SK58 Bird News

For Sale (various old bird reports)

2010 SK58 Birders desktop Calendar

Tetrad Atlas Survey 2010

Photo Competition 2010

Photo Competition 2009 Results

Key: m= male, f= female, juv= juvenile, imm.= immature, N= north, S= South,E= East, W= West, c= circa (approx.), >= direction of flight. Sites below do not imply any right of access or public right of way- contact us for further details.

31st January 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch and 2 Tree Sparrow at Firbeck. Thornbury Hill produced 4 Buzzard, 6 Stock Dove, 6 Chaffinch, 7 Yellowhammer, c50 Woodpigeon, Nuthatch 2 Great Black- backed Gull >N and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker the highlight (Andy Hirst). Langold Lake produced c30 Coot, c100 Canada Geese, 2 Mute Swan, 6 Common Gull, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Greylag Geese, 47 Tufted Duck and a m Pochard. Hodsock held c50 Pied Wagtail, 4 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Cormorant, Woodcock and c4 Buzzard. Oldcotes revealed a pair of Peregrines harassing Woodpigeons, c200 Linnet, several Song Thrush, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 25 Stock Dove, 3 Buzzard and a Great Black- backed Gull. Letwell Sewage works held c20 Yellowhammer, 4 Robin, 10 Chaffinch, 6 Red- legged Partridge, 4 Blackbird and 2 Reed Bunting. Mid- afternoon at NAPT produced calling Water Rail and Willow Tit (Andy Hirst & Mick Clay). A walk around Brampton Common produced 2 Kestrel, 2 Buzzard, Woodcock, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Snipe, 200 Fieldfare & 80 Starling (John Gallagher). A 2 hour walk along the Chesterfield Canal from Kiveton to Turnerwood produced; 28 Blue Tit, 17 Great Tit, 26 Long- tailed Tit, 5 Coal Tit, 1 Marsh Tit, 3 Goldcrest, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 drumming), 2 Jay, 29 Mallard, 14 Moorhen & 2 Mute Swan (Brian Chambers).

30th January Thurcroft Pit Top was very quiet with just 2 Snipe and single Jack Snipe of note. Over Thornbury Hill were 4 Buzzard, Common Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker and 4 Stock Dove (Andy Hirst). Late pm produced a f Shoveler at a 90% frozen NAPT (Geoff Facer). At a site at dusk were single hunting Long- eared Owl and Woodcock (Andy Murray & Andy Hirst). A Little Owl at Carr this morning. At Carlton Lake were Kingfisher & Sparrowhawk. Lingodell held Little Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 240 Fieldfare & 20 Redwing (John Gallagher). Along Common Lane was the Little Owl perched by the usual tree stump. At nearby NAPT were Kingfisher, 23 Magpie, 3 Grey Partridge & Common Gull over. The Chesterfield Canal between Kiveton & the South Anston path produced 13 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, Redwing, 3 Bullfinch and Jay (Brian Chambers).

29th January Goosander m still present on the scrape at NAPT this afternoon c14:00, also probable Harris Hawk (Dave Thornley).

28th January Kingfisher at Tommy Flockton's Marsh today. Early morning at NAPT m Goosander still on scrape and Water Rail in Cramfit Dike (Mick Clay). At NAPT at 17:15 m Goosander curled up on edge of scrape, plus Barn Owl over (John Gallagher).

27th January NAPT at dusk revealed 31 Mallard & m Goosander on the pond adjacent to the hospice road (John Gallagher).

26th January At Thurcroft Pit Top today were Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe & 8 Mallard. Brampton Common held c300 Starling, c300 Fieldfare, 1 Kestrel, 10 Mallard & 6 Long- tailed Tit (Brian Chambers). Circa 100 Pink- footed Geese >W over South Anston at 09:40 (Geoff Facer). Dusk at Dinnington Marsh produced a Barn Owl (John Gallagher).

25th January Flushed from Thurcroft Pit Top today (14.45) was a Lapland Bunting. It rose up and flew in the direction of Maltby (John O'Malley). It's been 18 years since the last (& only) records of 2 birds at NAPT on 18/10/92. Langold Lake is now almost ice-free and today's records included; 2 Mute Swan, 10 Canada Geese, 45 Mallard, 1 m Pochard, 20 Tufted Duck, 14 Moorhen, 80 Coot, 130 Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 30 Goldfinch and 20 Siskin (Geoff Facer). The f Blackcap frequenting Grange Farm Court, present again this morning (Nigel Butler).

24th January At Langold Lake today were c100 Black- headed Gull, Common Gull, Treecreeper, 5 Robin, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 20 m Mallard, 22 f Mallard, 6 m Tufted Duck, 8 f Tufted Duck, c30 Coot, 12 Moorhen, feral Greylag Goose & 2 Mute Swan (Paul Rigg).

Mandarin m Paul Rigg 17th January Lunchtime at Roche Abbey revealed 25 Pied Wagtail, 4 Buzzard, m Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Tit, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Nuthatch, 26 Teal, 42 Mallard, Little Grebe, Grey Wagtail, Jay, Goldcrest & Tawny Owl calling (John Gallagher). A m Mandarin showing really well on the basin in front of the houses at Turnerwood. Also present were 2 Mute Swan, 3 m, 2 f Mallard & 3 Moorhen. On the stretch between Turnerwood and Shireoaks were 12 m Mallards & 10 f Mallard, 6 Moorhens & 2 Mute Swans near Marina at Shireoaks (Paul Rigg).

Mandarin, Turnerwood © Paul Rigg.

At Letwell Sewage Works today were 150 Yellowhammers, 5 Tree Sparrows and 6 Reed Bunting. At Harry Crofts were 4 Little Owls and 2 Green Woodpeckers (Mick Clay).

16th January In Harry Crofts Quarry were 9 Grey Partridge, 3 Skylark, and 6 Yellowhammer. At NAPT were 15 Black- headed Gulls, single Common Gull, Moorhen, 2 Snipe, single Jack Snipe, 20 Mallard, Kingfisher and Green Woodpecker (Andy Hirst).

15th January A walk on a misty morning across Tommy Flockton's Marsh, then along the Chesterfield Canal produced at Tommy Flockton's Marsh 10 Moorhen, 15 Jackdaw, 5 Woodpigeon, 2 Fieldfare and a pair of Pheasant. By the canal 1 f Tufted Duck, 1 Kingfisher (near Albert Dock), 10m and 8f Mallard, 3 Coot, 8 Moorhen, Bullfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 seen but 2 heard, 6 Pheasants 4m and 2 f in field between canal and railway line (Paul Rigg).

13th January A f Blackcap in a garden this morning at Grange Farm Court, Woodsetts (Nigel Butler).

12th January At Langold Lake, which was completely frozen apart from c150 square metres were 11 Moorhen, 66 Mallard, 75 Coot, 6 Tufted Duck, c100 Black- headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 3 Great Black-backed Gull >N, 19 Robin, 2 Nuthatch, 1 Brambling and 10 Chaffinch (Brian Chambers). 3 Jays at Lindrick Golf Course, plus 15-20 Long- tailed Tit, 15 Siskin and a Grey Wagtail by the canal. The Mandarin is reported to be back on the Chesterfield Canal, east of Turnerwood (Nigel Butler).

10th January Noon at Dinnington Marsh produced Jay, 26 Fieldfare, 4 Woodcock & 2 Tawny Owl (one asleep with wings fanned around to keep warm). Roche Abbey revealed 3 Buzzard, 22 Teal, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Goldcrest & Tawny Owl. Langold Lake held Brambling & Snipe. Feeding in a garden on Lakeland Drive were 35 Fieldfare & 4 Redwing (John Gallagher). A m Blackcap feeding on grapes in a Rackford Road garden (Farrell Kent). 20 House Sparrow in a Throapham garden (Andy Hirst).

Roche Abbey in Snow © Andy Hirst

9th January An early morning walk along the Chesterfield Canal; South Anston to Turner Wood produced 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Green Woodpecker, 2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 3 Marsh Tit, 3 Willow Tit, 3 Coal Tit, 26 Long- tailed Tit, 2 Treecreepers, 3 Tree Sparrows,13 Siskin, 29 Chaffinch, Grey Wagtail, 2 Mute Swan and a Little Grebe (Mick Clay). At NAPT were 14 Grey Partridge, Green Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Snipe, & Grey Wagtail (John Gallagher). 4 Bullfinch and a Grey Wagtail by Lindrick Golf Course and Chesterfield Canal (Nigel Butler). In a Throapham garden were 14 Blackbirds coming to food (Andy Hirst).Also a large raptor, which was definitelty not a Buzzard reported over S Anston today (Phil Broadhead).

Laughton Church 8th January A walk from Laughton to Stone and back produced 200 Woodpigeon along Eastfield Lane, plus 4 Buzzard, Mute Swan >NW, Willow Tit & 2 Bullfinch. Kings Wood produced c20 Hare, 4 Roe Deer, 40 Red- legged Partridge, at least 4 Nuthatch, 3 Marsh Tit, 15 Long- tailed Tits and a Sparrowhawk. Around Roche Abbey were a staggering 64 Teal, 4 Mallard, 2 Marsh Tit, 2 Siskin and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, plus 2 Buzzard. Over Stubbings Wood were c20 Chaffinch and Brambling feeding in game cover (Andy Hirst).

Laughton Church from Eastfield Lane © Andy Hirst

Tommy Flockton's Marsh held 2 Lapwing and single Snipe. The Chesterfield Canal between Norwood Tunnel and Stiff's produced 4 Moorhen, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 9 Mallard, Kestrel, 6 Siskin and a Coal Tit (Brian Chambers). Of note was a Raven flying out of SK58 over the Sandbeck Estate at Blythgate Lane (Stuart Davenport- Lound Bird Club).

7th January A walk around a snowbound Lindrick Golf Course produced amongst other records 9 Blackbird; 1 Coal Tit, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Jay, 2 Mistle Thrush & 27 Fieldfare (Brian Chambers).

1st January m Blackcap in a North Anston Garden today (Chris Lilley). Kingfisher at NAPT. At Thurcroft Pit Top 2 m and 1 f Stonechat and at Brampton Common, 2 Buzzard (Mick Clay). A f Goshawk was observed in the square today (J O'Malley).

30th December 1-2 Brambling at Letwell Sewage Works, with c70 Yellowhammer, 4-5 Reed Bunting, c20 Chaffinch. At Roche Abbey were 19 Teal, 20 Mallard and 2 Moorhen, plus Kingfisher (John Gallagher, Mick Clay, Andy Hirst, Geoff Facer & Andy Murray).

29th December Early morning over Axle Lane were 89 Pink- footed Geese >W (Mick Clay).

27th December Late afternoon at Axle Lane were 300 Golden Plover, 350 Starling and 36 Fieldfare (Mick Clay).

26th December At Axle Lane today were 200 Skylark, 41 Fieldfare and 9 Redwing >SW. Late afternoon at NAPT was a Woodcock and a very pale Common Buzzard at Dinnington Marsh (Mick Clay).

25th December 2 Woodcock in Hawks Wood this morning (Mick Clay).

24th December At Letwell Sewage Works today was a120 strong flock of mainly Yellowhammer with Reed Bunting, A few Chaffinch, Greenfinch & 2 f Brambling (John Gallagher).

23rd December c250 Fieldfare at Dewidales, 2 Little Grebe on Lindrick Dale pond and at Harry Crofts were 14 Grey Partridge, 7 Red- legged Partridge and 3 Fieldfare (Geoff Facer). At Thurcroft Marsh today were Woodcock, Water Rail, Green Woodpecker, Snipe & Buzzard (John Gallagher).

22nd December 10:00 at Axle Lane produced f Merlin unsuccessfully hunting Skylarks (John Gallagher).

20th December At Axle Lane this morning were c200 Golden Plover (Mick Clay), as well as c350 Skylark, towards the A57, plus 150 Starling. At Langold Lake, which was 90% frozen were single Grey Wagtail, 39 Mallard, 38 Tufted Duck, 5 Moorhen, 2 Mute Swan, 13 Gadwall, 75 Coot, 5 Great Crested Grebe and single Teal. Kings Wood Corner was quiet with just 20 Skylark, 4 Buzzard, 20 Black- headed Gull, single Common Gull, 200 Woodpigeon and 3 Herring Gull >S.

Brown Bailey's was equally frozen & quiet with 2 Marsh Tit, 13 Coot & single Mallard. Carlton Lake held 3 Moorhen, 15 Black- headed Gull and a pair of Gadwall. The large finch flock was still present at Oldcotes with c500 birds present, The majority were Linnet c300, with 150 Goldfinch- the rest Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Yellowhammer- but the snow storm hit reducing visibility to a few feet. At Carlton in Lindrick 30 Lapwing over, and on Eastfield Lane c700 corvids, mostly Rook (Andy Hirst).