TITTESWORTH BIRD NEWS
Winter 2007 issue
(Covers the period - October to December)

Weather and Season

OCTOBER: High pressure was dominant for most of the month. Rainfall was below average and daytime temperatures in double figures, the highest temperature being 19ºC on the 12th.

NOVEMBER: Generally more anticyclonic than a 'normal' November but with a couple of unsettled periods either side of mid-month. Day temperatures were in double figures until the 14th when a dip to 9ºC was noted. Also frost occurred overnight. There were two brilliant sunsets on the 4th and the 5th. It was very windy on the 8th reaching speeds of 90mph in Scotland. There was a massive North Sea surge on the same day with some flooding on the east coast but no major disasters. Although the day temperature on the 11th was 12ºC there was a heavy frost overnight, reaching minus 6ºC. There was snow on high ground on the 18th blocking the A54. There was a lot of mist around on the 20-22 November. The night temperature on the 22nd - 23rd dropped to -3ºC. There were bursts of heavy rain in the last three days of the month and the day temperature on the 30th was a warm 12ºC.

DECEMBER: A strong westerly wind dominated in the early part of the month. A wind speed of 70mph was recorded on the south coast on the 2nd. An easterly wind took over from the 10th providing very settled but cold weather, particularly overnight. The classical "halcyon days" of calm but cold and sometimes misty weather continued until the 23rd when the wind direction changed to southerly and temperatures rose. During the halcyon period frost formed overnight each day. Heavy rain dominated the last few days of the month. Please note that the reservoir was completely full by the 7th December. The winter solstice occurred on the 21st, having the shortest daylight hours. Now we can look forward to the spring with lengthening days!

Please note: This decade looks set to be the hottest on record and 2007 will be the seventh warmest worldwide since 1850.

Rescued Hobby

The rescued injured Hobby found at Tittesworth and transferred to the Kingsley Bird and Falconry Centre in the third quarter of the year is doing very well. A vet reset its damaged wing and it has been housed in a specially built recovery area since that time. The bird is fit and healthy and very calm. It will be released back into the wild at an appropriate time in 2008. We are grateful to Brenda Scott for providing this update of the Hobby's welfare.

Beginner's Birdwatching Event

A beginner's birdwatching event is planned for Tittesworth on the 24th February 2008. Amanda Lynnes of the RSPB will lead the event. Amanda runs twice weekly "Aren't Birds Brilliant" events at Carsington Water. She and her volunteers meet the public in the Wildlife Centre on Tuesdays and Saturdays. John Oakes, the site's official Bird Recorder and one of the site's most experienced birdwatchers, will support her on the 24th February. The event will begin at 10am and finish at about 12noon. To make contact with Amanda please look out for a young lady bearing an RSPB logo on her fleece or speak to the duty receptionist in the visitor centre. Up to 50 different species of bird is possible during this event but if you are new to birding then 30 + is quite likely. If you have binoculars PLEASE bring them and also wear warm clothing. Please note that no dogs are allowed.

The 2006 Tittesworth Bird Report

The latest site report, written by Brenda Scott, is on sale at reception in the Visitor Centre. The price for the 68-page report is £2.50. As before proceeds from the sale of this report will be donated to wildlife charities. Well over £700 has been donated to wildlife charities to date from the sale of previous reports and newsletters. There is no wildlife club or organisation associated with Tittesworth but the 50 plus observers/volunteers (casual and regular) provide an amazing amount of information of value to the observers themselves and Severn Trent Water, the owners of the site. Severn Trent Water attempts to provide the right kind of habitats for the wildlife present on its site, thus the data provided by observers is crucial. At the time of writing at least 24 copies of the report had been sold. Proceeds from the sales at Macclesfield RSPB Group meetings will go to the RSPB and from sales at the visitor centre and elsewhere will go to the Kingsley Bird and Falconry Centre in Staffordshire.

Macclesfield RSPB Group visit to Tittesworth

On the 16th December 16 members of the group visited the site and between them identified 48 species of bird. The best finds were a Marsh Tit and a Common Sandpiper. Will the sandpiper over winter on the site? It's happened before. For a full report visit the group's website at -www.macclesfieldrspb.org.uk.

Site works

A further section of the main footpath has been widened and upgraded. The new improved section runs from the children's playground to just beyond the "new" footbridge over the River Churnet.

BIRD NEWS: selected birding highlights plus other interesting observations of nature

OCTOBER:

On the 3rd eight Snipe were noticed plus two Grey Herons, two male Pheasants and a Kingfisher. The 4th yielded 11 Great Crested Grebe, the now resident Mute Swan, 46 Teal, 93 Lapwings, four Moorhens, two Kingfishers, eight Pheasants, over 30 Pied Wagtails and a Jay. A male Blackcap and two Chiffchaffs were located on the 6th. Also of note were a Shoveler, two Treecreepers and a Raven. The best find on the 7th was an Arctic Tern. Six Goldcrests were also counted. A Bar-tailed Godwit turned up on the 9th but there was also a high count of 10 Shelducks. Snipe numbers stood at 38 on the 11th and five Grey Herons were observed. 150+ Fieldfares were present and a Dipper was also located. A Meadow Pipit was a reasonable find on the 13th. Snipe numbers stood at a magnificent 94 on the 14th probably a site record (to be checked). Other finds for the day were three Common Scoters, 58 Teal, three Moorhens, over 80 Redwings and 11 Meadow Pipits. A Speckled Wood butterfly was found on the 15th. The last Swallows (5) of 2007 were also recorded on the 15th. It was reported that two Ring-billed Gulls were on the Large Island until about 2pm on the 16th. They then flew north towards the Roaches. The Staffordshire Recorder is awaiting a description for this observation of a rare species. A Common Sandpiper was on the shoreline near the Fishing Lodge on the same day - the 16th.

*** STAR BIRDS ***
Five WHOOPER SWANS were on the main reservoir at around midday on the 18th.

On the same day a male Common Scoter was spotted as well as two Kingfishers. Two Brown Hares were noticed on the 20th. The following found on the 21st are worth a mention: 39 Wigeon, 81 Snipe, three Kingfishers, a female Stonechat, two Ravens, an albino or silvery Crow and a Red Admiral butterfly. The following raptor species were seen on the 23rd: a Sparrowhawk, a Common Buzzard and a Kestrel. On the 27th a Dunlin was recorded plus about 180 Lapwings and 53 Snipe. A Grey Wagtail was located on the 28th. A male Mandarin was also a good sighting on the same day. On the 30th 91 Snipe were counted. 72 Teal were also present. On the last day of the month five Brown Hares were found. There was also an estimate of over 200 Lapwings.

NOVEMBER:

A Sparrowhawk flushed about 50 Redwings from a large Hawthorn bush on the first day of the month. It was unsuccessful in catching prey. Over 50 Teal were observed swimming in the shallow water remaining in the Conservation Pool after its level continued to fall. 174 Canada Geese were counted on the 4th.

*** STAR BIRD ***
A HEN HARRIER was sighted over the northwestern end of the Conservation Pool on the 5th. No other details were provided.

A mystery grey wader was spotted on the 6th, which later turned out to be a Dunlin. The first Goldeneye of the year's second winter period was noted on the 7th; it was a female bird. On the same day two Ravens passed by. Two female Bramblings, the first for the winter season, were found on the 11th. Siskins were also noted and a rather late Common Sandpiper. Of note on the 12th were four female Goosanders, a Kingfisher, four Common Buzzards, and an estimated 1000 Starlings. A male Mandarin turned up on the 14th to join a female Pochard and the female Goldeneye. On this day there were 24 Cormorants and 14 Great Crested Grebes. A good non-avian find was of three Brown Hares. Of note on the 15th, a very sunny day, were two glowing Kingfishers fishing in the Conservation Pool's feeder stream, about 80 Teal, 40 Snipe, at least 20 each of Robins and Blackbirds, 200 Fieldfares, 30 Long-tailed Tits, a Willow Tit and a Lesser Redpoll. There was a very high count of 140 Wigeon on the 16th. Also of note were four female Goldeneye, five Goosanders and 69 Snipe. On the 17th there were 11 Great Crested Grebes, three Common Buzzards, a Nuthatch, two Willow Tits and a Brambling. Teal numbers stood at 82 on the 18th. The best finds on the 19th were - a Knot (a site rarity), a Redshank, a Dunlin, a Grey Wagtail and two Meadow Pipits. The best sighting on the 20th was of an immature Peregrine over Hind's Clough Wood. Also on the same day there was a lone Oystercatcher and the Lapwing flock numbered a healthy 125. Two Moorhens were located on the 21st, a species low in numbers on site these days. Also there were five Pheasants present, quite a high count for the site. Once again a HEN HARRIER graced the site on the 25th. This time it was seen and logged by three experienced Tittesworth birders; it was a ring-tailed bird. Also on this day the following interesting sightings were recorded: over 200 Siskins, 60 over flying Pink-footed Geese, three Mandarins, a Dunlin, a Peregrine, and 40 Lesser Redpolls. By the 26th the Mandarin count had lifted to four birds - two males and two females. Of note on the 28th were - eight Goosanders, a Peregrine, two Kingfishers, four Stock Doves, a Jay and a Bullfinch. There were estimated to be over 110 Wigeon on the reservoir on the 29th. There were also four uncommon Common Gulls, four Common Buzzards, two Grey Wagtails, a Tawny Owl and a Jay.

DECEMBER:

On the first day of the month a possible Yellow Wagtail was noted. A partial description was included with the record. A good few species were logged on the 2nd and the following are the choicest findings: a Male Mandarin, 11 Goosanders, 43 Snipe, 107 Lapwings, two Mistle Thrushes, two Song Thrushes and 92 Rooks. Rooks are rarely found on site so this was a very, very high count. Lapwing numbers had risen to 145 and Goosanders to 14 the next day - the 3rd. A formal count of the Canada Geese was made on the 5th and 193 were present. Five Grey Herons were also noted on the 5th. On the 7th three Common Buzzards soared above the River Churnet. Four Treecreepers were found on the 9th, a good count for this almost secretive bird. Additionally three Reed Buntings and five Bullfinches were noticed. By far the best find on the 13th was a Dipper feeding in the River Churnet. This species isn't often found these days at Tittesworth. As has been already mentioned earlier in this report a Marsh Tit and a Common Sandpiper were seen on the 16th. The most interesting observation made on the 19th was of two Tawny Owls sitting side by side! It is good to note that a Coot was seen on the 26th - a species not recorded for sometime. A reasonably high estimate of over 90 Redwings was made on the same day. Well over 120 Lapwings roosted on the Small Island on the 27th. The long staying Mute Swan was also recorded, trying to get into the visitor centre. The reception staff occasionally gives it tasty morsels! Three Great Spotted Woodpeckers were found on the 29th. Of note on the penultimate day of the year were - a Little Grebe, 30 Cormorants, a pair of Mandarins, three Common Buzzards (one being very light in colour), ten Pochards, a Collared Dove, five Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Nuthatches, five Willow Tits, ten Bullfinches and a Weasel.

A Timely Reminder

Now we are at the beginning of 2008 please consider sending descriptions of any unusual, out of season or rare/ uncommon birds to the Staffordshire Recorder. Information about submitting records may be found at the back of the logbook in the west hide. Submit by letter or email to Nick Pomiankowski. Normally appropriate forms can be found at the back of the logbook but a recent check has shown that there is none left. Forms will be re-supplied within the next week or so. A letter or email is fine. Please give the following: your name, date of sighting, a description of the bird - pointing out key features and its relationship to nearby birds including size, your experience at birding and your knowledge of the species being reported, a sketch or photo of the bird if possible and the names of any other people who also saw the bird. Please report to -

Nick Pomiankowski
22 The Villas
West End
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffs ST4 5AQ

Email address: staffs-recorder@westmidlandbirdclub.com

For advice ring Nick on 01782 849682

And finally

A big thanks goes to all those who have supplied information in 2007. As far as the current newsletter is concerned less than 10% of the data collected has been displayed. Hopefully it represents a reasonable cross section of the more interesting species to be found at Tittesworth.

A very Happy New Year to all readers.

Ray Perry 14th January 2008
Tel: 01625 432668 Email: ray_perry@btinternet.com

Picture Gallery

Brown Hare

Brambling

Siskin