MONTHLY REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2008

JANUARY 2008


Coromants roosting on Whiteside Island

Species recorded 80
Days covered by Wardens 18
plus other days for which records received 7
Total days for which records received 25
Days for which no records received 6
Total days in month 31
Warden days 19

ANNUAL COMPARISON

Year Days covered Warden Days Species recorded
1994 18 24 74
1995 23 32 78
1996 26 39   97
1997 21 29  89 
1998 18 21  74
1999 18 19  68 
2000 16 18  75 
2001 17 18  70 
2002 18 20  86 
2003 16 17  72 
2004 12  12  74 
2005 17  22  75 
2006 18  25  79
2007 26  32  76
2008 18  19  80 

WATER LEVEL

The Reservoir was filled to top level(213' 4") by mid-month


HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH

Pink-footed Geese 6 seen on the 22nd.
White-fronted Geese Seen on 9 dates in the month with 27 reprted on 5 dates
Mandarin Up to 29 seen throughout the month.
Wigeon Seen all month with a peak number of 102 on the 5th.
Pintail A male seen on the 20th
Goosander Seen all month with a peak number of 11 on the 4th
Ruddy Duck A female seen on the 26th.
Snipe Up to 11 seen all month usually in the reeds on the edge of the North Lake
Green Sandpiper 1 over-wintering near the Dam at the southern end of the Reservoir.
Mediterean Gull An adult seen on the 26th.
Fieldfare Seen from time to time with a peak number of 400 on the 21st.
Blackcap A female seen near the Causeway on the 6th.
Chiffchaff A single bird seen from time to time during the month.
Brambling Seen all month, mostly near the feeding station in the Orchard. There was a peak number of 100 on the 3rd.
Greenfinch As usual seen all month but the count of 50 birds seen on the 10th was the highest reported number since the 60 birds in December 2001.
Siskin One seen on the 6th.
Redpoll 3 seen on the 6th and 1 on the 10th.



Red-necked Grebe photograph by Rob Skinner

FEBRUARY 2008

Species recorded 80
   
Cumulative species 90
   
Days covered by Wardens 21
   plus other days for which records received   3
Total days for which records received 24
   
Days for whuch no records received   5
Total days in month 29


ANNUAL COMPARISON

Year Days covered Warden/days Species recorded Cumulative
1994 23 24 74   79
1995 25 33 80   83
1996 24 32 88 103
1997 20 26 85   96
1998 16 19 74   79
1999 22 26 70   78
2000 18 20 72   81
2001 17 17 70   77
2002 22 26 80   95
2003 13 13 68   78
2004 17 17 69   80
2005 18 23 70   79
2006 14 15 74   84
2007 26 31 75   84
2008 21 26 80   90

 

WATER LEVEL

The Water level remained at or about top level all month

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH

Red-necked Grebe One seen on the 18th and 23rd.
Great White Egret One seen flying NW at 11.20 on the 26th.
White-fronted Geese Nine seen on the 4th and one on the 17th.
Brent Geese Eight seen on the 13th.
Pintail A malke seen on the 11th.
Common Scoter One seen on the 15th, 16th and the 21st.
Goldeneye Seven seen on the 14th.
Woodcock One seen on the 21st.
Mediterranean Gull Two seen on the 2nd, one on the 17th, 19th and 24th. All were adult birds.
Black-headed Gull 5,000 seen going to roost on the 25th.
Common Gull. 700 going to roost on the 4th.
Caspian Gull A first for Bough Beech.  a second winter bird seen flying in to roost with the Black-headed Gulls on the 25th.
Great Black-backed Gull One seen on the 14th.
Little Owl A once common bird at Bough Beech but now seen rarely.  One seen on the 25th and the 28th.
Fieldfare Numbers peaked at 100 on the 17th.
Jacxkdaw 800 seen going to roost on the 21st.
Rook 125 seen going to roost near North Lake on the 4th.
Brambling Numbers peaked at 50 on the 14th.
 

MARCH 2008.

 

Species recorded   88
   
Cumulative species 102
   
Days covered by Wardens   23
   plus other days for which records received     6
Total days for which records received   29
   days for which no records received     2
Total days in month   31 
   
Warden/days   25

ANNUAL COMPARISON
Year Days covered Warden/days Species recorded Cumulative species
1994 25 37 92   99
1995 27 33 93   99
1996 24 33 98 115
1997 27 49 87 107
1998 19 32 86   96
1999 16 17 73   85
2000 20 21 79   91
2001 18 19 76   89
2002 23 27 87 103
2003 21 21 85   94
2004 18 20 82   94
2005 22 28 87   95
2006 18 21 84 101
2007 24 29 83   94
2008 23 25 88 102
 

NEW BIRDS FOR THE MONTH

Black-necked Grebe Egyptian Goose Garganey
Red-crested Pochard Red-legged Partridge Curlew
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Skylark Sand Martin
Swallow Willow Warbler Raven

 

WATER LEVEL

 

The water level remained at or about top level all month.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH

Black-necked Grebe 2 seen on the 16th
Little Egret 1 seen on the 15th
Egyptian Goose 1 seen on the 15th
Mandarin Peak number of 10 on the 3rd.
Garganey A pair seen near the Oast on the23rd.
Red-crested Pochard A pair seen near the Oast on the 17th.
Goldeneye 1 seen on the 30th.
Goosander Up to 7 seen all month.
Ruddy Duck 3 seen on the15th and 1 on the 19th.
Buzzard Seen all month with a peak number of 10 on the 30th.
Peregrine 1 or 2 seen on 8 days during the month.
Red-legged Partridge 1 seen on the 11th.
Woodcock 2 on the 2nd and again on the 16th.
Curlew 2 seen on the 30th.
Mediterrean Gull 1 seen on the 12thg and 2 on the 6th and 26th.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 1 seen on the 2nd, 4thand the 30th.
Skylark 2 seen on the 26th and 1 on the 30th,
Sand Martin Seen from the 16th onwards with a peak number of 12 on the 26th.
Swallow 1 on the 27th and 29th with 5 on the 30th.
Chiffchaff Present all month with a peak number of 8 on the 26th.
Willow Warbler 3 seen on the 7th and 5 on the 18th.
Raven One flying over the Reservoir on thje 26th.
Brambling Present all month with a peak number of 65 on the 16th.