Birdwatching for Beginners - 2016 Annual Review

Being a bit of a conservationist, I thought I could a) save me some work (important conservation!!), and b) save some stationery. I have for the last 4 years written an annual review of the Bird Watching walks for the year, distributed it to regulars and written a different version for the VR’s annual review. This year I will do just this one review, (obviously on my blog), so it can be read by an enormous following!!, with a copy for Peter’s annual report.

Let’s deal with the landmarks and statistics.

On 4^th September, Severn Trent gave a commemorative gift of a nest box and bird guide, to Geoffrey Bartram of Duffield, who was the 2,000^th person to book on the walks in 11 years.  At Geoff’s request, the nest box has been installed on a tree on Stones Island, behind the mini reed bed, near the nest box that was erected to commemorate the 100^th walk in 2014.

2016 has included the 12 monthly walks (and none were aborted in 2016, although March was seriously curtailed, to dry out and buy hot chocolate etc.), plus 2 bonus walks, one in April hoping to see Ospreys, and an evening walk in April led by Carsington Bird Club, hoping (and succeeding) to see Yellow Wagtails. Hence 14 walks.

There is one other trip, on the second Sunday in January, an annual trip to Attenborough Gravel Pits in Nottinghamshire, and is a 3 hour walk for anyone who wants to join me. We usually have 5-8 people on the walk, hoping to see Bitterns and Water Rails. (Ed: 8^th January 2017 9.30am = 3 hours)

Please insert any suggested titles for this picture, on my blog!! The most inspired answer will be published!

On the 14 Carsington walks in 2016, we had 251 bookings, the highest ever total number in the 11 years of this walk, an average of 18 people per walk. A bit different from just 10 people per walk in 2006!

89 different people enjoyed the walks, with Graham Martin attending every one bar the evening Wagtail walk. A further 8 people came 10 times +. We welcomed 64 people who had not been on the walk before, and 13 of them came back for more.. a good endorsement that we are doing things right. (Ed: What about the 51 who didn’t?)

A few bird statistics. In the 11 years we have seen 123 different species, but it was only in December that we added any new ones for 2016; a Little Stint was a sheer joy, and a “lifer” for many, and the huge Great Black Backed Gull was a bird easily missed. This final walk turned out to be the best walk of the year, with Ruff, 18 Dunlin, Redpoll, and Woodpecker making it very difficult to decide what was the bird of the walk.

73 different species for the year was on the low side, but around the average over 11 years of 74pa.

At the end of each walk, we vote on the best bird of the walk, which frequently includes the Diver, but it was very satisfying to see that some good sightings, particularly with the help of the scope-toters (thanks to them), meant that summer migrants such as Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff got the vote.

To complete the years’ review, I want to mention the following.

  

      1.         Many of you will know of the sad death of Janet Ede in December 2015. Janet came on the first walk in 2006. She loved the walks and so appreciated the work that the volunteers did, that she bequeathed a significant sum of money to the Volunteers, which they have decided to use (with Severn Trent’s approval) towards the cost of building an additional hide, on Stones Island and near to the outdoor classroom.  2017 is the Silver Jubilee of the Queen opening Carsington Water, and this new hide will be the Volunteers contribution to this memorable year.

2.        Regulars will be aware that I had major surgery in May, and whilst I do not wish to dwell on that, I wish to thank my volunteer colleagues for their help in ensuring that the walks have continued uninterrupted. My blog was, but the walks weren’t!!  Thanks to Keith, Amanda and Gary. And thank you too, for the many good wishes messages and enquiries my wife and I received. The first 3 months were pretty hard, but the quiet support helped immensely.

During the year, I have collected £125 in donations from birders on the walk, towards our costs for maintaining and enhancing the facilities to see, amongst other birds, the passing Ospreys. Graham Martin very generously added £100 to these donations, all of which will be immensely useful for completing the new hide, and our ongoing projects.

And finally the next walk will be a booze-free morning on 1^st January 2017, 10.00am +/- 5 minutes!!

Anyny photos from the walks, or of Carsington that I can use in my blog would are always welcome.

I hope you all have a very happy Xmas, and I wish you happy birding for 2017, with continuing expansion of your knowledge about our wonderful bird friends.

David