Osprey at Carsington Water - I WAS THERE!!! (3 hours later!!)

Some weeks I sit at my laptop late on Sunday with a blank sheet, and think “what the *** am I going to write about in my blog this week?”     Yes this was another of those weeks, and I console myself with the thoughts that the Summer arrivals are not far away, indeed some of them are already here.

Oh, here is a nice issue to consider.

The Daily Telegraph accused The People (newspaper) of overestimating the number of Remain campaigners, in stating that 1 million people were on the Brexit walk. The Telegraph said it should be “hundreds of thousands”.      

Consider the Telegraph quote, “ a hundred thousand?” – quite clear and concise - one; “ a couple of thousand?” – Ok, that’s 2 thousand. But hundreds of thousands?... seems to me like 300K or even 400k.

But without wishing to glorify the protest walk, my point is that on 31^st March 1990 there erupted London’s worst riots for 100 years………..  with 100,000 rioters.      Ooops. Looks like the Remainers are in the history books, if nothing else, for being the largest riot with 200,000+ people.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,…. voting rumbled on and on and on all week, until Saturday………. I turned off the radio and went birding!!!!!   Just one brief respite in the week… Thursday evening Mary and I went for a nice meal to celebrate 55 years of marriage.  Ed: A reward for long service.

Saturday 30^th March

I thought I would go hunting early migrants, and as Attenborough is normally a good location, that was my destination.  I knew it was a bit early for some of the warblers, but I though I would give it a shot.  Sand Martins, Blackcap and Chiffchaff were mentioned on the sightings board, although in small numbers.

Picked up Chiffchaff, not surprising, Cetti heard but not seen, but the only other nice sighting was the Kestrel sitting in the doorway of the Owl box behind the Tower hide, where he would appear to have usurped the residence of an owl over the last 2/3 years.

Some Goldeneyes were still lingering, and I did hear Blackcap near the Trent. But as you know, I am a bird watcher, not a listener so despite the enjoyment the heard birds do not feature in my records or year count.

Sunday 31st March

A family lunch was planned for Sunday, giving me time for an am run to Carsington Water.

Cold as always, I strolled across the causeway to extreme of Horseshoe island ticking off Chiffchaff, a low level hi-speed Wren and a pair of Reed Buntings. I was particularly pleased to see that around the small reed bed on the right, there are 4 nesting boxes. Each of these recognise a significant stage in the evolution of the Bird Watching for Beginners walks, the latest 2 additions being for the 1,000^th  (different-) person to attend the walk, and the other for 2,500^th booking. Some milestones, eh?

As I clutched a warming Capuccino Rangers Donna and Mike took great delight in telling me that at 7am this morning, the first Osprey of 2019 arrived, caught a fish, and after a 7.30am breakfast left Fishtail Creek on a Westerly course.     31st March … not the earliest ever for Carsington (20^th March 2017) but always great to have the first Osprey in March.

The volunteer team in the Wildlife had heard the news, as Simon Rodd the Bird Club expert who first spotted the Osprey, had spread the word. They took equal delight in pointing out a loan Avocet patrolling up and down along Horseshoe Island, a joy for a lot of visitors to see through the available binoculars and telescopes.

Well, that’s about it for this week. Chris and I are off to Frampton Marsh on Tuesday, so weather and visibility permitting maybe my YTD might de-stagnate and start moving!!

Happy Birding

Tuesday March 14 - March! - an early Osprey return for Rutland

Now that’s a lot better!!!!  Seven, yes 7 additions to my year list in just one week, and only one migrant in that 7.  

The migrant was a Chiffchaff on Tuesday at Rutland Water, although for all I know he could have spent winter here.. they are no longer a reliable sign of a spring arrival as some now winter in the UK. Whereas the descending song of the Willow Warbler WILL always be a sign of Spring.

Chris and I had a nice day at Rutland on Tuesday March 19 and having brilliant views of 3 White Nuns and 4 females (Smew, of course), it needed an off-site visit to Manton Bay to see Maya sitting on a branch near the Osprey nest. Maya had returned the previous Thursday (14^th March) a good early return for a Rutland Osprey, and 6K, another female Osprey returned (after 4 years absence) a few days later.  Yet again keeping records and data is so beneficial to be able to write about these birds in so much detail, and as I have said many times, it brings birding alive.

It was only because of the Osprey history and the background, that Maya qualified as BOD. In any other circumstances, the White Nuns would have romped home as the top sighting.

Jumping forward to Friday March 22^nd, a noteworthy day – not only did I go for a high-tide spectacular on the Wirral, but Mary came too. Nice to have company, and a navigator when I got lost near Heston. But with her help, we were on the cold sea wall at Parkgate by 10.50, with a couple of hundred other birders, and in time to watch the high tide at 12.00 noon.

An early tick was a Skylark, in fact quite a few took off as the water level built up, and the continuous tide rise revealed a goodly number of Pink Footed Geese. Then with the Egrets getting out of their depth and driven closer to the car park beyond the Boathouse one Great White Egret was very obvious alongside it’s small relatives.

But you could hear and feel the buzz when a Short-Eared Owl came South over the marshes, and after a brief survey of the wetland, settled down on a dry patch about 20 yards in front of us. He meandered around a couple of times, giving excellent views, especially to the many camera-toters.

Seeking for something warm nearby, we found The Wheatsheaf at Puddington, a PH with an unusual menu.  The offer was to buy a starter or a pudding and get the main course for free!!! A new scheme on us, but we escaped after both having 2 courses, a soft drink apiece and £4 change out of a £20 note. Had there not been a local power failure, the PH would not have been so busy with loads of locals having to eat out… ergo we would have not taken so long. But as a good value venue I would go back there.  

Back pedaling to Wednesday morning, just happened to look out of my study at the bird life in the garden and spotted 2 pairs of Dunnocks clearly demonstrating that it was THAT time of the year. I have never been able to tell which is male and which is female, so I don’t know who was orchestrating the passionate display.  Thank goodness they know.   Meanwhile, a very impassive female Blackbird was in the middle of the hiatus watching the action.

Thursday a welcome surprise as I walked back from my pm library duty at Allestree. I was in an urban housing area when out of a gateway walked a Red Legged partridge. I stopped, he stopped, then he walked back towards me, before hopping over a low wall into a garden, and then sat on another wall and proceeded to scold me at length. Long enough for me to video him and record his strong views about me, the weather and Brexit. Whatever, he’s another statistic.  

 

Saturday 23^rd March,  I visited Willington Gravel Pits to see what was around, and if any further migrants had arrived.

A couple of Buzzards were circling each other when I arrived, and from the concrete blocks at the start of the reserve, I picked up a Great White Egret standing erect in the middle of a field.    Chiffchaffs were in good song along the path, a Dunlin was evident on dead bird island, and a Kingfisher flashed down the stream near the car park as I was leaving.  

35 species, not bad for a short walk.

FYI YTD 119.

Also FYI, tomorrow is the 142nd anniversary of 1877 the only year when the Oxford and Cambridge boat race finished in a dead heat!!

Happy Birding