reserve's extension land in 2006.
2007 Potteric Carr Extension Land BBS (445 KB PDF). A survey of birds breeding on the Reserve's extension land in 2007.
Potteric Carr Bird News July 2008 (690 KB PDF). Potteric Carr bird news for July 2008.
Potteric Carr Top-ten Bird Listers (100 KB PDF). A list of birders that have seen the most bird species at Potteric Carr NR.
Bird Report 2005 (360 KB PDF). A copy of the Potteric Carr Bird Report 2005.