Wyver Lane Nature Reserve (DWT) (6 Viewers)

[DaveN]

Wyver update. The family of Shelduck have now left site much to the relief of all the other ducks. They can now get on with their lives without being chased and attacked by the male. A Green Sand on Sunday was the first of the year.
Last night wasn't great but Grey Geron, 31 Greylags, 49 Mallard, 4 Teal, female Gadwall with 5 large young, 5 Moorhen, Sparrowhawk, 7 BHG, 1 Lesser, 2 Swift, 3 Chiffchaffs, Sedge singing, juv Whitethroat by the hide, 4 Pied Wags, c40 House Martins, 2 Stock Doves, 9 Starlings, GS Woodpecker and a site rare Collared Dove!

 

[DaveN]

A few hours on Friday and the best was 3 Kestrel from the mound. 2 Teal on the pool along with the female Gadwall with 5 well grown young, and 66 Mallard. 6 Pied Wags (4 ads) and 6 Chiffchaff along the lane. This morning the first Snipe of the autumn recorded with 7 Teal and a Common Sandpiper.

 

[DaveN]

Snipe still present last night along with 2 Common Sands. Teal up to 8, the female Gadwall with 5 large young. Grey Heron, 59 Canadas, 48 Mallard, Buzzard, male Sparrowhawk with prey, 8 BHG, 5 LBBG over, c40 House Martins, both Chiffchaff and Whitethroat heard, 7 Pied Wags, Grey Wag, GS Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker and a Goldcrest.

 

[DaveN]

Still 2 Common Sands last night but not much else.

 

[DaveN]

6 Common Sands last night is the best count since 10 was recorded on 21/07/1987. And a juv Yellow Wag was a nice surprise just before I left.

 

[DaveN]

Another quick visit last night. No waders at all which isn't surprising considering the recent rain that has pushed the water levels up. Just a Heron, a juv Little Grebe and 2 redhead Goosander of note.

For anybody thinking of visiting, last thursday the lock on the hide jammed so the hide couldn't be accessed. The lock was replaced on monday but the DWT have made the mistake by putting the gate number on the lock and not the hide number. It will be rectified ASAP but if not the gate number will be on your DWT membership card.

 

[DaveN]

2 Common Sands last night just about clinging on to what little mud there is left. A single lone and very grumpy looking Lapwing on the island. The family of 6 Gadwall are still present, the young are nearly adult size now. Don't know who claimed the 15 on DOS on the 1st. I've been down quite a lot lately and the maximum count for weeks is the family of 6 mentioned above.

2 redhead Goosander came into roost, 2 Kestrel, a male Sparrowhawk, a small trickle of Swallows and House Martins south along with 3 Swifts. 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Pied Wags, GS Woodpecker, Green Wood and c40 Goldfinch.

 

[DaveN]

No real change last night. 2 Common Sands still present, as was a Heron, 1 Teal, 7 Gadwall....the family of 6 and another fresh in, 2 redhead Goosander, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, 13 BH Gull, 4 Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, 2 Treecreepers, 32 House Martins through, 2 Raven, 2 Stock Doves, c15 Goldfinch and the 3rd record in 3 months of the site rara Collared Dove.

 

[DaveN]

First visit to Wyver last night for a couple of weeks. Teal up to 20, 3 Gadwall and 23 Mallard being the only wildfowl. A female Sprawk scattering c200 House Martins, 20+ Swallows and a couple of Sand Martins. A little later an adult Hobby did the same. A couple of Chiffchaffs and a single Willow Warbler. The latter only seen on passage these days. Not much else really apart from c70 Goldfinch, GS Woodpecker, Green Wood and a Nuthatch.

 

[DaveN]

Teal up to 22, a single Shoveler is new in. 3 Buzzards, Kestrel, a male Sparrowhawk chasing Goldfinches (50), and 3 Chiffchaffs....otherwise fairly quiet.

 

[DaveN]

A Barn Owl was reported in front of the hide on friday evening so last night I stuck it out and was rewarded with good views from c20.30. It first appeared behind the island then made several circuits affording even better views right in front of the hide. Teal are now up to 28. 120 Mallard into roost. 2 Herons, Buzzard, Kestrel, 17 BH Gull, a single Swift, 4 Chiffchaff, Stock Dove and 40 Goldfinch.

 

[DaveN]

I had the Barn Owl again last night. It appeared from the same location as the previous night behind the island. It looked like it caught a prey item to the left of the hide. It disappeared with its prey then returned and was still flying around at 20.55. Teal now at 34. A single Shoveler and 88 Mallard. Adult Hobby from the mound. Numerous Swallows and House Martins and a Tawny heard as I was leaving.

 

[DaveN]

Depsite being down Wyver until 21.00 last night I failed to see the Barn Owl, although Dan had it from the viewing mound. Dan also had a Little Owl and a Hobby from there. That will teach me for being in the hide counting Mallard....of which over 90 came in to roost. I did hear Tawny though so 3 species of Owl isn't bad. 29 Teal and a Shoveler being the only other things of note on the pool.

3 redhead Goosanders flew north at 19.50. c60 House Martins and c20 Swallows feeding around the reserve. A walk down the lane revealed c70 Goldfinch and 4 Chiffchaffs.

 

[DaveN]

Chris and myself had 2 Barn Owls at Wyver tonight from the viewing mound. The first was seen at 20.29 then shortly after the second one appeared. They were both way down at the north end and not easy to see, although one did fly right over our heads briefly. It's only the 3rd occasion that more than one has been seen at the same time.

On the pool was 32 Teal and the Shoveler. 3 Herons around the reserve plus 60+ House Martins, 4 Chiffchaff and 3 Kestrels.

 

[DaveN]

First visit last night for a few days. The water is down quite a bit now. All we need is some waders. Didn't see any Barn Owls but I didn't do the mound at dusk, only the hide. The best I managed was 4 Herons, 61 Greylags, 39 Teal, 3 Mandarin, 115 Mallard, 2 Kestrel, 2 Buzzards, Hobby, Tawny heard, a steady trickle of Swallows moving either south or west totalled 53, 3 Chiffchaff and 2 Jays.

 

[DaveN]

Angry rant time

Many of you will know that a year or two ago there were rumours that the DWT (Derbyshire Wildlife Trust) were considering removing the lock from the hide at Wyver and making it open access. This was natuarally met with disapproval and not one person I spoke to were in favour of such a ridiculous idea.

Roll forward to September 2017 and we had a meeting down Wyver on Tuesday with the new Living Landscape Officer. He went on to inform us that this ridiculous idea is going ahead, and very soon. The lock is to be removed on 19/09/2017! This despite all of our objections. When the original unlocked hide was standing it was often used as a drug den and I often found needles, beer cans, nappies and just general crap in the hide. Then the inevitable happened, it got burned to the ground. So why in their infinite wisdom the DWT thinks it will be a good idea to open up the hide I do not know.

Other proposals are in the pipeline including allowing access on to the reserve itself. A mown path has been suggested that would run from the southern end of the reserve along the river and probably up the access steps near the brick buildings. Yet again another stupid idea. Access on to the reserve will only put pressure on certain species that are already under pressure.

Part of the DWT's reasoning to the these plans is that they want to make their reserves more accessible to the general public. Yet with Wyver you can see all of the reserve from the lane without going int to the hide or on to the reserve itself. They want to increase the current 14,000 members to 20,000 members but I would suggest that they have scored a huge own goal here and may even lose members. In fact, I know of a couple who have already cancelled their membership as a result.

As you can imagine, I've had a lot of feedback since these ideas were made public. And not one person has said to me that they think it's a good idea. I've even had a woman ring me up expressing her disgust. For years now she has taken her children for a walk down the lane and made use of the hide. However, she said to me that she will find somewhere else to go in the future as she also remembers how the hide used to be in the pre lock days, and would not feel comfortable going in to the hide not knowing who or what she may find.

I've been going to Wyver on a regular basis since 2001 and took on the role of volunteer warden a few years ago now. Wyver is a huge part of my life and I hoped it would be for years to come. But I really don't know what the future holds for me or for Wyver itself. I feel very angry and upset about what they're doing but there probably isn't a lot I or anybody can do.

However, I won't let it happen without a fight. So if like me you are disgusted with the DWT then please get in touch with them to show your disapproval. You can ring them on 01773 881188 or email [email protected].

Thanks, Dave

 

[DaveN]

Anyway, rant over, here's an update on the birds. 5/09: 2 Barn Owls, one at 20.10 and the second out at 20.24, 4 Herons, 116 Mallard, 70 Teal, Shoveler, c50 House Martins and a pre roost gathering of 23 Magpies.

07/09: 3 Herons, 72 Teal, Shoveler, 121 Mallard, Hobby and Tawny Owl. Of interest, well to me anyway was a tit flock working up the lane. I was on the mound when they started going through. The usual Long-tailed Tits were there (12) and a couple of Chiffies but I counted 13 Blue Tits. I don't think I've ever seen a tit flock with that many Blue Tits before that outnumbered LTT's.

 

[DaveN]

08/09: 3 Grey Herons around the main pool + a Mute Swan, 74 Teal and 118 Mallard. At last a couple of waders in the shape of a Snipe and a Common Sand. A Peregrine flew low overhead. 47 BH Gulls, 60+ House Martins moving through with smaller numbers of Swallows. A grilling of the whole site revealed 8 Chiffchaffs and 2 juv Whitethroats in the northern boundary hedge. 19 Rooks over, 2 Jays, 17 Magpies and 4 Stock Doves.

Last night the Common Sand was still present, Teal slowly increasing to 77, 139 Mallard, 3 Shoveler, a redhead Goosander in the roost, 70 House Martins, and 86 Jackdaws over east.

 

[Papa 10]

Many of you will know that a year or two ago there were rumours that the DWT (Derbyshire Wildlife Trust) were considering removing the lock from the hide at Wyver and making it open access. This was natuarally met with disapproval and not one person I spoke to were in favour of such a ridiculous idea.

Roll forward to September 2017 and we had a meeting down Wyver on Tuesday with the new Living Landscape Officer. He went on to inform us that this ridiculous idea is going ahead, and very soon. The lock is to be removed on 19/09/2017! This despite all of our objections. When the original unlocked hide was standing it was often used as a drug den and I often found needles, beer cans, nappies and just general crap in the hide. Then the inevitable happened, it got burned to the ground. So why in their infinite wisdom the DWT thinks it will be a good idea to open up the hide I do not know.

Other proposals are in the pipeline including allowing access on to the reserve itself. A mown path has been suggested that would run from the southern end of the reserve along the river and probably up the access steps near the brick buildings. Yet again another stupid idea. Access on to the reserve will only put pressure on certain species that are already under pressure.

Part of the DWT's reasoning to the these plans is that they want to make their reserves more accessible to the general public. Yet with Wyver you can see all of the reserve from the lane without going int to the hide or on to the reserve itself. They want to increase the current 14,000 members to 20,000 members but I would suggest that they have scored a huge own goal here and may even lose members. In fact, I know of a couple who have already cancelled their membership as a result.

As you can imagine, I've had a lot of feedback since these ideas were made public. And not one person has said to me that they think it's a good idea. I've even had a woman ring me up expressing her disgust. For years now she has taken her children for a walk down the lane and made use of the hide. However, she said to me that she will find somewhere else to go in the future as she also remembers how the hide used to be in the pre lock days, and would not feel comfortable going in to the hide not knowing who or what she may find.

I've been going to Wyver on a regular basis since 2001 and took on the role of volunteer warden a few years ago now. Wyver is a huge part of my life and I hoped it would be for years to come. But I really don't know what the future holds for me or for Wyver itself. I feel very angry and upset about what they're doing but there probably isn't a lot I or anybody can do.

However, I won't let it happen without a fight. So if like me you are disgusted with the DWT then please get in touch with them to show your disapproval. You can ring them on 01773 881188 or email [email protected].

Thanks, Dave

Totally empathise with your views Dave, would suggest the next move will be renaming it Wyver Farm to compliment Woodside

Pleased I've got my '8 ponds' patch with no involvement from any official 'Wildlife organisation'.

 

[DaveN]

2 Barn Owls again last night. One over the old tip at 19.53 then the second in front of the hide at 20.03. Otherwise a Heron, c150 Mallard in the roost, 80 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 2 Sparrowhawks, Peregrine with prey, 4 Pied Wags, 2 Raven, and a Stoat running around on the far bank.