Wyver Lane Nature Reserve (DWT) (1 Viewer)

[DaveN]

The Oycs still have 3 young and they are now in the fields behind the hide. They still can't fly so they must of walked there. Roughly working it out I reckon they are between 17-19 days old. The other pair of Oycs were sunning them selves on one of the brick buildings at the south end of the reserve.

5 Buzzards were up over the woods, as was 2 Sparrowhawks. 3 Gadwall, 2 Shelduck and the drake Wigeon on the main pool.

 

[DaveN]

Currently 2 Common Terns down Wyver which is the 98th species of the year. Will post some photos when I get back.

 

[DaveN]

The Common Terns were still present when I left at about 13.30. During my stay there was almost a constant battle between the Terns and a pair of BH Gulls over space on the raft. When I arrived there was a BH Gull taking twigs onto the raft. And when the Gull disappeared both Terns landed on the raft, one with a fish.

The Gulls didn't like the Terns being there and saw them off. But over time the BH Gulls became more tolerant and both the Gulls and Terns were on the raft. The Gulls coming backwards and forwards with twigs and both Terns were busy making some sort of hollow in the shingle.

The Oycs still have 3 young and they should be ok now. They are about the size of a Lapwing. 2 drake Shoveler was a surprise given the time of year. The drake Wigeon and 3 Gadwall still.

At 13.04 there was a Hobby over the main pool. At 13.13 when I was walking towards the gate there was 2 together. Both appeared to leave North East and then 2 Sparrowhawks soared over the main pool upsetting the 5 Lapwings sunning themselves on the bank.

The last photo shows how light and angle can sometimes be deceiving. The bill on the Common Tern is just how you would expect one to look. Long and red with a black tip. But in the photo it looks all dark.

Incidentally, the last Common Tern was Aug 14th last year.

 

[LeeJohnson]

Hi

Coming for a holiday near Belper next week, I know the area fairly well as lived in Belper until early 90's. However would you please give me directions to the reserve, from the Tolbat would be fine! Info re access to hide / viewing spots etc would be great!

Thanks Lee

 

[Daniel Martin]

Hi

Coming for a holiday near Belper next week, I know the area fairly well as lived in Belper until early 90's. However would you please give me directions to the reserve, from the Tolbat would be fine! Info re access to hide / viewing spots etc would be great!

Thanks Lee

And you have left Gods Country!!?? why

As you approach The Talbot over the bridge from Belper, bear right and turn immediately right in to Wyver Lane. If you have time just park safely around there and then walk the mile or so down to the pools and explore. If time is against you it's possible to drive the single track down to the hide but be aware that there is more traffic now that the cottage is lived in and passing places are few.

As for the hide you need DWT membership for that (available via East Mill) but I wouldn't worry about it unless the weathers bad as you miss a good deal of what's going in if just sitting in there. Dave puts the notes on the outside to give you an idea of what's been around but if you check this thread you will know what's going on anyway.

If you bump into someone who sounds like Jasper Carrot, then that's Dave and he will give you the guided tour.

Please report your sightings though?

 

[LeeJohnson]

Thank you

 

[DaveN]

If you bump into someone who sounds like Jasper Carrot, then that's Dave and he will give you the guided tour.

Yes, but I'm funnier

 

[Daniel Martin]

Yes, but I'm funnier

Indeed you are mate! :t:

 

[DaveN]

Wyver Lane Bird Notes
May 2012

Highlights include: Red Kite, Hobby, Reed Warbler, Common Terns,
and Oystercatchers breed for the first time.

Maximum counts this month include 2 Little Grebes on 2nd and 9th,
6 Cormorants on 19th, 4 Grey Heron on 12th and 31st, 2 Mute Swans
throughout the month, 42 Greylag Geese on 23rd, with the first young
noted on 6th, 64 Canada Geese on 31st, and 22 young counted on 11th,
3 Shelduck on 9th, 4 Mandarin on 15th, 2 Wigeon on 9th, 4 Gadwall on
6th, 6 Teal on 2nd and 3rd, 49 Mallard on 11th including 35 young, 2
drake Shoveler on 28th, 10 Tufted Duck on 2nd, 3 Goosander on 2nd,
12 adult Coots on 11th and 4 broods of 1/1/2 & 4 by 19th, the first
Moorhen young was a pair with 4 on 31st.

Raptors include a Red Kite on 9th and 13th, 8 Buzzards on 13th,
2 Sparrowhawks on 25th, the first Hobby of the year was on the 11th,
with further sightings on 18th, 30th and 31st. 2 Were seen over the main
pool on 28th.

At last, we have some young Oystercatchers at Wyver! After years of many
failed attempts the pair of Oystercatchers nested on the island and produced
3 young on the 9th. By the end of the month all 3 were still present and
growing fast. Also, throughout the latter part of the month there was a 2nd
pair of adults making a total of 7 Oystercatchers which is a site record, beating
the 5 on site on April 10th last year. A Common Sandpiper was around on
18th and 19th and 8 Lapwings on 24th.

10 Black-headed Gulls on 31st. 2 Common Terns from 28th. Both the Terns
and a pair of Black-headed Gulls were fighting over space on the new Tern
raft with the Gulls coming out on top and by the end of the month had a nest
on the raft. 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls over on 25th.

6 Stock Doves on 2nd, 85 Swift on 13th, a Skylark over on 9th was unusual
given the time of year, 30 Sand Martins on 13th, 100 Swallow on 11th and
13th, 100 House Martin on 13th, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers on 11th, 4
Pheasants on 11th, 3 Pied Wagtails on 12th, Grey Wagtail on 19th, 6 Wrens
on 11th, 3 Dunnock on 11th, 6 Robin on 11th, Redstart on 9th, 11th, 12th,
14th and 31st, 2 Mistle Thrush on 31st, 7 Sedge Warblers on 14th, a Reed
Warbler on14th, a Lesser Whitethroat from 14th, 7 Whitethroats on 14th, a
Garden Warbler on 15th and 30th, 4 Blackcaps on 11th and 14th, 5 Chiff
Chaffs on 11th, a Willow Warbler on 24th, 8 Long-tailed Tits on 23rd, 2 Jays
on 11th and 19th, 2 Raven on 12th and 24th, 5 Chaffinches on 11th, 2
Bullfinch on 14th and 8 Reed Buntings on 23rd.

 

[DaveN]

Hi

Coming for a holiday near Belper next week, I know the area fairly well as lived in Belper until early 90's. However would you please give me directions to the reserve, from the Tolbat would be fine! Info re access to hide / viewing spots etc would be great!

Thanks Lee

Lee, let me know if possible the day you will be down Wyver and I will try and arrange it so you can access the hide. As Dan has already mentioned you can see most of the reserve without using the hide but the forecast doesn't look that good for this week so you might be thankful of getting into the hide.

 

[DaveN]

A Collared Dove was down Wyver today making it the 99th species this year. I know it's a very common bird but they're rare at Wyver.
Encouragingly I again had 2 Hobbies over the woods behind the viewing mound. That's twice in the past week I have had 2 together as well as several sightings of single birds.

The Oystercatchers with 3 young are still present. The main pool was fairly quiet and apart from Mallards, Coots and Moorhens there was just 2 Gadwall and 2 Tufted Ducks.

Intriguingly there is a record of 2 Little Terns in the log book for yesterday afternoon. A very rare bird in the county and one not recorded down Wyver before. They were reported on the posts where for the past week the 2 Common Terns have been spending most of their time. In fact, after speaking to somebody else today the 2 Common Terns were there yesterday afternoon but no sign of any Little Terns.

 

[upstarts1979]

Intriguingly there is a record of 2 Little Terns in the log book for yesterday afternoon. A very rare bird in the county and one not recorded down Wyver before. They were reported on the posts where for the past week the 2 Common Terns have been spending most of their time. In fact, after speaking to somebody else today the 2 Common Terns were there yesterday afternoon but no sign of any Little Terns.

Hi Dave
In the windy, wet conditions at Upton warren recently I noticed a common tern really struggling in the conditions. In flight its wings were held well back appearing thinner than in reality, combined this with rapid wing beats, distant views in poor conditions gave the impression of a Little tern, - a pitfall for any in-experienced and experienced birder alike. just a thought ironically we had a little tern a few days ago.
B john

 

[DaveN]

Hi Dave
In the windy, wet conditions at Upton warren recently I noticed a common tern really struggling in the conditions. In flight its wings were held well back appearing thinner than in reality, combined this with rapid wing beats, distant views in poor conditions gave the impression of a Little tern, - a pitfall for any in-experienced and experienced birder alike. just a thought ironically we had a little tern a few days ago.
B john

Hi John

Thanks for that.
I've had dealings with this couple before and it would be a stretch to even call them birders. They've got a little pair of bins and that's it. They did put in the log book 'yellow bill with black tip' but I'm still quite sceptical. Amazing what can be seen when the imagination starts working in overdrive.

We've had a pair of Common Terns down there for over a week which have been using the posts where the Little Terns supposedly were. And in fact, I know the Common Terns were there when this couple were there but no mention of them, just Little Terns.

All the best.

 

[DaveN]

Exactly one month after the Oystercatchers became a new breeding bird for Wyver, Gadwall have now became the latest new breeding bird. I had suspected for some time that the female was sitting on the top marsh somewhere but the area is that dense with no general access (apart from me ) that it was impossible to know for sure.

On May 6th the female was on the main pool with her mate. And then she vanished, raising my suspicions that she was sitting somewhere. Her mate was always present though and would often be seen flying on to the top marsh area. Then today on the far bank opposite the hide a female appeared with 9 small young. I must admit at first I thought it was a Mallard with a fresh brood. I even said to another birder 'female Mallard with 9 fresh young'. I then scoped them and realised it was a Gadwall with young. Needless to say I was dead chuffed.

Also notable is the Hobbies down Wyver. I posted on Tuesday about 2 being seen together more than once. Well I've been going down everyday and everyday I've been seeing them.

I've seen them displaying and calling quite a lot and today I saw one of the adults with prey. These are clearly birds that are hanging about for a reason.

The young Oystercatchers are now flying about. There was a Reed Warbler singing to the right of the hide yesterday. And then one singing to the left of the hide unless the other bird flew. At least one Reed Warbler still singing today.

Not a lot else to report apart from a lot of water. The river is very high which in turn means Wyver will be high. In fact, whilst I was there today the main pool rose from 6.5 to 7.2 in 5 hours.

 

[Clive A]

Great stuff mate, you were right all along.

 

[LeeJohnson]

Hi

Spent the week in Belper area with no web access so didn't get message re hide but thanks for the offer! I managed a visit last monday morning 9-ish nothing to report more than you already know. Did enjoy the reserve and the walk down, many years since I last walked down Wyver Lane. Will visit again next time we are around.

Thanks
Lee

 

[DaveN]

Chris sent me a text yesterday telling me there was a Barnacle Goose down Wyver. This is the 100th species of the year. On Monday I had 2 Reed Warblers in song. One behind the island and one on the top marsh.

 

[DaveN]

We had the 101st species of the year on Friday when 11 Crossbills flew over the viewing mound. This is the first record since July 27th last year.

 

[DaveN]

Another good breeding record down Wyver today. With Oystercatchers and Gadwall already being firsts for the site, today there was a female Tufted Duck with 5 very small young. Although Tufteds have bred down Wyver before the last breeding record I can find is back in July 1998. The Oycs and Gadwall were half expected but the Tuftie young was a surprise as we had no idea there was a female sitting.

The female Gadwall now has 6 young. There were 2 Little Grebe on the main pool, together with a drake Teal, 2 Mute Swans and a few more Tufties.

The BH Gulls are still sitting tight on the raft. If they do produce young that will be another new breeding record. A pair of Common Terns made a brief appearance before lunch. At least 1 Reed Warbler still singing. 4 Oystercatchers and a male Redstart were the other things of note.

 

[DaveN]

A Willow Tit was near the hide this morning making it the 102nd species of the year. The female Gadwall has lost another chick and now has 5. The female Tufted Duck has also lost one and now has 4. Nothing else of note today except a family party of 5+ Chiff Chaffs by the hide.

All week there has been at least 2 Reed Warblers in song. Also a Garden Warbler on Tuesday, and 11+ Reed Buntings.

Wednesday was a good Raptor day! At least 5 Buzzards, 2 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawks and a Peregrine.