Sightings Archive

January 2008

Thu 31st Jan

Teversal Trail - 2 Goldcrest [between information centre and railway bridge over Buttery Lane].
Hoveringham - Sailing Lake: 1 Whooper Swan [with Mute Swan family feeding in field to right of main drive], 3 Northern Pintail [2 males & 1 female].
Kings Mill Reservoir - 1 Brent Goose [dark-bellied form through to the West at 07:55am with 13 Greylags].

Tue 29th Jan

Clumber Park - 5 Hawfinch [Chapel area].
Aspley - 2 Mistle Thrush [adjacent to David Lloyd Leisure Centre, Aspley Lane ].
Orston - 1 Mistle Thrush [in Churchyard].

Mon 28th Jan

North Leverton - 2 Mistle Thrush.
Drakeholes - Barn Owl.
Collingham - New Workings: 16 Northern Pintail, 12 Common Shelduck, 90 Eurasian Wigeon, 35 Eurasian Teal, Green Sandpiper, 30 Northern Lapwing.
Langford Lowfields - 4 Northern Pintail, 2 Common Shelduck, 4 Common Goldeneye, 4 Shoveler. 60 Eurasian Teal.
Sutton Bonington - 8 Tree Sparrow [Hungary Lane opposite the farm].
Nottingham University - Jubilee Campus: 2 Goosander [males], Little Grebe [in usual location by NCSL].

Sun 27th Jan

Rufford Country Park - 3 Bullfinch.
Ruddington - 2 Blackcap [pair in a garden].
Bestwood Country Park - Leen Pastures: c.25 European Golden Plover [over to West], 2 Willow Tit [on feeding station].
Misterton Carr - 38 Whooper Swan, 14 Bewick's Swan.
Clumber Park - 4 Hawfinch [behind Chapel]
West Bridgford - 5 Yellowhammer [Holme Grove].
Holme Pierrepont - A52 Pit: 2 Smew [male & female], 900 Eurasian Wigeon, 27 Common Goldeneye, 22 Shoveler, 3 Common Shelduck [pm], 24 Common Redshank, 3 Common Snipe, Common Buzzard. Blott's Pit: 24 Common Goldeneye, 300 Eurasian Wigeon, 2 Common Shelduck [am], 2 Common Snipe, Smew, 1 Greater Scaup [female].
Shelford - 6 White-fronted Goose.
Netherfield Lagoons - 11 Siskin, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 200+ Eurasian Wigeon, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Common Snipe, 7 Bullfinch, 5 Common Gull, 36 Mute Swan [on nearby oil-seed rape field].

Sat 26th Jan

Grove Farm - Stonechat [male], 70 Fieldfare.
Attenborough Nature Reserve - Delta: Common Snipe. Erewash Field: 3 Common Snipe, 7 Meadow Pipit, 2 Skylark.
Netherfield Lagoons - Brambling, Grey Wagtail, 3 Robin, 6 Blackbird, 10 Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, 3 Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, 4 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, c.20 Common Pochard, c.20 Tufted Duck, 10 Coot, 8 Gadwall, 4 Mallard, Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe, House Sparrow, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, c.50 Herring Gull [including juvenile birds], c.70 Black-headed Gull, Common Kestrel.

Fri 25t Jan

Netherfield Lagoons - Large Gravel Pit: 80 Eurasian Wigeon, 37 Gadwall. Deep Pit: 24 Common Pochard, Water Rail. Slurry Lagoon: Goosander [male, over], Green Sandpiper [over low], 8 Eurasian Teal.

Thu 24th Jan

Colwick Country Park - 1 Red-crested Pochard [male on West Lake].

Wed 23rd Jan

Colwick Country Park - West Lake Brent Goose [dark-bellied individual]. Trout Lake: 25 Common Gull, 90 Northern Lapwing.

Tue 22nd Jan

Newark - Water Rail [Cottam cycle track].
Clumber Park - 1 Great Grey Shrike [still on heath land opposite the chapel but elusive], 1 Goosander [male flying towards Carburton Lakes].

Mon 21st Jan

Attenborough Nature Reserve - Chiffchaff [in full song at 10:00 from inside the sewage works just West of Barton Lane level crossing].
Nottingham Racecourse - 2 Common Snipe, 7 Meadow Pipit, 11 Northern Lapwing.
Colwick Country Park - West Lake: 6 Smew [2 males & 4 females], Brent Goose, 32 Eurasian Wigeon, 30 Siskin. Trout Lake: 3 Siskin, Mandarin Duck, 90 Northern Lapwing.

Sun 20th Jan

Holme Pierrepont - Rowing Course: Brent Goose [dark bellied form on rugby pitch], 12 Common Goldeneye, Common Redshank, 21 Siskin. Blott's Pit: Greater Scaup [female], 550 Eurasian Wigeon, 11 Northern Lapwing, 6 Meadow Pipit. A52 Pit: 46 Common Redshank, 1100 Eurasian Wigeon, 12 Eurasian Teal, 3 Green Woodpecker.
North Leverton - 2 Robin [pair with male displaying].
Sturton High House - 26 Yellowhammer, c.150 Fieldfare.
Annesley Pit Top - 1 Common Buzzard, 2 European Golden Plover [in large flock of Lapwings], 2 Stonechat [pair around the bottom lagoon], Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest.

Sat 19th Jan

Clumber Park - 5 Common Shelduck, 39 Gadwall, 5 Nuthatch, 3 Coal Tit, 2 Willow Tit, 3 Marsh Tit.
Colwick Country Park - 3 Red-crested Pochard [male & 2 female], Kingfisher, 9 Common Goldeneye, 3 Grey Heron, 8 Moorhen, c.100 Coot, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Little Grebe, Common Pochard, c.40 Tufted Duck, c.12 Shoveler, c.200 Mallard, c.30 Eurasian Wigeon, 3 Gadwall, c.100 Northern Lapwing, c.20 Cormorant [including a continental form bird], c.200 Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull [juvenile], 2 Greylag Goose, c.200 Canada Goose, 2 Mute Swan, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Rook. Migrant Trap Area: 2 Great Tit, Blue Tit, c.20 Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Robin, 2 Blackbird, House Sparrow. West lake: 1 Brent Goose [dark-bellied form], 3 Smew [1 male & 2 females].
Wollaton Park - Football Pitches: 12 Mistle Thrush, 2 Blackbird, Black-headed Gull, 4 House Sparrow, Common Kestrel, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Starling, Long-tailed Tit.

Fri 18th Jan

Colwick Country Park - 14 Fieldfare, 22 Redwing, West Lake: 5 Smew [4 female & 1 male], 32 Eurasian Wigeon, 5 Common Goldeneye, Mandarin Duck, Red-crested Pochard, 60 Northern Lapwing, 10 Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Thu 17th Jan

Colwick Country Park - 1 Merlin [across Main Lake], West Lake: 5 Smew [male & 4 females], 35 Eurasian Wigeon, 2 Common Goldeneye. Trout Lake: 4 Red-crested Pochard [3 males & 1 female], Mediterranean Gull, Yellow Legged Gull [log boom].
Shelton - 20 Pink-footed Goose [09:15 - appeared disorientated as they hit the rain front. Appeared to come down in fields to the east of the road between Shelton and Thoraton].

Wed 16th Jan

Collingham - 1 Red-necked Grebe [new workings], 1 Northern Pintail, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Barn Owl, Shoveler, 4 Stonechat, 1 Great Crested Grebe.
Colwick Country Park - 5 Smew [2 male and 3 female].
University Park Lake - 13 Goosander.

Tue 15th Jan

Attenborough Nature Reserve - 2 Bittern [opposite Delta Hide, showing well briefly at 14:15].

Mon 14th Jan

Kilvington - New Lake: 5 Greater Scaup, 9 Northern Pintail.
Attenborough Nature Reserve - Red-necked Grebe [still present].
South Muskham - Piscatorial Pit [NB private and patrolled by bailiffs]: Peregrine [female], Stonechat [male], 125 Eurasian Wigeon. A1 Pits: Greater Scaup [female], 40 Eurasian Wigeon, 18 Common Goldeneye, 1200 Black-headed Gull, 60 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing.
Collingham - Red-necked Grebe, 1 Little Egret.

Sun 13th Jan

Collingham - Red-necked Grebe.
Colwick Country Park - 4 Smew [2 male and 2 female on West Lake], Slavonian Grebe [also on West Lake from 12 noon. Flew in from the river and moved behind the island near the river where it was viewed for about 5 minutes before it disappeared and could not be located again], 3 Red-crested Pochard [2 male and 1 female], Mandarin Duck.
Hoveringham - 1 Whooper swan [with 7 Mute Swans at the sailing club gate], 25+ of Fieldfare.
Cotgrave Country Park - 30 Siskin, 23 Pied Wagtail, 60 Fieldfare.
Attenborough Nature Reserve - Red-necked Grebe [on Clifton Pond viewed from Kingfisher Hide], 28 Shoveler [Church Pond], Water Rail, c.20 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, c.10 Gadwall, c.10 Common Pochard, c.20 Tufted Duck, c.100 Mallard, 2 Goosander [1 male, 1 female], c.200 Northern Lapwing, c.1500 Woodpigeon, c.10 Collared Dove, c.400 Starling, c.2000 Rook, c.20 Black-headed Gull, Mute Swan, 2 Egyptian Goose, c.20 Canada Goose, c.100 Coot, c.50 Moorhen, Robin, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Magpie.

Sat 12th Jan

Attenborough Nature Reserve - Bittern, Red-necked Grebe [showing down to a few feet on the Clifton Pond in front of the Kingfisher Hide], Mediterranean Gull [a first-year bird on reedbed island], 1 Little Egret [also on reedbed island before flying towards the Coneries roost at 16:00], 1 Chiffchaff [Wet Marsh], 28+ Common Gull [Clifton pit].
Hoveringham - New Workings: Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Redshank, Common Buzzard. Railway Lake: 15 Goosander, 2 Common Snipe, 3 Common Redshank, 190 Eurasian Wigeon. Sailing Lake: Whooper Swan [main gate], Mediterranean Gull [1st winter].
Clumber Park - 2 Hawfinch [1 in Chapel area showing well and 1 in car park briefly].
Holme Pierrepont - 1 Iceland Gull [1st winter in roost], Mediterranean Gull [adult], 3 Red-crested Pochard, Greater Scaup, 3 Smew.
Collingham - 2 Little Egret, Red-necked Grebe.
Martin's Pond - 2 Water Rail.

Fri 11th Jan

Netherfield Lagoons - Ex-New Workings: 190 Northern Lapwing, 10 Great Black-backed Gull, 8 Herring Gull, 15 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 7 Reed Bunting [hedgerow]. Slurry Lagoon: 35 Eurasian Teal, Common Snipe, Water Rail. Large Gravel Pit: 40 Common Pochard, 15 Eurasian Wigeon, 10 Gadwall.
Attenborough Nature Reserve - 1 Bittern [in front of Delta hide].

Thu 10th Jan

Attenborough Nature Reserve - 1 Bittern [in front of Delta hide].

Wed 9th Jan

Nottingham City Centre - 2 Peregrine.
Nottingham Racecourse - 2 Common Snipe, 7 Common Gull, 5 Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Herring Gull, 2 Meadow Pipit.
Colwick Country Park - West Lake: 42 Eurasian Wigeon. Trout Lake: Mandarin Duck, Red-crested Pochard, 90 Northern Lapwing.

Tue 8th Jan

Nottingham General Cemetery - 1 Jay, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Common Buzzard [fly over].
Langford Lowfields - 1 Merlin [chasing finches again]

Mon 7th Jan

Hoveringham - Washings Pit: 24 Eurasian Teal, Green Sandpiper. Sailing Lake: Whooper Swan [main gate]. Works Fishing Pit: 24 Shoveler. New Workings Pit: 2 Common Redshank. Big Pit: Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Common Redshank, 600 Eurasian Wigeon, 34 Common Goldeneye, 14 Meadow Pipit, 40 Fieldfare [sheep field].
Langold Lake - 1 Hen Harrier [a ringtail in fields in between lake and pit top].

Sun 6th Jan

Carlton - 1 Little Egret [fly over].
Hoveringham - 3 Glaucous Gull [1st Winter birds], 1 Iceland Gull [1st Winter], 1 Mediterranean Gull [1st Winter], 2 Caspian Gull [1 1st Winter & 1 adult], 5 Yellow-legged Gull.
Langford Lowfields - Red-necked Grebe, 1 Merlin [chasing finches].
Attenborough Nature Reserve - 2 Bittern [from Delta hide.
West Bridgford - 1 Brambling, 4 Lesser Redpoll [presumed Lesser], 4 Bullfinch.
Woodborough - 100 Fieldfare.
Mapperley Plains - 150+ Fieldfare [Field behind Travellers Rest Pub].
Bestwood Country Park - Mill Lakes: c.40 European Golden Plover [over to South near Dipping Ponds], c.60 Siskin, 3 Common Snipe, 1 Water Rail [running across Mud Island], 1 Little Grebe, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Cormorant [sat in trees on an island], 1+ Great Spotted Woodpecker [drumming].
Clumber Park - Hawfinch [Chapel area just after 08:00].
Lady Bay Bridge - 11 Pink-Footed Goose [over to West].
Holme Pierrepont - Blott's Pit: Greater Scaup [female in flight], 300 Eurasian Wigeon, 7 Common Goldeneye, 3 Common Redshank, 2 Water Rail, 2 Smew [male & female in small overgrown pit just west of Blott's]. A52 Pit: Glaucous Gull [1st winter], Iceland Gull [1st winter] 14 Grey Heron, 70 Northern Lapwing, 900 Eurasian Wigeon.

Sat 5th Jan

Hoveringham - 2 Whooper Swan, 2 Little Egret, 120 Yellowhammer, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Kestrel, 98 Cormorant, 3 Bullfinch, 25 Reed Bunting, 5 Common Redshank.
Sherwood Forest - 3 Nuthatch, 6 Willow Tit.
Budby Pumping Station - 1 Brambling.
Hazel Grove - 2 Nuthatch, 2 Jay, 70 Fieldfare.
Welbeck Raptor Watchpoint - Common Raven, 3 Common Buzzard.
Gedling Pit Top - c.50 Siskin, c.20 Goldfinch [large mixed flock among young alders], 2 Common Snipe, 3 Kestrel.
Nottingham City Centre - 1 Peregrine [adult in flight and perched on Newton Building, Nottingham Trent University].
Budby Common - Great Grey Shrike [just south of where Budby track meets the common].
Attenborough Nature Reserve - 3 Bittern [from Delta Hide], 1 Water Rail, 4 Goosander [2 male & 2 female Works Pit]. Sports Field: 5 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing.
Annesley Hall Woods - 1 Bullfinch, c.4 Nuthatch, 20+ Long-tailed Tit, 1 Common Buzzard.
Bentinck Void - 6 Stonechat [3 pairs], Jack Snipe, Woodcock.

Fri 4th Jan

Nottingham Racecourse - 19 Meadow Pipit, 7 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing [over to NE] 12 Linnet.
Colwick Country Park - West Lake: Smew [female], 12 Eurasian Wigeon. Trout Lake: 14 Fieldfare, 9 Redwing [over], Mediterranean Gull, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 650 Black-headed Gull [brief mini-roost in Lodge Bay at 15:00], 14 Northern Lapwing.
Holme Pierrepont - Siskin, 2 Redshank [Rowing Course and Slalom Course], Goldeneye, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Redwing.
Rufford Country Park - 1 Water Rail [Silver Pool], Goosander [drake on main lake], 20 Redwing [sheep meadow], Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, 4 Common Pochard, 3 Cormorants.

Thu 3rd Jan

Attenborough Nature Reserve - 2 Bittern [Delta Hide].
Colwick Woods - 1 Merlin [female chasing tit flock in the wood].

Wed 2nd Jan

Worksop - 30+ Pink-footed Goose [flying West about 09:40 over town centre].
Hoveringham - 8 Whooper Swan [departed NW from Railway Lake at approximately 11:00].
Attenborough Nature Reserve - 2 Red-crested Pochard [a pair on Main Pond], 3 Bittern [Delta Hide from 15:30], Water Rail, Kingfisher, 8 Goosander, Bullfinch.
Nottingham Racecourse - 2 Common Snipe, 8 Redwing, 37 Fieldfare [over to South], 32 Meadow Pipit, 4 Common Gull.
Colwick Country Park: - Trout Lake: 4 Red-crested Pochard, Mandarin Duck, 45 Common Pochard. Migrant Trap: 30 Siskin, 30 Redwing, 4 Mistle Thrush [sports ground east of fishing lodge].
Netherfield Lagoons - Old New Workings: 105 Great Black-backed Gull, 71 Herring Gull, 400 Northern Lapwing, 40 European Golden Plover, 20 Reed Bunting, 30 Linnet, 7 Tree Sparrow [hedgerows around workings], 2 Green Sandpiper, Common Snipe [drainage ditch].
Holme Pierrepont - 3 Smew [Blott's Pit].

Tue 1st Jan

Bestwood Country Park - Pit Tip: 6 Skylark [including 3 singing males], 15+ Siskin [in mixed finch flock of c.65 birds feeding at edge of main plantation], 10+ Lesser Redpoll [also in finch flock], 1 Sparrowhawk [male], 1 Green Woodpecker [female]. Lamin's Lane: 4 Red-legged Partridge, c.36 Northern Lapwing [flushed from fallow field with 2 possible European Golden Plover].
Clumber Park - Chapel Area: 1 Hawfinch, 12 Siskin, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Marsh Tit.
Gedling Pit Top - 2 Short-eared Owl, 10 Skylark, 8 Siskin, 8 Common Snipe.
North Leverton - 1 Tree Sparrow, 4 Starling, 2 House Sparrow, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Dunnock, 1 Robin, Rook, Wood Pigeon, 4 Chaffinch, 1 Wren, 3 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Willow Tit, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Pheasant [male], 2 Magpie, 100+ Fieldfare, 8 Common Gull.
Holme Pierrepont - 3 Smew [1 male and 2 redheads on small pond just a few metres NW of main Blott's Pit], Greater Scaup [female], Merlin, 400 Eurasian Wigeon, 30 Common Goldeneye, Common Redshank. A52 Pit: 2 Mediterranean Gull [adults], Iceland Gull [1st Winter], 50 Fieldfare, 700 Eurasian Wigeon.
Colwick Country Park - Mediterranean Gull [adult on log boom].
Wilford - Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, 3 Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Starling, Black-headed Gull.
Budby Common - Great Grey Shrike.

Many thanks to:

Sandy Aitken, Chris Allin, Simon Barsby, Robin Brace, Jerry Clough, Tony Critchley, Geoff Gamble, Pete George, Martin Griffiths, Andy Hall, Craig Fyfe Howat, Jane Howe, Anne Hufton, Kevin Hutchby, Bryan Jenkins, Dave Jones, John Keyte, Duncan Lyon, Malcolm Macdonald, Darren Matthews, Ben Moss, John Mowbray, Chris Overton, Michael Parker, Jean Parrott, Paul Pearson, Anthony Reed, Bruce Richmond, Anthony Smith, Jenny Smith, John Smith, Steve Smith, David Suter, David Viles, Tony Wardell, Paul Wilcox, Stephen Wilkinson, John Wilson.