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April 2010 Diary and News
All the latest sightings, news and photos from Chasewater,
Cuckoo Bank and surrounding areas
Scroll down to view whole month.
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- 1st
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- 12°C
- Rain
- W3
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| A Curlew, 4 Little Ringed Plovers, House
Martin, Swallows, Sand Martins, Redshank and
Oystercatcher (IW). |
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- 2nd
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- 12°C
- Showers
- SE3
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| 2 Shelduck, 5 Little Ringed Plovers, 3
Oystercatchers, 2 Redshanks, 2 Buzzards, 12 Sand Martins and 7
Swallows (IW, GE). |
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- 3rd Sat
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- 12°C
- Cloudy
- SW4
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| 3 Willow Warblers and a Willow Tit were singing near the
feeding station and a Redshank and an Oystercatcher
were seen during a brief evening
visit (IW). |
| At Kingswood a Water Vole was seen twice in an
area next to the M6 Toll (IW). |
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- 4th Sun
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- 9°C
- Early Showers
- NW4
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| 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Redshank, 5
Swallows and 40-50 Sand Martins (IW), 3 Oystercatchers
(NS) and 2 Wigeon and 2
Pochard were on the Swag (GE). |
| On Cuckoo Bank there was a Jack Snipe, 2 Willow
Warblers (MY), Common Snipe, 6
Gadwall, Little Grebe and 2 Buzzards (NS). |
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- 5th
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- 13°C
- Cloudy
- SW4
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| A late dusk visit produced good
numbers of hirundines over the lake and an Oystercatcher
was heard (GE). |
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- 6th
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- 14°C
- Sunny intervals
- S5
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| 3 Lapwings were displaying and a Skylark was
singing over the Norton Bog hill where there was also a male Wheatear
and 2 singing Chiffchaffs. 160 Sand Martins, 7 Swallows
and a House Martin were over the lake, 4 Gadwall, 2 Teal, a
Goldeneye and 2 Oystercatchers were present and 6 Little Ringed
Plovers were on the Balcony shore with at least one other on
the North Shore. Amazingly, the deep layers of silt are still
attracting the attentions of the foolhardy. Tonight a man was seen to be tempting fate by walking in
the north shore silt and had a panic when he sank to his knees (GE). |
- Could this be a rare wader? Is it a
pratincole?
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- No, just a prat in coal silt!
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- 7th
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- 12°C
- Light showers, bright afternoon
- NW4
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| I only noticed this rather
distressing incident when 2 of the horses were up to their necks
in the Fly Bay silt and an adult and 2 young riders, plus several
onlookers, were anxiously trying to coax them to safety. The emergency services had already been
notified but obviously imprecise directions resulted in three
police cars and 2 fire appliances arriving at the rather distant
Chasewater Heaths Station rather than the Sailing Club, whilst the
Police Helicopter hovered overhead (GE).
The following information has come to light from
a range of sources but it appears that an off the lead dog had
caused the horses to bolt, unseating their riders, and then
getting stuck in the silt. Despite having been provided with a
key, the fire-fighters cut the locks of the gate and headed in the
wrong direction towards the North Heath. Fortunately the horses
managed to get out of their dangerous predicament. Hopefully
lessons have been learnt and anyone reporting an incident to the
emergency services needs to be precise in their information. We
would be interested to know what LDC's policy is regarding horse
riding on the shore.
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- Horse and pony stuck in the silt (GE)
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- A distressful sight (GE)
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- Eventually the pony struggled free (GE)
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| The valve has now been re-opened and
there will be ever increasing dangers in the deep layers of silt
as the water levels fall. Birds of note included 4 Little
Ringed Plovers, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Teal, 2 Gadwall,
150 Black-headed Gulls, 60 Sand Martins, a House Martin,
8 Swallows, a Blackcap, 3 Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs
and 2 Grey Wagtails (GE). |
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- 8th
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- 15°C
- Sunny
- NNW3
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- There is still deep water against the
original western dam (GE)
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- Prior to works starting on the Nine-foot
area the vegetation of this part of the SSSI is being
translocated to a prepared area near the Rangers' Office
(GE).
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| A beautiful spring day with several Peacocks, 2
Small Tortoiseshells and a Comma enjoying the sunshine. In Jack's
Wood there were singing Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Coal Tit
along with a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stock Dove and a Buzzard
overhead. Other Buzzards were seen over the by-pass, Norton Bog
and 6 others over the Cuckoo Bank area. Pairs of Little Grebe and
Great Crested Grebe were on the Slurry Pool. Other records
included 3 singing Blackcaps, 3 Willow Warblers, 5
Chiffchaffs, a Yellowhammer, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Little
Ringed Plovers, 2 Oystercatchers, 30 Sand Martins, Grey
Wagtail, a Cormorant, 4 Teal, 3 Gadwall, 135 Black-headed Gulls,
up to 50 Lesser Black-backs (GE) and a 3cy Yellow-legged Gull
(IW). |
Comma (GE)
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- 9th
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- 15°C
- Sunny
- NE3
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| A Ringed Plover, 2 Oystercatchers
and 6 Buzzards (GE, JT). |
- Displaying Great Crested Grebes (GE)
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- 10th
- Sat
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- 14°C
- Sunny
- NE3
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| 2 Redshanks, 2 Herons, 74 Black-headed
Gulls and 2 Lesser Black-backs. Several Peacock butterflies but no
sign of any Green Hairstreaks yet (GE). |
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- 11th
- Sun
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- 13°C
- Sunny intervals
- NE3
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| 2 Green Sandpipers were new for the year
with other totals including 3 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Ringed
Plovers, a Ringed Plover, 2 Lapwings, 51 Mute Swans, 25
Canada Geese, 120 Mallard, 51 Tufted Ducks, 4 Teal, 5 Gadwall, 1
Cormorant, 14 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 73 Coot, 4
Moorhens, 81 Black-headed Gulls, 10 Lesser Black-backs, 4+
Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great
Spotted Woodpecker, 20 Sand Martins, 1 House Martin, 2
Swallows, 8 Willow Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, 1 Grey
Wagtail and 12 Bullfinches. The water level has now fallen to a
point where the deep water next to the old western dam is separate
from the 'main' lake which now can't be far off the level of the
canal (GE). |
- North from Target Point (GE).
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- Slurry Pool (GE)
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- 12th
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- 13°C
- Cloudy
- NE3
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| A male Garganey was new for
the year, 12 Little Ringed Plovers, a summer plumaged Dunlin,
3 Oystercatchers and a Curlew were present along
with 65 Sand Martins, 4 Teal, 8 Gadwall, 138 Black-headed Gulls,
11 Lesser Black-backs, a Herring Gull, Grey Wagtail and a Noctule
bat (GE, IW) |
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- Drake Garganey (GE)
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- 13th
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- 12°C
- Sunny intervals, evening drizzle
- NNE3
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| A Whitethroat was near the
Nine-foot (PF), 2 Green Hairstreaks were on the North
Heath (EO), 2 Little Ringed Plovers were north of the
Island, 130 hirundines, 2 Herons, 2 Gadwall, 6 Teal, a Cormorant
and a Grey Wagtail were also present (GE). |
| On Cuckoo Bank there were 2 Grey Partridges, 7
Lapwings, a Jack Snipe, 5 Buzzards, Green and Great Spotted
Woodpeckers and 29 Red Deer (EO). |
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- 14th
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- 12°C
- Cloudy
- ENE4
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| A Green Sandpiper and 6 Little Ringed
Plovers were at the north end and another pair were on the
Balcony Shore. 4 Oystercatchers, 7 Gadwall, 70 Sand
Martins, 10 Swallows, a House Martin, 3 Blackcaps and below the
dam a Grasshopper
Warbler was reeling (GE). |
- Fly Bay 'treasure' (GE)
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| A drake Garganey was at
Clayhanger Marsh (CM). |
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- 15th
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- 11°C
- Cloudy
- NE4
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| A Garden Warbler and Grasshopper
Warbler were on the North Shore, 4 Oystercatchers and 12 Teal
were present and a small passage of terns included 3 Common
Terns and 5 Arctic Terns (IW, GE). |
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- 16th
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- 11°C
- Cloudy
- NE4
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A Ringed Plover, 6+ Little Ringed Plovers, a Redshank,
3 Oystercatchers, 2 Cormorants, 11 Gadwall, 80 Black-headed Gulls and 2 Buzzards
were present and 11 Red Deer were in Highfield Farm (GE). A
'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler was on the North Heath, a Lapwing
was displaying
over the marshy area nearby and 9 Jays congregated in a tree on the outskirts
of the Slurry Pool (KM). |
- Volcanic sunset! (GE)
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On
Cuckoo Bank there were 3 Buzzards and a Grasshopper Warbler
briefly 'reeled' but no Stonechats were seen. 16 cattle were grazing
along with 17 Red Deer (GE) and at dusk 9 Common Snipe and a Short-eared Owl was
seen (NS). |
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- 17th
- Sat
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- 17°C
- Sunny
- SW2
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| The first Common Sandpiper of
the year was present along with 3 Little Ringed Plovers, an
Oystercatcher, 5 Teal and 4 Gadwall (GE, IW, N). |
| A Whitethroat and Yellow
Wagtail were on Cuckoo Bank along with a Brimstone, Speckled
Wood, Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacocks (IW, N). |
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- 18th
- Sun
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- 14°C
- Sunny intervals
- NE2
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| 4 White Wagtails and a Wheatear
were on the North Shore, a Common Sandpiper, Ringed
Plover, 6+ Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Oystercatchers, 2
Lapwings, a Cormorant, 6 Buzzards, Grey Wagtail and 62 Black-headed Gulls were
present. Wildfowl totals included 51 Mute Swans, 30 Canada Geese,
1 Greylag Goose, 120 Mallard, 7 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 1 Pochard, 52 Tufted Ducks,
14
Great Crested Grebes, 4 Little Grebes, 70 Coot and a Moorhen. At dusk there
were 100 Sand Martins, 25 Swallows, 2 immature Herring Gulls and 2
Lesser Black-backs. Butterflies
included Speckled Wood, Orange-tip, Green-veined White and a good emergence of Green
Hairstreaks with 14 in Anglesey Basin and 8 near the OEC (GE). |
| On Cuckoo Bank there was a Cuckoo,
a pair of Stonechats and a Grasshopper Warbler (PW). |
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- 19th
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- 12°C
- Cloudy
- NE2
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| A good day of passage produced an
adult Little Gull, 40 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls,
7 Lesser Black-backs, a Whimbrel, 3 Common Sandpipers, 4
Oystercatchers, 9 Little Ringed Plovers, a Jack Snipe,
2 Shovelers, a Cormorant, 7 Swifts, 250 Sand Martins, 10 House Martins,
20 Swallows, 13 Wheatears, a Redstart, a Lesser
Whitethroat, 3 Grasshopper Warblers, a Grey Wagtail and 2 Buzzards. A Green
Hairstreak was on the North Heath (IW, GE). Several thousand
small fish were reported to be in the canal basin having poured
over the weir from the drawdown pipe. |
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- 20th
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- 9°C
- Sunny
- NW4
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| A remarkable 22 Little
Ringed Plovers, a Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpipers,
a Redshank, 3 Oystercatchers, an adult Little Gull and a Cuckoo
were present along with up to 300 Sand Martins, 20
Swallows, a Swift and 5 Wheatears (GE, IW, NS et al). |
| A Stonechat and Wheatear
were seen on Cuckoo Bank. |
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- 21st
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- 9°C
- Sunny
- N3
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Totals included 15 Little Ringed
Plovers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlin, 3 Common
Sandpipers, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Lapwings, 2 Gadwall, 48
Black-headed Gulls, 3 Buzzards, a White Wagtail, a Grey
Wagtail, a Whitethroat, 300 Sand Martins, 2 House Martins
and 2 Willow Tits. 35 Green Hairstreaks were in the
Anglesey Basin area and one was on the North Heath (GE). At dawn a
Hobby was seen to hunt over the Slurry Pool where over 500
hirundines were leaving their roost (IW).
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- Green Hairstreak (GE)
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| The water
level of the lake is now down to the level of the canal and the
valve has been closed. The final 2m will be pumped out when the
contractors start in around a month's time. The canal was very
turbid with the sediment from the lake and few fish were visible. Today a strip of marsh
from the base of the dam has been translocated to the shore of the
Newt Pond.
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22nd
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- 11°C
- Sunny
- W2
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| During the day there were 7 White
Wagtails, a Yellow Wagtail flew over, 6 Ringed
Plovers, 2 Dunlin, 7 Common Sandpipers, 2
Oystercatchers, 350 Sand Martins, 2 Grasshopper Warblers and 2 Wheatears. High
level north-westerly passage was noted as 7 Herring Gulls, 3 Common
Terns and a Buzzard passed over (GE). |
- Boardwalk Heath (GE)
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| On Cuckoo Bank there were 4 singing
Yellowhammers, 4 Wheatears and a Grasshopper Warbler
(IW). On No Man's Bank a Cuckoo and Hobby were seen
(per EO). |
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-
23rd
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- 15°C
- Sunny
- WSW2
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- Whinchat (GE)
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- Wheatear GE)
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- Male Wheatear (GE)
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| In the Slurry Pool/Norton Bog area
there was a male Whinchat, 2 Wheatears, Cuckoo,
Reed Warbler, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk,
Green Woodpecker and Grey Wagtail (EO, GE). Also present were 6 Ringed
Plovers, 12 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlin, 7 Common
Sandpipers, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Lapwings, 2 Common Terns,
a Teal, a Swift, 2 Whitethroats and 8 Bullfinches. A
Grasshopper Warbler was on the Raceway Heath and Green
Hairstreaks numbered 11+ south of the Feeding Station, 12+ near
the new boardwalk and 17+ in Anglesey Basin (GE, IW, JT et al).
The canal water is slowly clearing, revealing
the many thousands of small fish that have escaped from the lake. |
| On Cuckoo Bank 2 Stonechats
were seen (EO). |
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-
24th
- Sat
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- 20°C
- Sunny
- SSE3
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| A dawn visit produced the following
remarkable totals: 111+ singing Willow Warblers, 17 Blackcaps,
1 Garden Warbler, 18 Chiffchaffs, 1 Lesser
Whitethroat, 16 Whitethroats, 7 Grasshopper Warblers,
1 Reed Warbler, 5 pairs of Skylarks, 3 Willow Tit
territories, 18 male Reed Buntings and 2 Wheatears. 8+ Little
Ringed Plovers, 3 Ringed Plovers, 5 Common
Sandpipers, 3 Oystercatchers and 3 Common Terns were
also present (PJ, IW, GE). All this despite late night revelers
leaving a mass of beer cans, bottles, litter and smoldering camp
fires along the shore between the dam and Sailing Club. |
- Common Terns (GE)
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| On No Man's Bank there
were 17 Red Deer and a Common Snipe (GE). |
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-
25th
- Sun
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- 16°C
- Light Showers, sunny intervals
- SW3
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| A couple of brief visits produced a Shelduck,
Common Tern, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlin, 6 Common
Sandpipers, 6+ Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Oystercatchers,
35 Sand Martins, 2 Gadwall and a Teal (GE). |
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-
26th
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- 17°C
- Sunny intervals
- WNW3
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| 5 Oystercatchers, a Common
Sandpiper, 3+ Little Ringed Plovers and 3 Common
Terns were present (GE, JT, VT). |
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27th
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- 18°C
- Sunny intervals
- SSW3
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| This evening 9 Oystercatchers,
3 Common Sandpipers, 4 Ringed Plovers and 11+ Little
Ringed Plovers were present (GE). |
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28th
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- 18°C
- Overcast
- SSW3
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| Early this morning an uncontrolled
Doberman flushed a Spotted Crake from the most northern
point of the 'lake' but it was not relocated. This is the long
awaited first record of this species at Chasewater. A Whimbrel
flew in at 06:30 (IW) and departed to the north-west at 10:00. 6
Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 8+ Little Ringed Plovers,
2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Cormorants and 30 Swifts were also
present. At the Slurry Pool 3 Sedge Warblers and 2 Reed
Warblers were in song (GE) and a Grasshopper Warbler
was reeling on the Raceway Heath (PJ).
Preparations for the fish capture appear to have
started with a JCB creating a roadway on the lake side of the dam
(GE). |
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-
29th
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- 17°C
- Cloudy, evening rain
- W3
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An Arctic Tern
flew through during the early morning (IW). During the afternoon a
White Wagtail, Wheatear and Little Ringed Plover
were on the South Shore, 100 Sand Martins, several Swallows, 1-2
House Martins and 40 Swifts were overhead, 2 Common
Sandpipers, 2 Oystercatchers were present and 2 Common Terns
were displaying. Soon after the rain started 4 more Oystercatchers
and 3 more Common Terns had arrived and at 16:15 a flock of 20 Dunlin
descended but at least 15 didn't settle and soon departed to the
west. At 16:50 a flock of Ringed Plovers arrived and settled and
by 17:25 further groups of Dunlin had arrived giving totals of 38 Dunlin
and 16 Ringed Plovers. All the Ringed Plovers and all but
one Dunlin left at 18:15 but 15 minutes later a flock of 23 Dunlin
briefly settled including an individual with a pale patch in the
wing. In little more than 2 hours as many as 76 Dunlin had
passed through the site (GE).
- The fish rescue started
today with sample fish being caught to confirm they are
healthy. The team caught a variety of
fish including Roach, Perch, Pike (up to 18/19lbs) and some
Bullheads (LDC).
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| Great excitement at
Clayhanger when a Hoopoe was found at around mid-day (AS). |
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-
30th
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- 15°C
- Heavy showers
- WSW4
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| During the early morning 10 Dunlin
passed through and 3 Common Sandpipers were present (PJ). Later in
the morning 5 Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Terns, 6
Oystercatchers,< 100 Swifts and several House Martins
were noted (GE).
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The fish rescue continued with several
fascinated onlookers. |
| The Hoopoe continued to
entertain throughout the day at Clayhanger. |
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Hoopoe © P Ward |
Hoopoe © G Evans |
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