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.

RSPB Middleton Lakes & Stubber's Green :: 24 February 2024

Seeing lesser spotted woodpeckers is a great experience for birdwatchers, although their small size and elusive nature can make them challenging to spot - measuring around 14cm (5.5 inches) in length and about the same as a great tit. They have experienced declines in recent decades, mainly due to habitat loss and fragmentation. However, they are still locally distributed and typically found in deciduous woodlands, particularly where there are mature trees with plenty of dead wood for foraging and nesting.

They are agile climbers, using their strong bills to probe for insects and larvae under bark and in crevices of trees. They also drum on trees as a form of communication during the breeding season and are more often heard than seen due to their small size and tendency to forage high in the tree canopy.

Kev @kev0771 and I have tried to see them twice at Acres Down (Kev three times) this year without success. We considered going again, perhaps meeting up with his sister Karen and her partner Dean but decided to give RSPB Middleton Lakes a go instead. There have only been a handful of sightings at Middleton this year and not in the regular spot by the car park - I tried there three times last year and failed to see one at all. Nothing like persistence.

We pulled into the car park just after 7.00am and were surprised it was open and that two cars were already there. We jumped out and chatted with a volunteer and a visitor, confirming that sightings had not included where we stood. We'd give it a go anyway as there was a frost and mist across the fields and we couldn't yet hear any drumming in the distance in any case. The RSPB volunteer called a barn owl behind us, and we were soon on it as it quartered the far hedge line. I took a few photos despite the early hour and distance - I could probably fix the high ISO noise if nothing else.

Egrets roost in a variety of habitats, including trees, reedbeds, and shrubs, often choosing roosting sites near water bodies, where they forage during the day. Little and cattle egrets are known to sometimes roost with grey herons, particularly in communal roosting sites and heronries. While they may not interact extensively, they tolerate each other's presence and benefit from the collective protection of the group.

Egrets and herons usually leave their communal roost shortly after dawn, although the exact timing can vary depending on factors such as weather conditions. Despite the mist we could see little egrets and grey herons passing overhead and then a couple of cattle egrets - a new tick for the year.

After spending an hour or more, we decided to try and spot the lesser spotted woodpecker further down the track, near the two bridges within the woods where there had been a report. As we walked along the track, the distinct drumming of our target bird emanated from the trees towards the back of the copse. Despite scanning through the trees, we failed to locate it. Meanwhile, the calls of great-spotted woodpeckers echoed around us, and we had better luck spotting them. Nuthatches flitted through, and above us we saw siskins feeding on alder seed cones. Anyone who has watched these entertaining birds feeding knows that they are agile acrobats, stretching their necks and contorting their bodies to reach all available cones.

We heard the calls of our elusive bird on numerous occasions, which kept our hopes high. However, after another hour of searching, we found ourselves still empty-handed and the lesser spotted woodpecker falling silent. Undeterred, we decided to make towards the bridges as planned earlier. Just as we were about to depart, our bird called out from high to our left. I managed to spot it perched high in a tree, foraging on the uppermost branches. I attempted to guide Kev to it, but the bird took flight into a closer tree, albeit unfortunately obscured from view. We trained our binoculars on the area and had good views but as I readied my camera, it darted from branch to branch, along a slender bough, but turned away from us the entire time. Kev stepped aside to fetch his scope, but just then, the bird dropped out of sight and vanished. Despite our waiting in the area, the woodpecker didn’t make another appearance. Reluctantly, we opted not to wait any longer and instead set our sights on another potential sighting for the year.

On the way back to the car we passed the usual flock of house sparrows around the barns and in the morning sun, even the little brown jobs (LBJ) can look special.

Iceland gulls are large, white-winged gulls that breed in the Arctic regions of Greenland, Canada, and Iceland. They are known for their distinctive appearance and are rare visitors to our shores during the winter months with sightings typically occurring between October and March. In the UK, Iceland gulls can be observed along coastal areas, estuaries, marshes, and landfill sites, where they feed on a variety of food items, including scavenged waste.

At Stubber's Green, Walsall, sightings of this species had been reported in recent days, although not yet that morning. Given its proximity, being just about 15 miles from Middleton Lakes, we decided to venture there, parking in a layby adjacent to a good viewing spot well before the usual sighting window. It's been noted that the Iceland gull is most commonly spotted around lunchtime and early afternoon, although it may also be present at other times. At this location, gulls gather to bathe and rest at the north-western end, typically foraging at the tip just to the north, and often roost at Chasewater.

There was no sign of our gull and as I looked over the road to another pool, a couple of little egrets circled and dropped into the trees; after a short while, numbers increased to five. They roosted for quite a while.

Spring marks the onset of the breeding season for dunnocks. Male dunnocks become more territorial, defending their territories through singing, and chasing away intruders. They may also engage in courtship displays to attract mates. They are primarily insectivorous, foraging for insects, spiders, and other invertebrates among leaf litter and in low vegetation. Next to us a single dunnock was ever present and presumably staking a claim to the nearby bramble patch. It was quite insistent that I take its photo - I'm ready for my close-up ...

The mute swans cruised in front of us and in groups left the pool and walked up to and over the road, cars stopping to let them pass. On one occasion one of the birds decided to stop on the road and contemplate the meaning of life, testing the patience of the drivers.

In the distance a couple of buzzards were mobbed by crows, one flying by and crossing the road behind.

We continued to wait and gradually a few larger gulls joined the black-headed and common gulls - lesser-black backed and herring gulls. A few of the cormorants resting with the larger gull flock flew over in front of us, one (likely sinensis sub-species) landing on a post and looking rather majestic. I couldn't resist.

There was a shift in the line-up of large gulls, but unfortunately, the Iceland gull was nowhere in sight. As a couple of paddleboards and a kayak departed from Aldridge Sailing Club, they approached the gulls resting along the water's edge, causing them, along with the lapwings and ducks, to take flight. The gulls scattered in different directions as the boards and kayak splashed around them. With the disturbance caused, it seemed unlikely that our bird would make an appearance and settle. We decided to call it a day and head home, especially since I was on a tight schedule – Charlotte and I had plans to attend a show in Birmingham that evening.

Year List: 148.