Recording Birds in Lady Bay
As part of our local birdwatching activity we record the birds within the Lady Bay area. This is shown on our website. Birds seen anywhere within the area or from the boundary are included in our listings; most records submitted come from private gardens. Records can be submitted to the group at any time; a short summary report is then issued each month and an annual report at the end of the year.
As part of this recording exercise, regular short birdwatching walks take place through The Hook area, generally on a Saturday morning and usually last from 08.00 – 09.30 followed by a coffee at the Poppy and Pint. The aim of these walks is to give people regular local birdwatching and an opportunity to get to grips with common bird identification. To date 63 species have been seen on The Hook during a series of 21 walks up to and including December 2019.
Contact
If you would like to take part or find out more information please contact Keith Rainford at keith.rainford@ntlworld.com or visit ladybaybirdwatchers.wordpress.com
The boundary of the Lady Bay area is deemed to be the rugby club on Holme Road, Radcliffe Road, Regatta Way to the sailing club and the River Trent as shown on the sketch Google layout below.
Thank you
Update 5th March 2018
This proposal has now been advertised locally and also on Facebook on the Lady Bay Local page. We now have 17 members attached to this group and records are now beginning to be submitted. Early days but a very encouraging start.
The adverse weather conditions have played a major role in some of the records received; all 5 thrushes (Fieldfare, Redwing, Blackbird, Song and Mistle) have been seen in garden areas since 1st March but with the recent quick thaw this may very well change.
1 garden had 10 dunnocks and 12 blackbirds! Not bad.
Update to 31st March 2018
It’s a pity the weather is a bit on the wet side for the Easter break.
26 reports have been received for the month which is excellent considering we have only just started. A few nice records as well.
To date the total number of recorded species seen within or from the Lady Bay Area is 53. Some of the species seen are for records prior to 2018 eg Turtle Dove.
Highlights for March.
As possibly expected the most common species seen have been Jackdaw and Wood Pigeon which are fairly widespread across the area. Jackdaws are actively nest building as are many other species.
Coot, Moorhen and Mallard all in residence along the canal along with Mute Swan.
Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Magpie and Goldfinch are fairly widespread but there seems to be a shortage of Greenfinch (only seen at the west end of The Hook) and Tits.
The first Chiffchaff of the year was heard on The Hook on 29th and both Buzzard and Sparrowhawk were seen soaring over Lady Bay on 26th. A single Green Woodpecker was heard on the 29th on The Hook along with 2 male Pheasants.
House Sparrows were found to be common ‘locally’ and not widespread.
Records for Wren were restricted to The Hook with 2 at the west end and 1 in the Holme Grove area.
The River Trent was fairly quiet with a single pair of Great Crested Grebes, a small flock of Canada Geese and two Mute Swan.
Of the winter species, Fieldfare was last seen on 9th and Redwing on 1st – a few records of birds outside of the Lady Bay Area were seen after these dates.
Quarterly Survey – update 20th April 2018
34 species reported as follows:
Blackbird, Blue Tit, Black Headed Gull, Blackcap, Cormorant, Canada Goose, Coot, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Feral Pigeon, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Greylag Goose, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Magpie, Pheasant, Robin, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Sparrowhawk, Wren, Wood Pigeon.
Probably the most common bird was the Wood Pigeon closely followed by members of the crow family – Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, and Magpie all noted. Of the smaller stuff, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Robin and Wren all seemed to be widespread unlike the Chaffinch where only 3 records were noted.
The canal has breeding Coot, Moorhen, Mute Swan and I assume Mallard. 23 Mallards were counted along the canal on 5th.
Of the remainder, numbers of House Sparrow, Long Tailed Tit, Song Thrush and Starling were limited.
Outside the first week of April
A nice record of a Kestrel on 13th was a great spot on the Hook.
End of April Update
Nice records received. By the end of April Goldcrest, Kestrel and Little Egret were added to the list above.
A total of 38 species of bird were noted in April the most common being as follows:
Blue Tit 14 records
Magpie 12 records
Great Tit 11 records
Goldfinch 11 records
Blackbird 10 records
Robin 10 records
Greenfinch 09 records
Carrion Crow 08 records
Mallard 07 records
In terms of numbers at any one time
Mallard 31 birds
Carrion Crow 21 birds
Wood Pigeon 14 birds
Robin 11 birds
Canada Goose 10 birds
Blue Tit 09 birds
Greenfinch 08 birds
Goldfinch 07 birds
Great Tit 06 birds
all of the other 38 species had varying numbers up to 5 birds
A nice record was of a Little Egret over Mona Road (date unknown). A Sparrowhawk was also seen soaring between Skylarks and the Boat Club on the 5th.
Ad-hoc Reports
Please continue to send in all records of birds seen in and from the Lady Bay area. It does not matter how many or which species – just send in the records of date, location, numbers and species seen.
Early May Update
Again nice records coming in up to now. The Friends Of the Hook Dawn Chorus Walk found 30 species of bird including a Cetti’s Warbler close to the River Trent. Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and Chiffchaff all seen/heard. 2 Sparrowhawks and 2 Reed Buntings seen between The Hook and The Boat Club.
May 2018 Update.
As previously reported, May started well with the ‘Friends of The Hook’ dawn chorus walk on the 6th. 30 species in total seen including a Cetti’s Warbler close to the River Trent. Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and Chiffchaff all seen/heard.
Records are trickling in and we are beginning to create a good base line for future years. Breeding is at its height with Jackdaws, Starlings, Blackbirds, Blue Tits and House Sparrows all very busy with young. The Grantham Canal has quite a number of breeding waterbirds with the following noted:
Coot : 10 pairs with a total of between 23 and 27 chicks.
Moorhen : possibly 3 nests
Mute Swan : one nest at the west end on I believe 9 eggs.
Mallard : 3 pairs with chicks noted
Woodpigeons continue to be the most numerous species followed closely by the crows (Carrion, Jackdaw and Magpies) and at least 10 Rooks between Skylarks and the Boat Club.
Of the smaller birds, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Blackcap and House Sparrow were fairly common, followed by Goldfinch, Robin, Starling and Wren. A maximum of 3 Whitethroats were heard on The Hook. Recorded numbers for BH Gull, Chaffinch, Collared Dove and Dunnock were low and there was only 1 record each for LT Tit and Greenfinch. 2 nice records for Mistle Thrush on 8th and 29th were a welcome addition to the list.
Of the geese, a maximum of 8 Canada Geese were seen on the 8th and only 1 Greylag on the 6th.
Of the Hirundines, Swifts have been seen regularly but not in great numbers. There have been no records of House Martins or Sand Martins.
Raptors: a single buzzard was seen over Trent Boulevard during w/c 7th, a single Sparrowhawk was noted on the 5th over Rutland and 2 birds were seen east of the Hook on the 8th. There were no records of Kestrel.
June 2018 Final Summary
Canal
Coots – continue to do well with 9 pairs and about 25 chicks of various sizes; also evidence of second broods.
Moorhen – nothing much to report here. 1 pair of adult birds seen but not seen any chicks. Has anyone seen any?
Mute Swan – 1 pair with 9 cygnets. Nice to see that my last report of only 6 cygnets was incorrect.
Mallard – up to 17 birds seen on 7th with chicks present.
Warblers – Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff all heard on the Hook but no Sedge Warbler heard on early June visit.
Smaller Stuff – Low numbers of chaffinch continue, but both Goldfinch and Greenfinch seem to be doing well. House Sparrows seem to be doing well in ‘pockets’ around the area. Robin well represented in the area. Wrens are seen/heard fairly frequently.
Tits – both Blue and Great Tits seem to be very low in numbers with the most common being Long Tailed Tits. Recent records however show Blue Tits breeding on Holme Road.
Thrushes – Blackbirds present and breeding; Mistle Thrush seen on a couple of occasions along with Song Thrush
Woodpeckers – one Great Spotted Woodpecker seen flying from the river towards the dyke area on the Hook on 7th.
Herons – An adult and 2 well grown young were ‘sunbathing’ in the hot weather in the paddock adjacent to the A52 at the junction with Regatta Way on 30th.
Kingfisher – a great record of one bird seen flying towards Colwick Park across the river from the direction of the Hook during w/c 11th.
Raptors – Buzzard seen over Regatta Way on 7th and 9th and Sparrowhawk seen at Lady Bay Road on 10th. A single Buzzard was seen again over Regatta Way on 30th.
Terns – 2 Common Terns flew over Rutland Road on 5th and 9th.
Reed Bunting – excellent sightings to east of the Hook. Up to 3 birds seen at any one time.
Goldcrest – a single bird in the Pinders Pond area.
Crows – Carrion Crow and Jackdaw seen generally around the area but in low numbers. Magpies present with max number of 7 on the Hook on 7th. 11 Rooks to the east of the Hook on 7th.
Doves/Pigeons – Woodpigeons in good numbers with max number of 18 to the east of the Hook on 7th. Feral Pigeons are well under-recorded with only 2 reported on Lady Bay Road on 11th. Only 1 Collared Dove on Holme Road on 7th. Where are they all?
Hirundines – Swifts continue to be seen daily but only in 2s/3s generally and not frequently at the beginning of the month. Numbers however seem to have increased marginally with a regular group of 5/6 over Trent Boulevard and a max count of 9 on 24th over Lady Bay Road One record of Swallow on the Hook on 7th. 5 House Martin records from east of the Hook on 7th.
Final Report for July 2018.
Canal
Coots – Early July saw a slight drop in the number of pairs but they continue to do well with 7 pairs seen and about 14 chicks of various sizes; also evidence of second broods and 1 pr nesting on the central part of the canal.
Moorhen – only one bird seen on 5th. Hopefully more will be seen as Autumn approaches.
Mute Swan – 1 pair with 6 cygnets.
Mallard – up to 31 birds seen during the month; unusually all the birds seen in early July were female.
Warblers – Only singles of Blackcap, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff heard at any one time on The Hook.
Smaller Stuff – Chaffinch and now Greenfinch continue to be seen in very low numbers, but Goldfinch still seems to be doing well. House Sparrows maintaining numbers in ‘pockets’ around the area. Robin virtually disappeared from the area. Wrens are seen/heard fairly frequently in early part of month.
Tits – both Blue and Great Tits seem to be very low in numbers with 1/2 families of each seen late month. Both Coal Tit and Long Tailed Tit not recorded in month.
Thrushes – Blackbirds present and breeding; no records of Mistle Thrush and only 2 records of Song Thrush late month.
Woodpeckers – none reported
Herons – a single bird seen on the canal west on 5th
Raptors – Buzzards continue to be seen regularly over the area but no reports of Sparrowhawk.
Terns – 2 Common Terns flew over Rutland Road on 24th.
Reed Bunting – still excellent sightings around The Hook.
Crows – Carrion Crow and Jackdaw seen generally around the area. Maximum number of Jackdaws was approx 50 in the Seymour Road area on 9th. Magpies present but in low numbers. No Rooks recorded.
Doves/Pigeons – Woodpigeons continue in good but lower numbers with groups of 4-7 generally. Feral Pigeons continue to be under-recorded. Collared Doves are still low in numbers with max 4 on 5th at junction of Regatta was and Radcliffe Road. Elsewhere 2 seen occasionally on Trent Boulevard and single numbers around Mona Road..
Hirundines – Swifts continue to be seen daily with one or two decent sized groups of 20+. Groups of between 7 and 15 seen fairly regularly over Trent Boulevard. Very occasional House Martins seen over Trent Boulevard. Just outside of the area, in Gamston a flock of about 50 Swifts was seen on 5th.
Update 8th August 2018
Had a good walk around the boundary yesterday. Very quiet around The Hook area – no warblers and very little of the other smaller stuff. The only Blackcap was down at the Boat Club.
River Trent did quite well with good numbers of Mute Swan, 2 Common Terns and 2 swallows plus 4 cormorant. Numbers of Black Headed Gulls were prominent with a flock of 52 at the Boat Club end and 13 along the river; seems to suggest that they have now left their breeding grounds and are now dispersing. No swifts seen and the latest record I have received to date is 2 on 3rd over Mona Road – any others? I saw 2 House Martins over Rutland Road on 6th which was a nice find.
I also found a Pied Wagtail at the Boat Club end which, to my surprise, was not on our list so we now have 68 birds as a total. Not bad!
The other item of note was the walk along the canal – a total of 10 young moorhen were present which is an excellent number.
The 6 cygnets are now well grown!
August Report 2018
Within the Lady Bay area August seems to have been a fairly quiet month with some increase in action from mid-month onwards.
Warblers – Very quiet around The Hook area in the early part of the month; the only Blackcap was down at the Boat Club. Single figures of Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat were, however, noted later mid-month.
Finches – Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch were present throughout the month in a few gardens but did seem to make a slight reappearance from mid-month onwards. The largest flock noted was one of 12 on Seymour Road.
River Trent did quite well with good numbers of Mute Swan, 2 Common Terns and 2 swallows plus 4 cormorant. Numbers of Black Headed Gulls were prominent with a flock of 52 at the Boat Club end and 13 along the river; seems to suggest that they have now left their breeding grounds and are now dispersing.
Thrushes
Blackbirds seemed to make a comeback later in the month with frequent but low numbers, A single Mistle Thrush and 2 Song Thrushes also seen.
Hirundines
The last recorded Swifts were 2 on 11th over Rutland Road. 2 House Martins over Rutland Road on 6th which was a nice find and 2 were noted over Trent Boulevard on 10th. Sand Martins were still present on 27th.
Tits
Both Blue and Great Tits were present throughout the month, however, Long Tailed and Coal were very rare.
Canal Birds
Moorhen – 3 adults and 10 young seen along the length of the canal, most being seen on the central part east of Rutland stores
Coot – 11 adults and 3 young noted mainly split between the west and central parts of the canal.
Mallard – 29 birds of which 28 were female. The other was a male hybrid.
Mute Swan – 1 pr with 6 well grown young.
Of other birds up to 7 each of Carrion Crow and Wood Pigeon were noted. Blackbird, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, Starling and Goldfinch were also seen but in very low numbers.
Others
The only other bird of note was a Pied Wagtail at the Boat Club. No raptors reported.
September Report 2018
Areas continue to be fairly quiet while young birds disperse, summer migrants make their final push south and we await the arrival of winter birds generally within Nottinghamshire. This is beginning to happen with Whooper Swans at Holme Pierrepont and at Attenborough Nature Reserve and Redwings being seen in greater numbers. Pink Footed Geese are also being noted in various skein formations across much of the County as they cross the Country on a NW to SE flight path. So keep your eyes peeled!
Corvids (the crow family) and Wood Pigeons continue to dominate the news but Starling numbers also seem to be picking up around the Boat Club area. A new tick was added to the Corvid list when 2 Ravens flew over the Boat Club calling.
Notwithstanding the quiet state of affairs, Robins and Blue Tits were noted in decent numbers
Warblers – None reported
Finches – Chaffinch in low numbers in localised areas. There were no reports of Greenfinch and Goldfinch were only present along the river corridor and on Seymour Road
River Trent quiet with only low numbers of 5 each of Mute Swan and Mallard. a single cormorant and a single Great Crested Grebe were also noted.
Thrushes
Having seemed to be making a comeback, Blackbird numbers dropped with none reported. There were no records of Song or Mistle Thrushes.
Hirundines
The last dates for House Martins were 5 over Rutland Road on 19th. Sand Martins were last seen on 5th with 12 over the Boat Club and 1 on the River Trent
Tits
Blue tits present but only 1 Great Tit was seen and no Coal Tits were reported. A small flock of Long Tailed Tits was present on 5th on the Hook and 5 were seen on Seymour Road on 14th.
Raptors
A great photo of a female sparrowhawk in a garden on Mona Road on 12th.
Woodpeckers
There was a nice record of an adult Green Woodpecker being seen in a garden on 23rd on Gertrude Road.
Other
A single female Reed Bunting was still present on the east part of the Hook on 5th.
Bucking the Trend
There is always someone that does better though and a particular garden on Rutland Road seems to be enjoying increased activity probably as a result of upping the feeding regime!
Lots and lots of Great tits and Blue tits feeding. The occasional coal tit.
An occasional long tailed tit at the beginning of the month.
A couple of Robins each day and plenty of sparrows. Goldfinches on the feeders and a rare Greenfinch.
Regular visits from blackbirds, wood pigeons and magpies. Dunnocks also seen.
An occasional long tailed tit at the beginning of the month.
A couple of Robins each day and plenty of sparrows. Goldfinches on the feeders and a rare Greenfinch.
Regular visits from blackbirds, wood pigeons and magpies. Dunnocks also seen.
Canal Issues
There appears to be an issue being investigated by various parties on the disappearance of quite a number of waterfowl from the Lady Bay stretch of the canal. I will continue to report on the numbers of birds seen and keep in touch with this investigation where I can.
The only Mute Swan seen on the canal was a fully grown cynet in distress after having possibly been attacked by another adult bird. It was eventually rescued by the RSPCA and taken to a VET for a once-over.
While the local numbers of mallards were still in the high 20s on 5th, these seem to have plummeted subsequently. October Note – only 5 seen on 10th of which surprisingly 3 were males.
Moorhen – a total of 12 were noted on the 5th. Numbers being maintained.
Coot – 10 birds seen on 5th. Numbers being maintained.
October Report 2018
A change in the seasons seems to have done the smaller stuff some good as decent numbers of Blue Tits, Goldfinches and particularly Robins were noted, following the trend in September.
The arrival of the winter thrushes appeared to have been a bit muted in the area considering good numbers elsewhere in the County. Only 1 Redwing seen and no Fieldfares.
Corvids (the crow family) and Wood Pigeons continually dominate the news but Starling numbers seem to have stabilised around the Boat Club area.
Warblers – Blackcap seen twice in a favourite garden in Mona Road
Finches – Chaffinch are very low in numbers along with Greenfinch
River Trent continues to be quiet (due to building work on the opposite bank?). A mix of birds but very low in numbers apart from a nice flock of 22 Canada Geese. No Mute Swans were seen which was surprising.
Thrushes
Awaiting more winter thrushes but Blackbird numbers crept up a little. There were again no records of Song or Mistle Thrushes.
Tits
Blue tits doing well and Great Tit numbers increasing slightly. No Coal Tits were reported. A small flock of Long Tailed Tits present but seem to be low in numbers.
Raptors
Presumably the same female Sparrowhawk seen in September was again seen in its favourite garden on Mona Road on 30th. What is it about that road? A similar photo to September’s was put on Facebook.
Woodpeckers
2 Green Woodpeckers were seen and heard on 18th but no GS Woodpeckers.
Other
2 new ticks added to the list in October. A flock of Pink Footed Geese were heard going over the area on 19th and a Skylark was noted on 18th.
Canal Issues
I’m not sure of the current state of affairs regarding the wildfowl along the Grantham Canal, but in our area Mute Swans are absent (does this happen in winter?) while Coot and Moorhens are holding their own. Mallard numbers seem to be down about 50%.
November Report 2018
Activity does seem to have increased in gardens generally although there are definitely two or three areas which are really bucking the trend.
As ever the usual suspects continue to dominate and we still have one or two species which are still low in numbers particularly Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Blackbird and Wren. We have, however, had some really good sightings of raptors and there has been a significant increase in the number of species seen in the area, mainly due to people reviewing their own information and lighting up the old brain cells for past records.
Warblers – Blackcap again seen twice in a favourite garden on Mona Road; this time a pair seen on 26th and 27th.
Finches – Only three Chaffinch seen on 26th and 27th. Only three records of Greenfinch; at least 2 heard on the Hook on 6th and two birds and one bird seen on Mona Road on 9th and 26th respectively.
River Trent very little activity but a party 4 Mute Swans (two adults and two Juvs) seen on 6th. The Canada flock increased in size where 24 birds were seen on 6th. No Mute Swans were seen during a visit at the end of the month.
Thrushes
No real influx of winter thrushes and Blackbird numbers continue to be low. A change for Mistle Thrushes however with 3 birds seen in the early part of the month – two near the Boat Club and one on the Hook both records on 6th.
Tits
Blue tits continue to do well with numbers recorded as ‘low numbers but frequent’ and a similar picture for Great Tit. Coal Tits only recorded from Mona Road as occasionally . A small flock of Long Tailed Tits was seen on 6th near to the Boat Club but still seem to be low in numbers.
Raptors
Buzzards – there were five records of single birds over the area during the month. Kestrel – one bird hovering at the side of Regatta way on 28th. Sparrowhawk – five records for this species with two birds being seen on Pierrepont Road.
Woodpeckers
No Green Woodpeckers this month but two nice records of Great Spotted Woodpeckers – a young bird near the Boat Club on 16th and a single bird on Holme Road on 20th.
Starlings
A great sight of 500-1000 birds flying west over the canal on 3rd. (No murmurations through – you’ll have to go to Netherfield for those).
Parakeets
Didn’t take long for this species to double its numbers to two birds. A second bird joined the first in the Seymour Road area.
Other
One new tick added to the list in November. A single Common Gull was noted in the paddocks near to the Boat Club on 28th in the company of about 25 Black Headed Gulls.
New ticks added to the overall list as a result of individual reviews; Waxwing, Herring Gull, Woodcock
Total number of species for the Lady Bay Area is now 77.
Canal Issues
Mute Swans are still absent while Coot and Moorhens are holding their own. Mallard numbers back up to their higher numbers of nearly 30 birds with males dominating the mix.
2019
February 2019 Report
2 birds of the month – Red Legged Partridge in the Lady Bay Road area and a superb Siskin on the feeders in the Mona Rd area. These are new species for the area and take our overall total to 80 – Tah dah!!!!
Activity does seem to have increased in gardens slightly with nice records of a number of the more common species.
As ever the usual suspects continue to dominate and we still have one or two species which are still low in numbers particularly Chaffinch and Wren. We have, however, had a slight increase in the number of Greenfinches reported and Robins seem to be up in numbers.
Warblers – A pair of Blackcap again seen regularly in the Mona Road area.
Finches – Goldfinch and Greenfinch seen regularly although low in numbers. Chaffinch numbers still low.
River Trent very little activity – even Cormorant numbers seemed to be down on the buoys. No Mute Swans were seen.
Thrushes
What was probably the last Winter thrush of the year was a Fieldfare seen on 4th on Mona Road. Unfortunately, what was probably the same bird was found dead 2 days later having flown into a window.
Tits
Blue tits and Great Tits were recorded regularly during the month.
Raptors
Buzzards – only 1 seen over the Mona Road area but Sparrowhawk numbers were up with 3 sightings.
Woodpeckers
No records.
Canal Issues
Mute Swans are still absent while Coot, Moorhen and Mallard are holding their own.
March 2019 Report
Activity seems to have increased for a number of the smaller species; Greenfinches and Chaffinches were seen in good numbers up to the middle of the month at least.
Blue Tits, Robins and Blackbirds also seem to be doing well but Wrens and Dunnocks are still low in numbers.
Warblers – Again a pair of Blackcap again seen regularly in the Mona Road area.
Finches – Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch seen regularly and up in numbers. Max counts were 8, 11 and 9 respectively.
Reed Buntings regularly seen in the Julian Road area.
River Trent very quiet – but it was nice to see a pair of Mute Swans on 11th.
Thrushes
A Song Thrush was heard on 12th on Rutland Road and one heard occasionally in the Mona Road area.
Tits Blue tits doing well but only 3/4 Great Tits noted. Only 1 record of Coal Tit on 7th on Rutland Road and 2 records of Long Tailed Tits – at least 3 on Regatta way on 11th and small numbers seen regularly in the Adbolton Grove area.
Raptors
Buzzards – the best count was 4 birds together over Rutland Road on 19th. No Sparrowhawk records but a Kestrel was noted in the Adbolton Grove area (date unknown)
Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker seen regularly in the Adbolton Grove area throughout the month.
Canal Issues
A single bird (male) was seen on 11th at the eastern end of the canal. 1 pair noted on the R Trent. Coot, Moorhen and Mallard are holding their own with 21 adult Coots and 3 nests seen and 8 Moorhens.
April 2019 Report
Spring in the air and activity definitely increased.
Robins present throughout the month and Blackbirds continue to do well. Records of Wrens and Dunnocks increased and particularly Wrens were heard more frequently from mid-month onwards.
Summer Migrants – Strangely, Blackcaps were not reported from private gardens but at least 8 seen on The Hook mid-month. Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff arrived. Swallows and House martins also seen but limited in numbers.
Finches – Greenfinches and Chaffinches were seen in good numbers generally up to the middle of the month at least but Chaffinch numbers seem to have dropped off from then on. Goldfinch, where seen, tend to be constant in numbers and regular in attendance . Difficult to establish max/min numbers.
Reed Buntings regularly seen in the Julian Road area.
River Trent – Cormorant, Black Headed Gull and Canada Goose numbers reduced which is not surprising given the time of year. Mallard numbers did seem to have increased with 12 seen on 1st.
Thrushes
Present and a pair regularly seen in the Holme Grove area.
Tits Blue tits doing well and Great Tits seem to be holding their own. Maximum number of Great Tits was 4 at one time. Records of Coal Tit are limited and seem to be restricted to the Trent Boulevard area. Records of Long Tailed Tits are few; regular small numbers seen in the Holme Grove area.
Raptors
Only single reports of Kestrel from The Hook on 5th, and a Buzzard seen over Trent Boulevard (unknown date).
Woodpecker
Only a single report of a Green Woodpecker in The Hook area on 18th.
Canal Issues
Coots doing well with about 9 pairs (4 still on nests) and 25 chicks seen. A maximum of seven birds seen along the length of the canal – no chicks. Hope was high for a pair of Mute Swans on 22 but only a single bird seen on 29th. Does anyone else have any information on Swan numbers? Mallard numbers are moderate with only a maximum of 20 birds seen on 1st.
May 2019 Report
Activity now at its peak.
Headline Birds
A toss up I think this month between Great Black-backed Gull (the new tick for the area!), Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler. Two LWs heard on 2nd and 1 on the 11th. GWs heard and briefly seen between 2nd and 25th. GBBGs seen on Hook Watch 1 and Hook Watch 3.
Herons and Egrets
A single Grey Heron showing itself well at the eastern end of the canal near to Regatta Way throughout the month. No sign of nesting as far as I can see.
Geese and Ducks
Canada Geese – occasionally seen over; numbers on the river at their usual minimum. One or two Greylag Geese usually in the company of the Canadas around and over the river.
Mallard – a maximum of 14 birds were on the canal on 29th which is a fairly low number.
Coots – excellent numbers of at least 23 adult birds and 44 young.
Moorhen – much more secretive and hard to count. A maximum of five adults and four young were noted on 29th with the first young bird having been noted on 24th. Probably being squeezed out by the Coot numbers.
Gulls and Terns
New tick for the area!! – Great Black-backed Gulls seen on 11th and 25th; Black-headed gulls present in low numbers throughout the month. Lesser Black-backed Gulls also seen on 11th and 18th.
Common Terns arrived in the area on 5th and were seen throughout the month in 1s and 2s.
Raptors
A single Kestrel seen on 2nd, 5th and 25th.
Passerines
This section forms the bulk of the records from the Lady Bay area.
Warblers – Chiffchaff, Lesser and Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and Blackcap all very much in evidence but only a single (heard) record of a Willow Warbler on 11th and a single Sedge Warbler last seen and heard on 18th. A single Chiffchaff was regularly heard along the canal area from 20th-23rd.
A really encouraging feature of May was the number of Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Dunnock, Robin and Wren. Tit numbers were low with only moderate numbers of Great and Blue Tits; a family party of Great Tits was noted on 23rd. on Rutland Road. Records of Long Tailed Tits were very low but family parties were noted on Rutland Road towards the end of the month. Only one record of Coal Tit on 10th on Rutland Road.
Magpies and the rest of the corvid family were present as were Wood Pigeon and Collared Dove.
Thrushes – only one record of Mistle Thrush but Song Thrushes were heard up until mid-month at least.
Sparrows – House Sparrows were seen throughout the month and seem to be doing well albeit in localised areas.
There was an excellent record of a single Goldcrest on 10th in the canal/Rutland Road area and a single female Bullfinch in the same area on 20th.
Swifts and Martins – The first Swift was seen on 1st and then regularly from 11th but numbers are low. House Martin numbers are very low with only two records. A single Sand Martin was noted on 16th over Rutland Road.
Mute Swan – the pair was present to the end of the month at the east end of the canal near to Regatta Way.
June 2019 Report
Typically a quiet month with breeding birds feeding young and not much movement around locally.
Headline Birds
Without doubt the headliner this month was a Red Kite flying high over Mona Road on 2nd. A new tick for the area!!! Yeah!!!! We are now up to 85 species!!!
Herons and Egrets
No reports this month.
Geese and Ducks
Canada Geese – present but not recorded.
Mallard – a maximum of 14 birds were on the canal on 29th which is a fairly low number.
Coots – excellent numbers maintained with 15 adult birds and 42 young. With reed growth on the canal making visibility hard, it is difficult to get an accurate count.
Moorhen – Numbers as for the May report. Very secretive and difficult to count.
Gulls and Terns
3 Common Terns seen over Mona Road. No reports of any gulls.
Raptors
A single Buzzard seen on 27th over Trent Boulevard.
Passerines
Records for June were sparse for this section which usually forms the bulk of the records from the Lady Bay area.
Warblers – No warblers reported.
Tits: Coal, Blue and Great were all recorded.
Finches: Goldfinch and Greenfinch recorded but Chaffinch only found in one garden on Lady Bay Road.
Other: Dunnock and Robin reported although Robin numbers extremely low.
Apart from Carrion Crow, Magpies and the rest of the corvid family were present as were Wood Pigeon and Collared Dove.
Thrushes – Only Blackbirds were fairly regular during the month.
Sparrows – House Sparrows were seen throughout the month and seem to be doing well albeit in localised areas. Maximum number was of a party of 12 in a garden on Trent Boulevard.
Swifts and Martins – Swift numbers remain low but there was a good sighting of about 12 birds over Trent Boulevard on 25th. House Martin numbers are also very low with only two records but one lucky garden on Trent Boulevard seems to get 4 regularly flying over.
Mute Swan -not recorded but probably present.
Woodpeckers
After a question being asked last month about their presence, a single Great Spotted was noted in a garden on Trent Boulevard in the early part of the month.
July 2019 Report
Increased activity with young birds showing and raptors beginning to appear.
Headline Birds
This bird will probably be the bird of the year. A Northern Wheatear was seen in a private garden on Mona Road on 23rd. Completely out of context but why not? Seen flying up to some sunflower feeders and then disappeared. (As a note Wheatears are beginning to make their way south through Notts at the beginning of August) Other birds of note this month and new ticks for the area were a male Linnet on 13th during Hook Watch 5 (a second male was seen on 21st) and a Hobby over Rutland Road canal area at 07.05 on 8th flying east and what was probably the same bird was also seen over Mona Road at roughly the same time. We are now up to 88 species for the area.
Herons and Egrets
A single Grey Heron was noted flying east along the Rutland Road canal area on 8th.
Geese and Ducks
Canada Geese – 49 birds were seen on the river on 2nd. Numbers are expected to increase.
Greylag – An unusual number of 15 birds seen on the river on 2nd. Not seen this number before – sometimes just a single bird mixed with the Canada Geese.
Mallard – a maximum of 28 birds were on the canal on 2nd which is more typical for the area compared to the low numbers in June.
Coots – 36 birds noted (22 adults) – excellent numbers maintained but birds now very difficult to see with reed growth on the canal.
Moorhen – 8 birds seen (inc 3 adults) – bound to be more.
Gulls and Terns
No Common Terns or larger gulls seen. Black-headed gulls beginning to reappear.
Raptors
Two Buzzard sightings seen – one over Regatta Way on 2nd and one on 10-acre field on 10th. There were three Kestrel sightings; one each for Hook Watch 4 and 5 on 6th and 13th and a third bird also on The Hook on 11th. Hobby noted twice as above.
Passerines
Warblers – One bird heard on The Hook on 2nd. A max number of two birds were also noted regularly in a garden on Holme Grove. Blackcaps heard/seen on 2nd, 6th and 13th on The Hook. There was a great record of a Sedge Warbler singing on 2nd along the eastern part of the canal area. The last bird was heard on 13th during Hook Watch 5.
Tits: Blue Tits regularly recorded with one garden on Holme Grove bucking the trend by having lots. Fewer numbers of Great Tits around but the same garden has had lots. An interesting feature has been the numbers of Coal Tits. Seen regularly in Trent Boulevard and Rutland Road gardens with a maximum of three on 5th.
Finches: The picture for finches remains the same. Goldfinch and Greenfinch recorded throughout the month (particularly the early part) and Chaffinch present but in very low numbers.
Other: Dunnock and Robin reported although both are low in numbers.
Corvids: Carrion Crow, Magpies, Jackdaws and Rooks all present but Rooks low in numbers. Wood Pigeon and Collared Dove both recorded.
Thrushes – Good numbers of Blackbirds seen. Song Thrushes regular with a max of three birds in the Holme Grove area. A single Mistle Thrush was seen over Rutland Road on 19th.
Sparrows – House Sparrows were seen throughout the month and seem to be doing well albeit in localised areas. Maximum number was of a party of 12 in a garden on Trent Boulevard.
Swifts and Martins – Swift numbers remain low but regularly seen with a maximum of about 20 birds over Gertrude Road on 13th. House Martin numbers are also low with a maximum number of 7 birds over Gertrude Road on 13th.
Mute Swan -a maximum of 6 birds on the river on 2nd.
Woodpeckers
Great-Spotted Woodpeckers are regularly seen in the Mona Road and Holme Grove areas.
AUGUST 2019 REPORT
Increasing activity but watching the disappearance of our summer visitors.
Headline Birds
Not what you would call a rare bird nationally but the sight of 3 Oystercatchers flying downstream on the morning of the 2nd meant a new tick. We are now up to 89 species for the area. What were probably the same 3 birds were seen the following day (3rd) during Hook Watch 6 in exactly the same location. Excellent stuff for the group. It has to be said though that these birds were closely followed by two more species: the sighting of a young Kingfisher on the Trent corridor on 10th and a really superb record of single Willow Warblers in a garden on Mona Road on 19th, 23rd and 29th.
Herons and Egrets
A single Grey Heron was noted flying east over The Hook during Hook Watch 8 on 31st. There were also two great sightings of Little Egret; the first bird was noted flying east along the canal corridor on 2nd while the second bird was noted on 28th over Mona Road.
Geese and Duck
Canada Geese – 52 birds were seen on the river on 2nd. A slight increase on July’s total of 49. Birds were also noted during Hook Watch 7 and are regularly noted over the Mona Road area.
Greylag – The usual single bird mixed with the Canada Geese on 2nd on the R Trent.
Mallard – again a maximum of 28 birds were on the canal on 2nd which is typical for the area. All female birds. No birds were seen on the central section of our canal area.
Coots – A large reduction in numbers this month. Only 8 birds seen on the canal. Dispersal?
Moorhen – 9 adult birds seen and 3 chicks.
Gulls and Terns
No Common Terns noted. There are some still lingering in the wider Notts area but I think we have seen the last of them. Two Lesser Black-backed Gulls seen – one on 2nd and one on 10th during Hook Watch. Black-headed Gull numbers increasing with over 30 birds seen on 10th during Hook Watch.
Raptors
Two Buzzard sightings – one over the River Trent on 2nd and one over Trent Boulevard on 27th. There were no Kestrel sightings. Sparrowhawks, however, were very much in evidence with 5 sightings all of single birds. They were seen over Rutland Road on 2nd and 4th and over Mona Road on 13th, 18th and 19th.
Passerines
Warblers – Not a bad month surprisingly. Topped by the single Willow Warbler as noted above, Common Whitethroats were seen on 3rd (Hook Watch 6) and on 31st during Hook Watch 8. Again on the 31st and in the same tree as the Whitethroat was a pair of Blackcaps – heard singing once!! Also on 31st a warbler species was seen but could not be identified. It was thought to be a Chiffchaff. Chiffchaffs were however noted on The Hook during Hook Watch 6 and 7.
Tits: Blue Tits and Great Tits in low numbers but regularly seen. Two groups of about 6 Long Tailed Tits were seen in a Rutland Road garden on 8th and 10th; only seen elsewhere on 31st during Hook Watch. Coal Tits were again seen regularly in two locations – Rutland Road canal area and a garden on Trent Boulevard. Can’t help thinking this bird is overlooked.
Finches: The picture for finches remains the same. Goldfinch and Greenfinch recorded throughout the month (particularly the early part) and Chaffinch present but in very low numbers. Chaffinch numbers remain low but stable(?). Greenfinch and Goldfinch numbers were good in the early part of the month with maximums of 10+ and 20+ on 3rd during Hook Watch.
Other: Dunnock and Robin reported although both are again low in numbers. Robin numbers appeared to be increasing however in the later part of the month.
Corvids: Carrion Crow, Magpies, Jackdaws and Rooks all present but Rooks very low in numbers. Wood Pigeon and Collared Dove both recorded.
Thrushes – low numbers of Blackbirds seen. There were no records of Mistle or Song Thrushes.
Sparrows – House Sparrows were seen throughout the month and seem to be doing well albeit in localised areas. A nice regular party of some 10 birds seems to have disappeared from the Gertrude Road tennis courts area.
Swifts and Martins – Really interesting. Swift numbers remain low but regularly seen with a maximum of only 2-3 birds. Last birds seen were two over The Hook on 31st. House Martin numbers are also low but regular. The maximum number of birds was about 25 over Julian Road on 25th. Birds were still present and visiting nest locations on 31st.
Mute Swan -a maximum of 5 birds on the river on 2nd.
Woodpeckers
No records this month which is surprising.
SEPTEMBER 2019 REPORT
Early winter species arriving in the country with a few groups seen in the wider County areas, particularly Pink Footed Geese, Redwings and Fieldfares. Duck numbers increasing.
Headline Birds
Not what you would call ‘headline’ birds but it was really nice to see Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers back on the lists and a number of Buzzards and Sparrowhawks drifting around.
Herons and Egrets
Single Grey Herons were noted on 6th, 14th and 20th. The one seen on the 6th was a young bird in the paddocks area adjacent to Regatta Way.
Swans Geese and Ducks
Canada Geese – very unusually no Canada Geese were seen on the river during a boundary walk on 6th. 15 birds were seen over Gertrude Road on 6th and a small flock was heard in the Rutland Road area on 8th.
Greylag – about 30 birds were noted heading NE over Rutland Road on 2nd.
Mallard – a maximum of 25 birds were on the canal on 6th which is typical for the area but a slight reduction in numbers compared to August.. The mix was eight males and 17 females.
Coots – A further large reduction in numbers this month. Only 1 bird seen on the canal and 1 bird on the river.
Moorhen – 7 adult birds seen and 2 chicks. A small reduction in numbers.
Tufted Duck – a single male was seen on the river on 6th.
Mute Swan – one bird over Rutland Road on 20th and 3 birds on the river on 6th. No birds have been recorded for the canal area.
Gulls and Terns
No great increase in Black-headed Gull numbers; just regular flights of single birds over the area.
Raptors
A nice increase in activity for Buzzards and Sparrowhawks. Single Buzzards were noted on 5th, 14th. Two birds were seen over Trent Boulevard on 21st. Two Sparrowhawks were seen on 16th over Mona Road while single birds were then noted on 1st, 2nd, 11th, 15th, 24th, 26th and 28th. The areas involved included Rutland Road, Mona Road and Seymour Road. Kestrels were not seen in the area during September.
Warblers – A great record of a single bird singing its heart out on 20th on the canal area at the back of Rutland Road. Elsewhere single birds were recorded on 7th and 14th during Hook Watch 9 and 10.
Tits: A really exceptional flock sighting of at least 60 birds (mixed Great, Blue and Long Tailed) making its way along the canal area over the Rutland Road gardens was witnessed on 2nd. Other than that explosion, 1/2 Blue Tits seen throughout the month with a couple of gardens recording regular visits. A similar comment could be made about Great Tits. Coal Tits were again seen regularly but only in one location – Rutland Road canal area. The only other record was for a single bird seen twice in a Seymour Road garden. Long Tailed Tits were a fairly regular sighting in the Rutland Road area with a maximum of 6 birds on 19th; 3 birds were seen on 18th in the Mona Road area.
Finches: Numbers low.
Goldfinches now seem to be scarce although a flock of about 40 birds along the river corridor was the exception.
Greenfinch was only recorded on 7th and 14th during Hook Watch while none have been reported from garden areas.
Chaffinch numbers remain miserably low with the only records from 7th (Hook Watch) and the Mona Road area on the rare occasion.
Other: Dunnock and Robin regular in the Rutland Road area while elsewhere Robins noted fairly regularly in 1s and 2s but Dunnocks not noted as widespread. There were 3 records of Goldcrest – single birds noted along the canal on 15th and 16th and a single bird on Gertrude Road on 21st. Wrens appear to be low in numbers in garden areas but perhaps higher on The Hook. Reed Buntings were seen on the Hook on 7th and 14th during Hook Watch. Starling numbers remain low.
Corvids: Carrion Crow, Magpies, Jackdaws and Rooks continue to be recorded but it is difficult to assess numbers as they tend to be recorded as present as usual. This is also the case for Wood Pigeon and Collared Dove.
Thrushes – low but regular numbers of Blackbirds seen. Two Mistle Thrushes were seen on 13th on Mona Road. A single Song Thrush was heard during Hook Watch on 14th.
Sparrows – House Sparrows don’t seem to be widespread but are regular in a Rutland Road garden. A nice flock of about 50 birds was seen on Regatta Way on 6th.
Swifts and Martins – last dates
Swallow – 6 September
House Martin – 10 September
Swift – 6 September
Sand Martin – 14 September.
Woodpeckers
A single Green Woodpecker was on The Hook on 5th and 2 records of 1/2 birds on 7th and 14th during Hook Watch.
Further afield
Migration really beginning to reach its peak. One member of the group came across a tree full of Goldcrests in Derbyshire!!
Assistance
If you need any help at all in identification etc, please do get in touch.
OCTOBER 2019 REPORT
Summer visitors 0 v lots Winter visitors.
Activity increased throughout the month culminating in a great Hook Watch on 31st.
Headline Birds
Which to choose this month? – a super Yellow Wagtail on 8th, the fantastic news of the return of Tawny Owls – heard in the Julian Road area both in August (late news) and again in October or the excitement of the arrival of the first winter thrushes – 2 Redwings on 25th.
Herons and Egrets
Only one record of a single Grey Heron on the River Trent on 8th.
Swans, Geese and Ducks
Canada Geese – Two nice totals of 167 birds on the river on 8th and about 140 in 4 skeins over The Hook on 25th.
Greylag – Increased numbers noted over the area with between 2 and 7 birds noted during Hook Watch at either end of the month. A small skein was seen over Trent Boulevard at the end of the month and two small skeins of 7 and 17 birds were over Pierrepont Road on 24th. 6 birds were seen over Rutland Road on 21st.
Mallard – a drop in numbers to 19 birds on 8th. This included 9 males
Coots – A further reduction to only 4 birds on the east part of the canal.
Moorhen – numbers again down to only 3 adults.
Mute Swan -seen occasionally, the max number was of 5 birds on the river on 8th (4 adults and 1 juvenile). The best sight however was of 2 birds on the canal on 19th.
Gulls and Terns
A general Increase in Black-headed Gull numbers with up to 50 birds near to the boat club. Numbers on the lamp columns on Radcliffe Road increasing with at least 25 birds towards the end of the month.
Raptors
All change. No buzzard sightings this month but three Kestrel sightings on 8th, 12th and 25th. Sparrowhawk sightings were down with only 2/3 birds over Mona Road, one of which was seen on 15th.
Smaller Stuff
Warblers – All gone apart from a possible Chiffchaff during Hook Watch on 5th.
Tits: Blue and Great seen regularly throughout the month with a couple of gardens in the Mona Road area reporting ‘lots’ which is great news. Coal Tits were noted in the Rutland Road area between 4th and 6th and again between 30th and 31st. Mona Rd attracted a pair at the end of the month. Long-tailed Tits were seen occasionally throughout the month; at least 5 birds were seen during Hook Watch on 31st.
Finches: An overall increase in bird numbers for Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Goldfinch. Max numbers were seen at each of our Hook Watches during the month without least 12 of both Greenfinch and Chaffinch. The maximum number of Goldfinch was about 30 birds on The Hook on 25th. Swelling of numbers by a continental bird influx?
Other: Both Robin and Dunnock numbers increased throughout the month and were regularly seen.
Corvids: Rooks and Carrion Crows continue to be recorded but not as much as i would have expected. Jackdaws still present in decent numbers with a maximum of at least 30 birds on 8th and 28th. Magpies were present with the maximum number being 8 birds on Regatta Way on 8th.
Doves and Pigeons : Wood Pigeon and Collared Dove both recorded. A nice total was of 11 WPs adjacent to a Mona Road garden on 27th.
Thrushes – Good numbers of Blackbirds seen towards the end of the month and the first of the winter visitors, 2 Redwings, were seen on 25th. 18 Redwings were seen on The Hook on 31st. A nice number of at least 3 Song Thrushes were seen on The Hook on 31st as was a single Mistle Thrush.
low numbers of Blackbirds seen. There were no records of Mistle or Song Thrushes.
Sparrows – Not a lot of records for this species which is surprising. Regular records from Trent Boulevard and Rutland Road suggest that perhaps these birds are localised.
Swifts and Martins – All gone but keep your eyes open – Swallows may be hanging on.
Woodpeckers
1 Green Woodpecker was heard on the 5th. The yaffle seemed to come from Colwick Park. Only 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker seen over Mona Road on 27th.
Further afield
Starling Numbers are building up locally, particularly at Attenborough Nature Reserve.
NOVEMBER 2019 REPORT
What a month!!!
Headline Birds
Bird of the month without doubt was a Water Rail heard from the ditch area on The Hook on 23rd. Couldn’t find the bird and not heard since. A great find and just goes to show that The Hook (despite its size and easy access) is a place to be proud of.
Herons and Egrets
The floods really brought the Egrets in – 9 Little Egrets on 8th in the paddocks on Regatta Way next to the traffic lights, 5 birds on 9th, 1 bird on 16th wandering around the campsite, and finally 3 birds on 23rd also in the paddocks. Grey Herons were well represented with four birds seen around the area from 8th to 23rd.
Swans, Geese and Ducks
Canada Geese – Two nice totals of 194 birds on the flooded fields on 8th and 156 birds in the same location on 16th. Birds are regularly seen over the area.
Greylag – smaller numbers this month with a single bird accompanying the Canadas on 8th, two during Hook Watch on 23rd and a note that birds were often seen over the Mona Road area during the month.
Mallard – again 19 birds on 8th on the canal. This included 10 males so a slight change from October.
Coots – Five birds split between the east and central areas of the canal.
Moorhen – Six birds seen on the canal including 1 juvenile bird.
Mute Swan – really nice to see three birds on the canal on 8th, with 2 on the central area appearing to be nest building near to Rutland Stores and one bird on the eastern section.
Rails – A Water Rail was heard on 23rd.
Gulls and Terns
The floods attracted these birds with 103 on Regatta Way on 8th. The birds on the Radcliffe Road columns stabilised in the mid 20s which is a smaller total than birds in 2018.
Raptors
Again no buzzard sightings this month. Three sightings of Kestrel with single birds seen on 9th (Regatta Way), 15th (over Trent Boulevard) and 30th (The Hook). The most frequent raptor seen was Sparrowhawk; all sightings came from the Mona Road area with single birds on 1st, 3rd, 17th, 21st and 25th. The most encouraging thing about these sightings was a comment from one observer that Sparrowhawk would probably be seen everyday given the time for watching.
Smaller Stuff
Warblers – The first Blackcap of the Winter!! a single male seen on 25th in the Mona Road area.
Tits: A great fluctuation in Great and Blue numbers with some gardens reporting lots, daily, frequent and that areas with occasional sightings – this is all good news. There were intermittent good numbers of Long Tailed Tits with 10+ seen on the canal on the 8th and at least 15 birds seen with a mixed tit flock on 25th at the rear of Rutland Road heading west along the canal. A great record of a single Coal Tit on the Hook on 16th was a new addition to The Hook’s list. Unusually no great tits were seen or heard on The Hook on 23rd.
Finches: Chaffinch numbers up and birds being regularly seen; one Mona Road garden reporting daily numbers. Greenfinch numbers increased with a maximum of 10+ birds on 9th. Goldfinch numbers seem to be following a similar pattern; the maximum number was at least 40 birds on 23rd on The Hook.
Other: Both Robin and Dunnock numbers are fluctuating from single to double figures; some gardens are however reporting daily sightings which is good news. Wren numbers, while reported throughout the month, are low with maximums of 3 birds at any one time.
Corvids: Recorded throughout the month. Rook numbers maxed out with 40 birds on The Hook on 8th and about the same number on the Regatta Way paddocks on 9th. Magpies had a maximum of at least 10 birds on Regatta Way on 9th while Carrion Crows seemed to struggle to get out of single figures. Jackdaws are in good numbers with 25 seen over the canal on 8th.
Doves and Pigeons : present throughout the month. Collared Doves reported regularly but they do seem to favour particular locations.
Thrushes – good numbers but in patches. Great totals of 30+ Redwings, 10+ Fieldfares and lots of Blackbird seen on The Hook on 23rd but only 3 Blackbirds seen the following week. Song Thrushes were noted on four occasions in the month but only of single birds while Mistle Thrushes were seen on seven occasions again all of single birds.
Sparrows – Again not a lot of records for this species. Regular records from Trent Boulevard, Rutland Road and Gertrude Road again support the idea that small flocks are localised.
Woodpeckers
No reports of Great Spotted Woodpeckers but three records of Green Woodpeckers with two birds seen and heard adjacent to Regatta Way on 8th. Other dates where single birds were heard from the Colwick area were 8th and 30th.
DECEMBER 2019 REPORT
Headline Birds
A split choice this month. Seven Bullfinches on The Hook, a female Reed Bunting in a Mona Road garden or another Kingfisher on the canal?
Herons and Egrets
A bit quieter this month with only one record of Little Egret over Mona Road on 1st. Grey Herons were noted on 3rd and 30th over the River Trent. An unusual record of a juvenile bird investigating a garden pond on Mona Road on 8th.
Swans, Geese and Ducks
Canada Geese – Regular sightings in the area with a maximum of at least 100 birds on 9th near to the boat club on Regatta Way.
Greylag – small numbers of 2s and 3s throughout the month with a maximum of 6 birds on 30th.
Mallard – 23 birds on the canal on 9th including 12 males.
Tufted Duck – a nice record of two pairs on the river on 9th.
Coots -11 birds along the canal. A nice increase over November.
Moorhen – Seven birds seen on the canal; numbers consistent.
Mute Swan – 2 pairs on 9th one pair at each end of the canal.
Gulls and Terns
Black-headed Gulls are ever present but do seem to be very active our the area. Three Common Gulls seen through the month with two sightings of Lesser Black-backed Gulls on 14th and 30th.
Raptors
One report of a single buzzard over the river on 30th. These birds seem to be scarce at the moment. Three single Kestrels seen – two on 9th and one on 14th; all from The Hook. There were five records of single Sparrowhawks on 3rd (2 No), 13th, 25th and 30th. One garden at Holme Grove reports up to 3 birds throughout the month.
Smaller Stuff
Warblers – Male and female Blackcap regularly seen in a Mona Road garden. Males seen on Rutland Road and Mona Road between 25th and 31st.
Tits: An increase in records seems to suggest healthy numbers of Great, Blue and Long-tailed. Only four records of single Coal Tits away from the Holme Grove area where up to three birds are regularly seen.
Finches: Chaffinchs being regularly seen; Greenfinch numbers consistent with a maximum of at least 10 birds on The Hook. Goldfinch numbers seem to be following a similar pattern; the maximum number was at least 20 birds on three occasions.
Other: Both Robin and Dunnock numbers are remain within single figures; some gardens are however still reporting daily sightings which is good news. Wren numbers very low.
Corvids: Good records of all species with a max of at least 100 Rooks accompanied by numerous Jackdaws towards the boat club at the eastern end of the area on 3rd. Magpies seem to be making a resurgence towards the end of the month.
Doves and Pigeons : present throughout the month. Collared Doves reported regularly but they do seem to favour particular locations.
Thrushes – again good (but lower) numbers and in patches. Redwing maximum was at least 12 birds on The Hook on 7th. Fieldfares are elusive but a small flock of 10 birds on The Hook on 14th was nice. Song Thrushes were scarce in the month with two records of three and two birds on The Hook on 7th and 30th. There were no records of Mistle Thrush submitted.
Sparrows – Localised small flocks of up to 20 birds are still present throughout the area.
Woodpeckers
Only one Green Woodpecker heard on 3rd. Julian Road reported two good records of Great Spotted Woodpecker for a garden on 2nd and 3rd while Mona Road responded with two birds on 26th and 31st. Holme Road trumped both with regular sightings of up to three birds throughout the month.
Further afield
The Slavonian Grebe is still showing well at Attenborough NR but Starling numbers still extremely low. The Long-tailed Duck is still at Holme Pierrepont.
2020
JANUARY 2020 REPORT
Headline Birds
Without a shadow of a doubt, bird of the month was a record submitted by a non-member of the group but a Notts Wildlife Trust member – a WATER RAIL was seen on The Hook on 1st.
In second place, if just for its rarity in the area, an adult Herring Gull was noted in the paddocks on Regatta Way on 14th.
Herons and Egrets
No records in January for this group of birds.
Swans, Geese and Ducks
Canada Geese – fairly regular sightings in the area with a maximum of at least 100 birds on 21st heading downstream along the River Trent.
Greylag – no records but possibles were noted with the Canadas overhead.
Mallard – again 23 birds on the canal on 14th including 16 males.
Tufted Duck – another nice record of two males on the river on 14th.
Coots – again an increase to 16 birds along the canal. Numbers building up.
Moorhen – An increase to nine birds on the canal; Numbers building up.
Mute Swan – down to 1 pair. Noted on 7th and 14th.
Gulls and Terns
As above a Herring Gull on Regatta way on 14th. Also two Common Gulls on the flooded fields just west of the Boat Club on the same day.
Raptors
One report of a single buzzard over the paddocks on Regatta Way on 3rd. No records of Kestrels. There were six records of single Sparrowhawks on 3rd, 17th, 18th, 24th and 28th over Mona Road and a single male bird in a Gertrude Road garden on 23rd.
Smaller Stuff
Warblers – Seven records of Male and female Blackcap regularly seen in the area. One garden on Mona Road reports daily visits which is great.
Tits: Continuing the trend, an increase in records again suggests healthy numbers of Great, Blue and Long-tailed. A really nice increase in Coal Tit records with 10 throughout the month. Records of two from Oakfield Close and Holme Grove.
Finches: Chaffinchs records well down with only three; Greenfinch records the same but again consistent with a maximum of at least 10 birds on The Hook. Goldfinch numbers seem to be following a similar pattern; the maximum number was 29 birds on Gertrude Road.
Other: Both Robin and Dunnock numbers are remain within single figures with a maximum of three Dunnocks at any one time; great news for Robins with a total of 26 records and a maximum of two birds regularly seen.
Corvids: Numbers submitted seem to be low; perhaps people overlook these? Only 26 Rooks seen near to the football training ground on 14th.
Doves and Pigeons : present throughout the month. Collared Doves reported regularly but they do seem to favour particular locations.
Thrushes – At least 4 Song Thrushes across The Hook on 11th. 2 Mistle Thrushes on Regatta way on 3rd and a single bird on Rutland Road on 12th. There were eight records of Redwings through the month but none of Fieldfares.
Sparrows – 16 records of House Sparrows with a maximum flock size of about 10 birds seen regularly on Mona Road.
Woodpeckers
Only one Green Woodpecker heard. Only three records of Great Spotted Woodpeckers from Holme Grove and Seymour Road at the start of the month.
Further afield
The Slavonian Grebe is still showing well at Attenborough NR. Starling numbers high at Holme Pierrepont.
Please keep those records coming in!!!!! Any problems just drop me a line.
