TITTESWORTH BIRD NEWS
Spring 2005 Issue
(Covers the period - January to March)

Weather and season

The reservoir level was high throughout this three-month period. January was a wet month but with very little snow. February started in similar fashion but gradually became colder due to easterly winds. In the last week of the month snow arrived in abundance, affecting most of the country until the end of the month. March was drier but still somewhat mixed. Snowdrops were in bloom in the Churnet valley during early February but stirrings of spring were in evidence. Gorse bushes were also in flower and Butterbur plants were pushing their way through the sodden ground. By the 18th March Coltsfoot, Lesser Celandine and Dandelion were flowering and a Peacock butterfly was spotted, all heralding spring, which officially started on the 21st March.

Site works

The footpath upgrade to the south of the new footbridge in Foster's Wood has been completed. This short section of chippings joins up with the railed wooden walkway, which leads through the wood and forms part of the 'Short Route'. More people should now be able to comfortably complete this short 'nature trail' circuit. Changes are being made in the playground. New climbing and swinging features are being added. Additional signs are being erected and some of the old ones replaced

Personnel changes

In February we said farewell to Head Ranger, Martin Harris, after two years service. He has taken a post with Nottingham Leisure Services. We wish him well in his new career. No replacement has been announced but in the interim senior Receptionist, Josie Peek, is looking after things and Chris Fry is managing the day-to-day affairs of the ranger service.

Events

On the weekend of 29th/30th January the RSPB ran the Big Garden Bird Watch nationwide. Tittesworth responded by providing visitors with forms to fill in for their site visit or to take home and observe there. The up-take of forms at Tittesworth was quite high. Also Eric Platt kindly distributed forms in various public places in Leek, such as the Information Centre and library, for people to pick up and take home. Nationally over 360,000 people returned completed forms to the RSPB. Preliminary results will be available in a couple of months.

In the last issue of this newsletter it was announced that Severn Trent and the RSPB had a formed a partnership to run events as part of the RSPB's ongoing 'Aren't Birds Brilliant' campaign - attempting to engage more members of the public in the wonders of nature, particularly the birdlife. Macclesfield and North Staffs RSPB local groups intend to assist Tittesworth with events designed to raise awareness of British birds. As a preliminary to these combined events Macclesfield RSPB assisted the Tittesworth Ranger Service in their nest box and feeder construction day on the 13th February. The weather was miserable but nonetheless Macclesfield RSPB members and young Macclesfield RSPB Wildlife Explorers supported the event and also provided telescopes and assistance for the public to observe birds at the visitor centre feeding station. Watch out for these new partnership birdlife events, which will hopefully start towards the end of this year.

Bird reports

The sale of the Tittesworth Bird Report for 2003 has so far raised £136 for the RSPB. About one third of the 2004 report is complete. The finished version should be available from reception by the end of July. Once again Severn Trent are sponsoring the report so the sale price will go to wildlife charities.

BIRD NEWS: Selected items.

JANUARY:

The year started promisingly with the arrival of a Ruff and the recording of a Dipper and two Woodcocks on New Year's Day. The number of Canada Geese present on the 3rd was a modest 169 but there were 13 Pochards counted, the highest number for a while. Also noted on the 3rd were 75 Lesser Redpoll, a Kingfisher, a Jay, 26 Siskin and a pied Blackbird in Meerbrook. On the 9th there were 19 Goosanders present but the best find of the day was a Peregrine. By the 16th winter thrush numbers had swollen to 600 each of Redwing and Fieldfare. On the 23rd Tufted Duck numbers had risen to 53, Teal to 38 and there were 65 Lapwings using the site. One hundred and thirty-three Pink-footed Geese flew over the site in a southwesterly direction on the 25th. The monthly survey of the conservation area by Middlemarch Environmental Ltd on the 28th revealed 51 Snipe. The new wetland area seems to suit them. A very high count of 33 Greenfinches was made on the 30th, an exceptionally high number for the site.

FEBRUARY:

The start to the month was brilliant! An immature Glaucous Gull was found on the 3rd, a rarity for the site. On the 5th 19 of the large flock of Snipe fed along the eastern edge of the Conservation Pool, thus allowing good views of this striking species. A Raven passed over the site on the 6th - an infrequent visitor to Tittesworth. A Greylag Goose was found among the Canada Geese on the 10th _ another infrequent visitor to the site. A Curlew showed up on the 13th, the first to be reported this year. There were three raptors present on the 17th, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard. Another Dipper was found on the 20th and a modest flock of 14 Long-tailed Tits. On the same day three Treecreepers constituted a high day count for this species. A pair of Goldeneye performed mating manoeuvres on the main reservoir on the 27th. There was a great find on the last day of the month, a pair of Stonechats sitting on the top of reeds and fence posts by the Conservation Pool.

MARCH:

On the 1st a Field Vole was seen to leave and re-enter a hole on several occasions. Another mammal, a Brown Hare, was also recorded on the same day. The best find on the 5th was the very rare Jack Snipe. By the 7th the Curlew flock had expanded to 110. Two more Stonechats were also found. A single Shelduck spent the day on site on the 12th. On the 13th there was a Redshank on the fisherman's landing stage. Frog spawn was noticed in the ponds to the south of the new River Churnet bridge on the 16th. On the 18th well over 100 croaking Common Frogs were basking in the warm sunshine in and around the pools. One female displayed a bright orange underside. There was a superb find on the 19th - a male Wheatear, a very early record for Tittesworth. Excellent finds on the 22nd were a Gadwall and a Shoveler - both males. The first migrant warbler of the season turned up on the 25th. It was a Chiffchaff. Two Sand Martins also appeared as well as two Little Grebes. Chiffchaff numbers shot up to 13 on the 26th and the first Willow Warbler joined them. On the 28th there was a brief visit from two Sandwich Terns. On the last day of the month a male Common Scoter paid a short visit.

The above observations represent about 5% of those recorded in the logbook during this three-month period.

Website

For reasonably up to date information on birds at Tittesworth, access the Tittesworth section of the West Midland Bird Club (WMBC) website at www.westmidlandbirdclub.com/staffs/tittesworth . For information about birds in the Macclesfield catchment area use www.macclesfieldrspb.org.uk . The WMBC website may also be accessed from The Macclesfield RSPB Local Group website.

Thanks to all the logbook contributors. Please continue to make interesting comments about all aspects of wildlife/plantlife at Tittesworth.

Ray Perry
27th April 2005