Every week 2 members from the WVBS take a walk around Pensthorpe Natural Park and record every species that they have seen / heard and how many they have seen. This is submitted into our recorder, David Gibbons, and he collates all the data and sends it on to the County Recorder.
Below are the results from the recent monitoring visits, including a short summary from members.
Below are the results from the recent monitoring visits, including a short summary from members.
Monday 23rd August
Wow 2 days on the trot! Our recorders are busy this week!
Overcast but no rain. It was all very quiet with very little bird song or calling. We
found our one wader, a Green Sandpiper, at the New Scrape Hide. The walk to the
Woodland Hide was very quiet and the hide itself yielded 5 Grey Squirrels 4 Tit
species and a juvenile Moorhen! High water levels at the Old Scrape meant no
further waders. No butterflies at all. Oh well!
Still, lots of geese, and no doubt, advisable to keep to the paths for firm footing!
Gadwall & Tufted Duck with counts of 33 & 51.
Coot 42 & 9 Moorhen.
7 Great Crested Grebe with juveniles, always a nice sight.
Numbers up today with the Swallows, 19 recorded.
8 Long-tailed Tit, Blue, Great & Coal also present.
Not so many raptors today with a single Red Kite & 2 Buzzard.
The only warbler was a solitary Chiffchaff and lastly, as previously mentioned, a
single Green Sandpiper.
35 species recorded in total.
In addition to the afore-mentioned Squirrels, 1 Rabbit & 2 Muntjac were seen.
Again many thanks to Kathy & Cath.
Saturday 4th September
It was a very thoroughly enjoyable & pleasant morning, overcast but the sun tried to
break through a few times.
We had a total of 49 species, highlights included a Male and Female Marsh Harrier
quartering on the meadow beyond the big Scrape, as well as a Kingfisher showing
well from the Lake Hide.
Geese, still in good numbers with 334 Greylag, 53 Egyptian along with small counts
of Barnacle & Canada.
Ducks likewise, with counts of 83 Mallard, with young, 39 Gadwall, 11 Teal & 6
Wigeon.
Also, high counts of Coot & Moorhen with juveniles.
Great Crested Grebe numbered 6 with young. 2 Grey Heron & 2 Common Snipe.
Woodpeckers, only 2 of the Green variety this trip.
Must not forget the Kingfisher showing well.
Raptors, a good day with 10 Buzzard, 2 Red Kite, 1 Sparrowhawk and as mentioned
above, the 2 Marsh Harrier.
Warblers consisted of 2 Chiffchaff & a single Whitethroat.
Still around, 28 Swallow, 5 Sand Martin, 5 House Martin & a single Swift.
Mammals:
4 Grey Squirrel & 1 Muntjac deer.
Butterflies & Dragonflies/Damselflies.
1 Red Admiral, 1 small Tortoiseshell & 1 Peacock.
1 Migrant Hawker and finally 1 Banded Demoiselle.
Many thanks to Emily & Paul.
Wow 2 days on the trot! Our recorders are busy this week!
Overcast but no rain. It was all very quiet with very little bird song or calling. We
found our one wader, a Green Sandpiper, at the New Scrape Hide. The walk to the
Woodland Hide was very quiet and the hide itself yielded 5 Grey Squirrels 4 Tit
species and a juvenile Moorhen! High water levels at the Old Scrape meant no
further waders. No butterflies at all. Oh well!
Still, lots of geese, and no doubt, advisable to keep to the paths for firm footing!
Gadwall & Tufted Duck with counts of 33 & 51.
Coot 42 & 9 Moorhen.
7 Great Crested Grebe with juveniles, always a nice sight.
Numbers up today with the Swallows, 19 recorded.
8 Long-tailed Tit, Blue, Great & Coal also present.
Not so many raptors today with a single Red Kite & 2 Buzzard.
The only warbler was a solitary Chiffchaff and lastly, as previously mentioned, a
single Green Sandpiper.
35 species recorded in total.
In addition to the afore-mentioned Squirrels, 1 Rabbit & 2 Muntjac were seen.
Again many thanks to Kathy & Cath.
Saturday 4th September
It was a very thoroughly enjoyable & pleasant morning, overcast but the sun tried to
break through a few times.
We had a total of 49 species, highlights included a Male and Female Marsh Harrier
quartering on the meadow beyond the big Scrape, as well as a Kingfisher showing
well from the Lake Hide.
Geese, still in good numbers with 334 Greylag, 53 Egyptian along with small counts
of Barnacle & Canada.
Ducks likewise, with counts of 83 Mallard, with young, 39 Gadwall, 11 Teal & 6
Wigeon.
Also, high counts of Coot & Moorhen with juveniles.
Great Crested Grebe numbered 6 with young. 2 Grey Heron & 2 Common Snipe.
Woodpeckers, only 2 of the Green variety this trip.
Must not forget the Kingfisher showing well.
Raptors, a good day with 10 Buzzard, 2 Red Kite, 1 Sparrowhawk and as mentioned
above, the 2 Marsh Harrier.
Warblers consisted of 2 Chiffchaff & a single Whitethroat.
Still around, 28 Swallow, 5 Sand Martin, 5 House Martin & a single Swift.
Mammals:
4 Grey Squirrel & 1 Muntjac deer.
Butterflies & Dragonflies/Damselflies.
1 Red Admiral, 1 small Tortoiseshell & 1 Peacock.
1 Migrant Hawker and finally 1 Banded Demoiselle.
Many thanks to Emily & Paul.
