Wyver Lane Nature Reserve (DWT) (5 Viewers)

[DaveN]

Latest highlights: 15th: The Great White Egret in the upper marsh area. 9 Shoveler was the best count of the winter with the majority of those just birds passing through as there were no sign the following day.
16th: The GWE was seen earlier in the day by another birder. This is the last sighting. The other highlight was a Red Kite that flew south at 14.07 + a count of 8 Blackcap was an obvious influx.
17th: The 2 Shelduck, 19 Tufteds, 50 Swallows, 7 Sand Martins.
18th: Sedge Warbler in the upper marsh is new for the year and the 91st sp of 2018. 9 Gadwall, just 5 Teal now, 5 Buzzards, 2 Kes, Sparrowhawk, still 3 Snipe hanging on, at least 10 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler.

 

[DaveN]

A very warm Wyver yesterday didn't produce that much. There was an increase to 3 Sedge Warblers. One in the hedge in front of the mound and 2 in the upper marsh area. Other Warblers were 10 Blackcaps and 5 Chiffchaff.
3 Little Grebe on the main pool. Teal down to 4. A lone drake Shoveler, 7 Gadwall, 10 Tufteds and 2 drake Goosander. 3 Kestrels and 3 Buzzards. 2 Oycs and 2 Snipe. 78 BHG. Barn Owl in the box entrance at 20.44. And interestingly c6 Noctule Bats flying the main pool area from c20.30. I've only ever had a couple of records previously in 17 years.

 

[DaveN]

Sorry for the lack of posts. Latest highlights for 21st were 4 Little Grebe, 3 Mandarin, Shelduck, 6 Gadwall.
22nd: Shelduck, 6 Gadwall, drake Shoveler, Sparrowhawk.
23rd: 2 Little Grebe, 2 Kes, Shelduck, 30 Swallows, 2 Herons, Lesser Whitethroat (first of the year and number 92), Peregrine took out Pigeon, Little Owl heard (first of the year and number 93), Barn Owl.
24th: Shelduck, 18 Tufties, 3 Oycs.
25th: 7 Gadwall, 17 Tufties, 2nd summer Herring Gull, Garden Warbler near hide (first of the year and number 94), Swift (first of the year and number 95), 50 Swallow, female Mallard with 13 chicks is the first of the year, although she had lost 3 by the evening.
26th: The female Mallard now has only 3 chicks, 2 female Teal were fresh in, 5 Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 30 House Martins, 4 Linnet.
27th: A male Yellow Wagtail (first of the year and number 96), Shoveler, Shelduck, the female Mallard just has 2 now, 60 Swallows.

There are possibly up to 25 BHG nests on site which considering we only had 3 last year is a remarkable increase. I/we suspect this might be to do with the abandonment of Millfields Island at Carsington and birds relocating. Either way it's a bit raucous at Wyver and several Coot nests have been taken over by the Gulls.

 

[DaveN]

On Saturday Richard Taylor had a couple of site rare Collared Doves bringing the year's total to 97. A quick visit from yours truly in the evening revealed 4 Goosander and a Curlew.

Yesterday Chris and me had an adult Hobby briefly terrorising hirundines (number 98 for the year).

 

[DaveN]

It would appear that I had miscounted. The Hobby on Sunday was in fact number 100 and not 98. A few decent bits yesterday takes the yearly total to 104. The 101st was a Common Whitethroat in the northern boundary hedge. The next was an LRP on the bank right of the island. Then only minutes later all the gulls went up due to an Osprey coming in. It hung around for about a minute before leaving South and then north again. Number 104 was a singing male Redstart on the track to Wyver Woods. A good afternoon. Also of note was 2 Shelduck, 3 Mandarin, 4 Goosander, Common Sand, 4 Snipe, Barn Owl, 2 Sedge Warbler, 7 Blackcap and 5 Chiffchaff. Also notable from c30 BHG nests we now have around 10 after many nests around the edge of the pool have been abandoned.

 

[DaveN]

A smart adult Little Gull at Wyver on Wednesday afternoon/evening was the 2nd record this year and the 6th overall. I first picked it up from the viewing mound flying around the main pool at 16.05 and it was still present at 18.45 when I left. And a Reed Warbler singing in a small area of reeds in the top marsh was new for the year (105). A new brood of 7 Mallard also on the top marsh. 2 Common Sands around the main pool. And a Hobby at 18.24 and 18.43.

On the 3rd there was 4 Sedge Warblers which is a good count. Yesterday there were 2 Shelduck, 2 Mandarin, 4 Gadwall, 14 Tufteds, 7 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroats, 4 Sedge again, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler still and male Redstart singing towards Wyver Woods.

 

[DaveN]

A couple of bits from this week. An Osprey through on 7th is the 2nd record in a week and maybe the same bird hanging around the valley. Also on the 7th the pair of Oycs from the island revealed 2 young. But within 48 hours they had been lost. Last night a Whimbrel dropped in at around 19.00 on the bank in front of the hide. Number 106 for the year. Only the 2nd record on the deck. Still 6 sp of Warbler on site. 7+ Blackcap, 3+ Whitethroat, 5 Sedge Warblers, 2 Chiffchaff, a Garden Warbler and a Reed Warbler. Many young starting to appear now. Mainly Canadas and Greylags but also the odd brood of Mallard and the first Coot brood yesterday.

 

[DaveN]

Not been a great deal to report but there were 2 Common Terns on the 19th which was number 107 for the year. On the 23rd a Little Egret was present and was number 108 for the year. On Friday evening myself and Richard Taylor had 10 Arctic Terns go through. They appeared out of the gloom at 19.30 and within seconds they were gone. This is only the 4th record for Wyver following 4 in 1978, 3 in 2005 and 13 in 2013. It's also number 109 for the year.

 

[DaveN]

The only highlight of the past few days is a Red Kite on Friday evening. The 3rd record of the year.

 

[DaveN]

Recent highlights include 3 Garden Warblers and 3 Reed Warblers on the 5th.
LRP on the 6th.
Female Gadwall with 9 young on the 7th. The 7th consecutive year they have bred.
The female Gadwall had lost one by the 10th.
25 Gadwall on the 11th which included the female with 8 young and the rest being adults. This is also a site record.
An LRP on the 12th and the f Gadwall has lost 2 more and now has 6.
The f Gadwall still with 6 on the 14th.