A March break in Nottinghamshire
8th - 12th March 2010
Trip Report by Steve Graham
Here is a summary of sightings following our 5 day break at Thoresby Hall in early March. Despite it being dry for the majority of the week there was a cold NW wind most days that kept things down and there was little evidence of any passage movement observed. A few spells of sunshine did allow for a bit more bird activity and allowed me to explore the extensive grounds of Thoresby before breakfast each morning. Unfortunately, there was no access to Thoresby lake this week as the perimeter was closed for what looked like re-profiling work on the lake and this area normally provides a few extra species for the list each day.
Please note there is no public access to the Thoresby estate unless you are a hotel guest.
08/03/10 Arrived at the hotel mid-afternoon, had a quick stroll around the grounds and recorded 38 species including drumming GSW and 5 Common Buzzards displaying over the grounds.
09/03/10 Pre-breakfast stroll around the grounds produced 40 species with probably the best birding of the week. Highlights included all 3 woodpeckers with LS calling and at least 10 GSW present with several birds drumming. An elusive pair of Hawfinches where eventually tracked down and just coming into breeding plumage with their steel blue bills in evidence. Despite 4 further early morning strolls before breakfast I was unable to track them down again in the week. With 2 Green Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Jay picked up, most of the tricky woodland species were in the bag before breakfast! A Raven flying SE low over the estate at 07:45 being mobbed by Crows was my first record in the area.
After breakfast did a 30 mile cycle ride in cool but mainly dry conditions via Budby Common, Sherwood Forest and Rufford CP. Highlights included a mixed flock of c250 Redwing and Fieldfare at Thoresby but were very scarce elsewhere. Other highlights included 2 male and female Goosander at Rufford and flyover Redpoll. Despite a good search of Budby there were no Woodlarks in evidence in the cool and cloudy conditions. 58 species were recorded for the day.
10/03/10 Another pre-breakfast walk produced another good mix of species. Then had a trip over to Whisby Nature Park (Lincs), which added several duck species, large gulls and a pair of Grey Partridge, day list 61 species.
11/03/10 Another pre-breakfast walk on a drier brighter day produced all 3 Woodpeckers, including both LSW & GSW drumming.
After breakfast did another 30 mile cycle ride via Budby Common, Welbeck and Clumber Park. Following a rather hard frost the weather closed in again and the cold and cloudy conditions caused Budby Common to be very quiet again apart from a calling Green Woodpecker. The flood near Budby Pumping Station produced a Willow Tit but no Tree Sparrows or Brambling were seen here as in previous years.
At Welbeck the weather picked up and at one point there were 12 Common Buzzards in the air together. A visiting Nottingham birder had spent the morning there but had no sign of Goshawk.
Clumber Park added several Marsh Tits and 3 groups of Crossbills around the park including a flock of 20 at one point. A Water Rail gave excellent views as it crossed the road by the weir at lunchtime. There were plenty of Redpolls and Siskins around the park and after cycling most of the afternoon around the park finally found a single Woodlark in brief song flight during a sunny spell. Day list produced a respectable 63 species.
Despite the cool conditions I eventually managed to track down most of my target species but commoner birds such as Linnet and Meadow Pipit eluded me.
Another excellent break in a lovely area.
Steve Graham - (Visiting Huddersfield Birdwatcher)
