Archive for the ‘WVBS Bird Counts’ Category

January 2005 Birdrace

A BIG THANKYOU to all who took part in the WVBS Winter Bird Race on Sunday, what a magnificent turn out: c.30 people in 10 teams

From the atmosphere in The Bridge Inn afterwards I am confident that everyone enjoyed themselves.

In total 84 species were seen in the study area with a further one heard (Nuthatch). Attached is a spreadsheet with the accumulated totals. I’ll bring the recording sheets to the next meeting so I can return them to those of you who took part.

The winning team of Allan Hale, Andrew (Burhinus) and Linda Goodall saw 70 species. Considering none of them live within the study area this is a magnificent result. Close behind were Ian Brittain, Paul Riley and Tony Forster with 68 species seen plus 2 “heards”. Then in 3rd place with 66 were Barry Pummell, David Knight & Ian Doble.

Virtually every team recorded birds they may not have expected to see.

The best was probably 5+ Snow Buntings found by Margaret & Barry Shapcott between Great Ryburgh and Colkirk. Others included Little Egret alongside the Marriott’s Way at Lenwade, Willow Tit & Lesser-spotted Wdpkr at Sparham Pools, Scaup, Redshank & Green Sandpiper at Swanton Morley GPs, Little Owl at Bylaugh, and Brambling at Fustyweed, Lenwade & Sculthorpe Moor.

Sparrowhawks – Sculthorpe Moor

Common Buzzard – Wensum Valley Raptor Watch Point (3), Gt Ryburgh – Colkirk (1)

Barn Owls – Sparham Pools, North Elmham, Elsing Bridge, West Lexham (2), West Rayham (2), Hoe, Hoe Hall (2)

Snipe – Sparham Pools, Swanton Morley GPs, Elmham Mill

Grey Partridge – Gt Ryburgh- Wensum Valley Raptor Watch Point, Creaking Gate Lake Area (2 pr)

Golden Plover – Lyng Easthaugh (600+), Billingford (20 fly-over), Horningtoft (5), S of N Elmham (200), Worthing (800)

Kingfisher – Marriott’s Way Lenwade, Sparham Pools, S Morley GPs,

Grey Wagtail – West Raynham, Bintree Mill,

Linnet – Bintree Mill Area (30), Worthing (20)

Yellowhammer – Sparham Holes (20), Bintree Mill Area (20), Creaking Gate Lake (55), Worthing Church (50)

Thank you to all who sent me further details of your sightings and my apologies if I’ve missed any off that you think should have been recorded above.

I’m delighted that so many of you joined in and obviously thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hope to see you at Fred Cooke’s talk “Harlequin Ducks & the Birds of the Canadian Arctic” on Thursday 20th Jan.

Good Birding

Ray

Bird sightings Sept 04

Thank you to everyone who sent in records

September saw a welcome increase in the number of records received and the number of people submitting them. Many of you continued to send in “last Swift” reports although I’ve only included the last 2 sightings. Each individual sighting received may not show on this summary, however, all records do contribute towards the annual report and our understanding of the birds of our study area.

Please keep all records coming in by whatever means suits you –see below.

Great-crested Grebe

1 ad+1-2 juv

Lenwade Common

All month

Cormorant

1

Sculthorpe Moor

30th (LK)

Grey Heron

1

Sculthorpe Moor

30th (LK)

Max 6

Lenwade

7th + all month-

Mute Swan

2ad

Lenwade Common

All month

Max 10> 8

Island Lake

19th – 25th (JE/BB)

Egyptian Goose

1 pr

Costessey Pits

1st

Max 20

Marriots Way, Lenwade

19th (JL)

Tufted Duck

3m, 7f

Lenwade

30th (JL)

Max 50

Island Lake

15th (JE/BB)

Marsh Harrier

1fem+1juv

Guist

5th (NM)

1

Guist

3rd (RG)

2

Lyng

15th (JE/BB)

Sparrowhawk

1

Taverham

18th (R&DH)

1

Ringland,, Mill St, Elsing

8th (NM), 22nd (A&CJ)

1

Lenwade Common

29th

1

Sparham Pools

15th (JE/BB)

Common Buzzard

1

Ringland

8th & 23rd (NM)

Osprey

1

Lenwade, drifted to NE

5th (JL/RG)

Kestrel

Singles

Sculthorpe Moor, Ringland, Lenwade

30th (LK), 8th (NM), 19th & 30th (NM),

2

Sparham Pools

19th (JE/BB)

Hobby

1

Gt Ryburgh

2nd – 3rd (JHop)

1

Lyng

14th (NM)

1 juv

Ringland

23rd (NM)

1

Sparham Pools

25th(JE/BB)

Peregrine

1

Taverham

15th (NS)

Common Crane

3

Weston Longville =>SE

19th (RBA)

3

Dunton => S (presumably same birds)

29th (RBA)

Lapwing

12

Lenwade

30th (JL)

Snipe

1

Sparham Pools (fly-over)

25th (JE/BB)

Common Sandpiper

1

Square Meadow Lake

19th (JE/BB)

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Max 74

Lyng

17th (AH)

2 – 40

Lenwade

All month (JL)

Greater Black-backed Gull

Max 10

Lenwade

25th Present all month

Black-headed Gull

20+

Lenwade

All month

Stock Dove

1

Lenwade

19th (JL)

Max 10

Sparham Pools

19th (JE/BB)

Collared Dove

Max 12

Lenwade

Barn Owl

Singles

Weston Longville, Sparham, Lenwade, Suare Meadow Lake

(D&JG, LK, JL, JE/BB)

Little Owl

1

Sparham Pools

26th (B&BP)

Tawny Owl

1 – 2

Lenwade

All month

Swift

7

Costessey

14th (JL)

1

Old Costessey

15th (AB)

Kingfisher

Singles

Sparham Pools, Lyng, Lenwade Common

All month

Green Woodpecker

Max 4

Lenwade Common & Heath, Sculthorpe Moor

All month

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Singles

Lenwade

All month

Swallow

Max 200+

Guist Common (roosting)

3rd (RG)

6

Lenwade

7th

House Martin

Max 225

Weston Longville – Lenwade

1st (AH/RG)

75

Gt Ryburgh

3rd (JHop)

50

Sparham Pools

25th (JE/BB)

Latest 15

Lenwade (Marriots Way)

26th (NS)

Sand Martin

5

Island Lake

23rd (JE/BB)

Pied Wagtail

30+

Lenwade

30th (JL)

Grey Wagtail

Singles

Lenwade (in garden & over Hotel)

20th (RG)

2

Square Meadow Lake

19th (JE/BB)

Chiffchaff

Singles

Lenwade, Lenwade Common, Sparham Pools

1st-2nd (JL), 29th (RG), 19th (JE/BB)

Spotted Flycatcher

2

Mill Street, Elsing

2nd (A&CJ)

Long-tailed Tit

Max 12

Lenwade

All month (JL)

3

Lenwade (coming to peanuts)

From 16th (RG)

Marsh Tit

1

Lenwade Common

29th (RG)

2

Sparham Pools

19th (JE/BB)

Willow Tit

1 – 2

Lenwade Common

29th (RG)

Nuthatch

1 – 2

Lenwade Common

29th (RG)

Jay

2

Lenwade

All month

1

Taverham

18th (R&DH)

Jackdaw

Max 100+

Lenwade

Rook

Max 1000+

Lenwade

Bullfinch

4

Sparham Pools

19th (JE/BB)

September Contributors

Jenny Evans & Bob Bradley, Andrew Brown, David & Jane Gurney, Ray Gribble, Allan Hale, Rosemary & Derek Harvey, John Hopkins, Alwyn & Carole Jackson, Les Kindleysides, Josh Leeder, Nigel Mears, William Oram, Barry & Bridget Pummell, Rare Bird Alert, Janet & Bill Shepherd, Nick Street, Billy Youngman

WVBS NEEDS YOUR RECORDS!

Send your records to:

Hard Copy E-mail or E-group Phone

Ray Gribble h.gribble@ntlworld.com 01603 872709

5 Morse Close WensumvalleyBS@yahoogroups.com

Lenwade

Norwich

NR9 5QQ