Derbyshire & Eyebrook Reservoir :: 30 November 2024

The willow tit, once a common woodland bird in the UK, has seen a dramatic decline in recent decades. This small, unobtrusive bird is now one of the fastest-declining species in the country, with its population having plummeted by over 90% since the 1970s. Its plight is largely attributed to habitat loss, ecological competition, and climate change. The isolation of suitable woodland patches prevents willow tits from dispersing and recolonising areas. Small, fragmented populations are more vulnerable to local extinction.

Despite efforts, reversing the willow tit’s decline is challenging due to the widespread and persistent nature of its threats and without substantial and sustained intervention, this species may continue to dwindle to critically low levels in the UK.

Seeing willow tits in the UK has become increasingly rare due to their significant decline, but with some effort, it's still possible to spot them in certain strongholds. Having not seen one for a few years Kev @kev07713 and I decided to make this our target species for our weekly birding trip.

Willow tits are most commonly seen in regions such as Yorkshire, Cheshire, and parts of Derbyshire with some of their key strongholds including: South Yorkshire’s Dearne Valley, Cheshire wetlands, and Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire.

Willow tits are present year-round, but winter and early spring are often the best times to see them, as foliage is less dense and their activity around feeders increases. They are easier to identify by their call than by sight; their song is a distinctive, wheezy "zee-zee-zee," and their calls include a nasal "chew-chew." Key identification features are a black cap and bib (like marsh tit, but with subtle differences), pale cheeks and a buff-coloured underbody - slightly duller plumage compared to marsh tits.

According to Richard Broughton (specialist on willow and marsh tits) they exhibit a nice white cheek pattern, with the hint of a 'golden collar', and obvious creamy margins on the wing. Dr. Richard Broughton has conducted extensive research on willow tits and their ecological challenges. His work has focused on understanding their habitat requirements and the factors contributing to their decline in the UK. He has authored a book titled The Marsh Tit and the Willow Tit, which consolidates decades of research and explores these birds' unique ecological roles, behaviour, and conservation needs.

Conservation efforts inspired by examples from Europe, such as the management of Poland's Białowieża Forest, show promise for habitat restoration. His research also emphasises the interconnectedness of forest ecosystems and the role willow tits play within them. Further study is available in publications and scientific journals, and Richard continues to contribute to bird conservation as the editor-in-chief of the Bird Study journal.

After stopping for breakfast along the way, we arrived at our destination and began preparing for a chance to spot and photograph the elusive willow tit. There were several promising locations nearby where they might appear, as well as the possibility of them being drawn to nearby feeders. Time slipped by without any sign of our target. Meanwhile, a pair of pheasants provided some entertainment, engaging in parallel walking and occasional displays of posturing. Though their loud crowing calls filled the air, there was no physical confrontation - just what seemed like practice for a future encounter.

We watched various tit species flitting through the trees and bushes, accompanied by chaffinches, greenfinches, a nuthatch, and a great spotted woodpecker. Many of these birds eventually visited the feeders, which were mostly nearly empty. At one point, Kev replenished one of the feeders with a "premium mix" he had brought along in his bag.

Patience proved to be essential, as a couple of hours passed without any sign of the willow tit. Then, at last, one appeared, landing briefly on a feeder. I quickly captured a few photos before it departed, stage right. The bird returned intermittently, offering only fleeting views on the feeder and frustratingly avoiding nearby branches. When it finally perched on a branch, it was partially obscured, making a clear shot impossible. Like many photographers, I preferred not to have my subject framed on a feeder, so after managing to capture a decent photo, I cheekily edited it to make the bird appear perched on a twig. A bit of creative license, perhaps, but it made for a much more natural-looking setting! - before and after ... you can't believe anything you see.

We repositioned to get a better angle on a particular tree and settled in to wait again. This time, we watched as the bird moved through the canopy, gradually descending to head height. Finally, it paused in the open just long enough for me to get it in focus. Success and this time, there was no need for any post-editing tricks!

Eventually our bird disappeared for an extended time, and we decided to make our way to Eyebrook Reservoir where a drake smew had been reported for a second day.

Smew are small diving ducks and are a winter visitor to the UK, primarily found in freshwater lakes and gravel pits, commonly seen in southern and eastern England and regularly on Rutland Water and Eyebrook Reservoir. The bird reported was a drake which sports a stunning black-and-white plumage with a panda-like face pattern.

We arrived at the viewing area where the bird had been reported earlier and started scanning. In front (and actually all around) red-legged partridge called; the call of the red-legged partridge is a distinctive and repetitive sound, often described as a loud, rhythmic "chuk-chuk-chuk" or "chur-chur-chur."

We spotted numbers of goldeneye and pintails; they are returning to many sites to overwinter, their populations steadily building. However, our search for the smew proved fruitless. A few other birders arrived, sharing that they too had been searching without success. Meanwhile, we spotted two very distant, black-necked grebes, previously reported in the area, as they swam toward the far end from the dam.

Small flocks of dunlin flew through with small numbers stopping to feed on the water's edge (up to 23 seen at once).

We walked and scanned along the water but couldn't find the bird - still we weren't the only ones. Barnacle and Egyptian geese joined the more common greylags and Canada geese. Try as we might we would dip.

The following days had reports of the smew again - it had gone into hiding while we were there - the Saturday curse. We will find one hopefully before the year ends.

Year list: 247.

Ducklington :: 23 November 2024

With weather warnings issued across the country, Kev and I decided to reassess the situation at 7 a.m. based on any changes. While conditions looked reasonable where we were, the forecast predicted they wouldn’t hold for long. In North Oxfordshire, the weather seemed better than expected, but reports indicated severe conditions elsewhere. Heavy snowfall was affecting Scotland as well as parts of northern and central England, and the coasts were being hit harder. Tragically, a man had died on the A34 in Hampshire after a tree fell on his car. Meanwhile, thousands of households in South and West Wales, the East and West Midlands, and Cumbria were without power due to the storm.

We talked about giving a visit to Slimbridge a whirl but decided against it in the end - spending the day with our wives would be something they'd appreciate - probably.

However, without a mandarin duck on my list this year, the report of one still gracing a pond in Ducklington near Witney had me quickly dressed, and on the road.

The mandarin duck is a strikingly colourful duck species native to East Asia, but it has established a thriving feral population in the UK, and it is now considered naturalised. Males are especially striking, with ornate plumage featuring bright orange sails, a purple crest, and intricate patterns of white, green, and chestnut. Females are more subdued, with mottled brown and grey colouring, and a distinctive white eye-ring and stripe. My bird would be a male, associating with mallards.

Mandarin ducks prefer wooded areas near lakes, ponds, or slow-moving rivers. They often inhabit parkland or estates with ornamental water bodies. They nest in tree cavities, often near water, and are adept at raising ducklings in elevated locations. Originally introduced as ornamental birds, escapees from private collections and zoos established wild populations, with notable concentrations in southern and central England. They are omnivorous, feeding on seeds, acorns, aquatic plants, insects, and small invertebrates.

I pulled up beside the Village Hall and found the pond located right beside it, the mandarin sleeping as I arrived. In a short while the mallards swam out onto the water and the mandarin followed giving great views. I took a few photos but didn't hang around long as I was getting wet and expected conditions would be getting worse. Home and only two hours required to see this stunning species.

Year list: 246.

Thornton Reservoir & Summer Leys :: 16 November 2024

Kev @kev07713 and I weren’t sure how to spend our Saturday morning, but we ultimately decided to head to Thornton Reservoir in Leicestershire, where a young drake long-tailed duck had been reported for the past three or four days.

The long-tailed duck is a small sea duck that winters in the UK. Breeding in Arctic regions, they favour tundra pools and marshes during the summer before migrating south to spend winter on the sea, often gathering in large flocks. Winter males are striking, predominantly white with brownish-black markings and their signature elongated tail feathers, from which the species gets its name.

While they’re most often found in sheltered bays and harbours from Northumberland to northern Scotland - places like Shetland, Orkney, and the northeast coast - long-tailed ducks occasionally appear inland, especially during unusual weather.

We stopped for breakfast just before Thornton and parked near the dam wall. Spotting a couple of birders along the wall, we figured they were on the bird. As we approached, they packed up and confirmed the duck was relatively close in. Sure enough, when we reached the spot, the bird was closer than any I’d previously encountered, whether at Draycote Water or on the sea at Seamill.

It was highly active, diving frequently, often vanishing just as you managed to get it in your scope - it would raise its rump a little just before it dived showing a larger area of white. After watching for a while, our patience paid off - the duck swam even closer and began preening, giving us an incredible view. I took plenty of photos, making the decision to visit here well worth it!

Watching from the dam wall had its challenges, as it also doubles as the edge of the road leading into the village. Occasionally, cars came from both directions, forcing us to shift out of the way or momentarily block traffic, creating a bit of an obstruction.

Once we’d had our fill of the long-tailed duck, we decided to head south, making a stop at Wildlife Trust BCN Summer Leys to try our luck at spotting a jack snipe - one of our favourite spots for finding them (you can read about a previous sighting here). However, recent flooding across the country has left water levels quite high. We’d been receiving regular updates from Stuart Mundy, who mentioned that levels were gradually dropping but were still elevated.

As we pulled into the car park, a sparrowhawk darted through the trees near the Pioneer Hide, a promising start to the visit. Our destination was the Paul Britten Hide, a double-decker structure overlooking the scrape. This area is vital for ground-nesting wetland birds like lapwing and redshank, and it’s one of the best locations to spot common and jack snipe.

On the way to the hide, we came across a pair of bullfinches in their “usual” spot, along with plenty of teal, wigeon, coot, and gulls scattered across the pools. Upon entering the hide, we found the upper level completely empty, giving us the space to settle in and start scanning. Before long, we had spotted six common snipe.

A short while later, Kev spotted a jack snipe far off to our right, tucked along the edge of the pool. It was partially obscured by dense cover, making it tricky to spot without a scope, but its characteristic shorter bill was unmistakable. We watched as it bobbed and moved while feeding, but it frustratingly stayed out of clear view. A few minutes later, it darted to the right, disappearing over the grassy brow and into the reeds beyond. Not long after, a common snipe appeared in its place. Despite our efforts, we couldn’t relocate it or find another. Over on the far hedgeline the glossy ibis wheeled over the trees and dropped behind before Kev could get. on it.

We left the hide, making for the feeder area and Mary's Lake beyond. We could now have better views of the hundreds of golden plovers with the lapwings. Occasionally they would rise and circle in the sky but with the weather as it was, there wasn't the usual white flash as they wheeled and turned.

We reached the feeders and found the area teeming with grey squirrels and a couple of small rats. Every so often, a mixed flock of blue, great, and long-tailed tits visited, with the long-tails being the most numerous. We also spotted a couple of goldcrests along the track, busy feeding in the denser parts of the hedgerow.

Crossing the lane, we looked out across Mary's Lake and spotted a couple of common snipe, along with another bird that appeared smaller - it disappeared before we could make a positive identification. Together with Moon Lake, Mary's Lake is part of the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits, a series of pits recognized for their international importance to overwintering waterbirds. The area is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) and regularly hosts significant numbers of species such as gadwall, wigeon, pochard, and tufted duck. The lake is fenced off to prevent otters from entering and preying on the fish.

For birdwatchers, Mary's Lake offers a chance to observe a variety of species, though access is limited, with the best views available from the gate along the lane. On the lake but distant, we spotted several cormorants, one of which was struggling to swallow a large fish. After several failed attempts, it abandoned the catch and swam away - what a waste. Hopefully, it will be carried by the current to be eaten by another predator.

We continued exploring but eventually returned to the double-decker hide. After more than half an hour of scanning, Kev spotted another jack snipe on a distant island. Unfortunately, it soon disappeared over the brow and remained out of sight for the rest of our visit, always too distant for a photo.

Another cracking day out.

Year list: 245.