Welcome to the Website of the Nottinghamshire Birdwatchers

December 2007

Mon 31st Dec

Hoveringham - 1 Smew [drake on training lake].
Attenborough Nature Reserve - 1 Bittern [flew left to right in front of Delta Hide], 1 Red-crested Pochard [female on Church Pond].
Holme Pierrepont - Blott's Pit: 1 Smew [female], 1 Greater Scaup [female], 1 Chiffchaff [in hedge].

Sun 30th Dec

Budby - 30+ Brambling [in mixed finch flock near pumping station].
Langford Lowfields - Red-necked Grebe.
Lady Bay Bridge - 35 Fieldfare, 3 Mistle Thrush, 14 Pied Wagtail.
Holme Pierrepont - Rowing Course: 4 Common Redshank, 90 Gadwall. Blott's Pit: 2 Smew [male & female at 15:08], 32 Common Goldeneye, Common Redshank, 4 Common Snipe, Water Rail. A52 Pit: Iceland Gull [1st Winter], Caspian Gull [adult], Glaucous Gull [first winter], Common Redshank.
Colwick Country Park - 2 Red-crested Pochard [by fishing lodge], c.20 Siskin [in Alders by the feeding station].
Attenborough Nature Reserve - 3 Bittern, Woodcock, 28 Goosander.

Sat 29th Dec

Hucknall - 1 Common Buzzard [over town centre].
Netherfield Lagoons - 1 Iceland Gull [a 1st winter in flooded field].
Hoveringham - 1 Whooper Swan [with Mute Swans by Sailing Club gate], 1 Smew [male on small nursery lake], 1 Peregrine, [hassling gulls over Sailing Lake], 8 Red-legged Partridge [Thurgaton Lane].
Gedling Pit Top - Short-eared Owl, Common Buzzard, Merlin [female] 3 Common Kestrel, Stonechat, 17 Meadow Pipit, 3 Green Woodpecker, 5 Common Snipe, 180 Great Black-backed Gull [over - mainly to SSW].
Attenborough Nature Reserve - 1 Bittern.

Thu 27th Dec

Clifton Pastures - 1500+ Golden Plover, 500 Northern Lapwing [viewable from the lay-by on Nottingham Road st before the Barton Lane junction]. 2 Brambling [with small group of Chaffinch in stubble field near Branshill Wood], Red-tailed Hawk [still in the Branshill Wood area].
Nottingham Racecourse - 27 Fieldfare.
Colwick Country Park - West Lake: 2 Smew [females]. Trout Lake: Mandarin Duck, 4 Red-crested Pochard.
Netherfield Lagoons - Grey Wagtail [viaduct], Water Rail [Slurry Lagoon], 450 Northern Lapwing, 40 Golden Plover, 49 Great Black-backed Gull, 45 Linnet, 14 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Corn Bunting [single-stubble field].

Wed 26th Dec

Holme Pierrepont - 1 Redshank [edge of rowing course].
Beechdale - 4 Blackcap [2 Male and 2 Female in back garden.
Kilvington - 5 Greater Scaup.
Martin's Pond - 1 Water Rail, 2 Goosander, 7 Siskin.
Budby Common - Goshawk.
Barton-in-Fabis - 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Merlin [both on the rough pasture east of the village at 11:00].
Nottingham Racecourse - 2 Common Snipe, 2 Reed Bunting, 18 Meadow Pipit, 2 Herring Gull, Sparrowhawk.
Colwick Country Park - 1 Merlin [across lake], Sparrowhawk [mobbed by Merlin], Hall Lake: 18 Shoveler. Trout Lake: Mediterranian Gull [adult on log boom], Lesser Black-backed Gull [log boom], 3 Red-crested Pochard, Mandarin Duck, 12 Common Goldeneye, 5 Northern Lapwing. West Lake: 3 Smew [male & 2 females], 48 Eurasian Wigeon.
Radcliffe-on-Trent - Goosander [male & female on pond from The Cliffs walk].

Tue 25th Dec

Hucknall - 1 Siskin, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker [male], 1 Sparrowhawk [female], 1 Bullfinch [male], c.6 Goldfinch, 10+ Greenfinch, c.8 Chaffinch, 2 Coal Tit, c.6 Blue Tit, c.3 Great Tit, c.6 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Jay, c.5 Magpie, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Woodpigeon, 1 Robin, 2 Hedge Sparrow, c.6 House Sparrow, 10+ Blackbird, 20+ Starling.
Lady Bay Bridge - 30 Redwing.
Holme Pierrepont - Rugby Club: 45 Fieldfare. Rowing Course: 5 Common Redshank, 61 Gadwall, 2 Grey Wagtail. Blott's Pit: Common Redshank, 650 Eurasian Wigeon. A52 Pit: Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Redshank, 900 Eurasian Wigeon, 92 Great Black-backed Gull.
Arnold - 6 Tree Sparrow [resident in a back garden].
Oxton - Estate Farmland: 50+ Golden Plover, 30 Northern Lapwing, 2 Common Buzzard, 50+ Fieldfare, 20 Long-tailed Tit, Plus: c.100 mixed gulls, c.200 mixed finches & 50+ Brown Hares.

Mon 24th Dec

Rufford Country Park - 1 Blackbird [albino].
Attenborough Nature Reserve - Delta Hide: 2 Bittern.
Kings Mill Reservoir - Cetti's Warbler [a possible reported], Black Swan, 10 Eurasian Teal, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, c.50 Moorhen, c.100 Coot, c.1000 Black-headed Gull [including 1 in breeding plumage], 4 Herring Gull [juveniles], Grey Heron, 10 Mute Swan, 2 Pied Wagtail, Robin, Dunnock, Blackbird, c.200 Northern Lapwing, 3 Common Snipe, 3 Canada Goose, Common Shelduck, c.100 Mallard [some hybrid birds also], Magpie, 6 Tufted Duck.

Sun 23rd Dec

Holme Pierrepont - Blott's Pit: Smew [female], 650 Eurasian Wigeon, Common Redshank, 2 Common Snipe. A52 Pit: Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, 3 Redshank, 25 Common Goldeneye, Water Rail, 2 Chiffchaff, Kingfisher.
Attenborough Nature Reserve - Goosander [on river, Works Pond and Main Pond], Bittern [viewed from Delta], 2 Water Rail, Shoveler, Reed Bunting, Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Sat 22nd Dec

Bestwood Country Park - Pit Tip: 3 Reed Bunting, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Pied Wagtail. Mill Lakes: 170 Black-headed Gull [personal site record], 1 Siskin [in flock of Long-tailed Tit feeding in Alder trees]. Leen Pastures: 1 Water Rail [near feeding station] Broad Valley Stables' Horse Paddock: 1 Tree Sparrow [in hedgerow by farmer's field] Big Wood: 2 Coal Tit [on feeders], 1 Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Sharphill Woods - 1 Brambling [southern border area].
Collingham - Green-winged Teal [drake still on Main Pit viewed from Carlton Ferry Lane].
Holme Pierrepont - A52 Pit: Glaucous Gull, Mediterranean Gull. Blott's Pit: 3 Smew [1 male & 2 female], Greater Scaup [female].
Netherfield - Blackcap [female present for a few days].
East Leake - Siskin [on garden feeder].

Thu 20th Dec

Colwick Country Park - Hall Lake: 23 Shoveler, Grey Wagtail [hall]. West Lake: 44 Eurasian Wigeon, 22 Gadwall. Trout Lake: 2 Red-crested Pochard.

Wed 19th Dec

Nottingham General Cemetery - 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Buzzard [flyover], 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Jay.
Colwick Country Park - Hall Lake: 19 Shoveler. West Lake: 2 Smew [females], 26 Gadwall, 42 Eurasian Wigeon, 2 Common Goldeneye. Trout Lake: Mandarin Duck, 3 Red-crested Pochard.

Tue 18th Dec

Attenborough Nature Reserve - Delta Hide: 2 Bittern [observed roosting in reedbed from 15:25 onwards. First bird in front of hide, ten metres to left of clearing. Second bird to right, 20 metres from clearing. Both seemingly unperturbed by a fox moving around reedbed], 2 Sparrowhawk [through].
Netherfield Lagoons - 1 Cetti's Warbler [still in bushes downstream of viaduct].

Mon 17th Dec

Beechdale - Green Woodpecker [on site of Government Buildings, Chalfont Drive].
Netherfield Lagoons - Stonechat [south side of river], Water Rail [Slurry Lagoon], 70 Eurasian Teal [Deep Pit], 2 Dunlin [flooded, ex-New Workings], 30 Greylag Goose [over].

Sun 16th Dec

Netherfield Lagoons - 1 Dusky Warbler [unconfirmed report], 1 Cetti's Warbler [from 13:55. 150 yards down stream of viaduct in Trent-side scrub].
South Muskham - 1 Red-crested Pochard [pit nearest A1].
Holme Pierrepont - Blott's Pit: Smew [female], Northern Pintail [female], 350 Eurasian Wigeon, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Common Redshank, Pink-footed Goose [among Greylags]. A52 Pit: Jack Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Common Redshank, 30 Northern Lapwing, 1 Glaucous Gull [1st winter in roost].
Annesley Pit Top - Lesser Redpoll [in mixed flock], Siskin [in mixed flock], 2 Stonechat [male & female near bottom lagoon].

Sat 15th Dec

Nuthall - 1 Grey Wagtail [Verge Wood/Temple Lake].
Holme Pierrepont - Greater Scaup [female on Blott's Pit].
Hoveringham Gravel Pits - New Pit: Green Sandpiper, Common Redshank, 12 Eurasian Teal. Super Pit: Black-throated Diver [at 13:05 among big gulls at the west end of the pit, made its way through the ‘straits' into the Railway Lake], 4 Goosander, 24 Common Goldeneye, 11 Whooper Swan, [15:05] 4 Redshank, 22 Common Snipe. Sailing Lake: 2 Whooper Swan [main gate], Glaucous Gull [possibly a 1st winter in the roost], 4 Shoveler, 4 Northern Pintail, Common Redshank, Smew [male on Nursery Pit].

Fri 14th Dec

Hoveringham Gravel Pits - Big Pit: 4 Jack Snipe, 10 Common Snipe, Redshank, Green Sandpiper, 64 Great Black-backed Gull, Kingfisher [woodland ditch]. New Pit: 2 Green Sandpiper.

Thu 13th Dec

Arnot Hill Park - 11 Tufted Duck, 7 Red-crested Pochard, 35+ Black-headed Gull, 5 Siskin [in Chaffinch flock], Chaffinch [large flock], 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Nuthatch, 16+ Long-tailed Tit, 23 Goldfinch, 1 Sparrowhawk.
Nottingham Racecourse - Stonechat [female], 2 Meadow Pipit, Jack Snipe, 8 Common Gull, 5 Herring Gull.
Colwick Country Park - Hall Lake: 22 Shoveler. West Lake: Smew [female], 22 Gadwall, 41 Eurasisan Wigeon. Trout Lake: 3 Red-crested Pochard, Mandarin Duck.
Besthorpe - Snowy Owl [an unconfirmed report west of the Trent near Besthorpe of a very white owl much bigger than a Barn Owl].

Wed 12th Dec

Hoveringham - Black-throated Diver [still present on Railway Lake].
Colwick Woods - 1 Merlin [hunting Chaffinches], 1 Treecreeper, 1 Nuthatch.
Nottingham City Centre - c.850 Pied Wagtail [in roost outside The Bell].
Newark - Water Rail [Cottam cycle track again. Along the dyke just past London Road bridge].

Tue 11th Dec

Stapleford - 2 Siskin [over].
Hoveringham - Railway Lake: 1 Black-throated Diver. Sailing Lake: 5 Whooper Swan [in the field adjacent to the track].
Attenborough Nature Reserve - 2 Bittern [from the Delta hide].
Widmerpool - Little Owl [calling in tree at Manor Farm].
Newark - Water Rail [Cottam cycle track 14:00. Along the dyke just past London Road bridge].

Mon 10th Dec

Hoveringham - Railway Lake: 1 Black-throated Diver [near road, SK686470], 1 Merlin.

Sun 9th Dec

Budby - 30+ Brambling [in large finch flock near flooded field west of Budby at about SK605705].
Clifton Grove - Holme Pit: Cetti's Warbler [Heard calling very briefly in the far left corner of the pit at 13:00. Very vocal at 13:15 and showing on and off. Otherwise very elusive.], 6 Stonechat [on fence posts between Beeston Weir and Holme Pit], 20+ Meadow Pipit, Skylark [smaller numbers], 2 Water Rail [calling on Holme Pit], Fieldfare, Redwing.
Holme Pierrepont - Blott's Pit: 5 Common Snipe, Common Redshank, 30 Northern Lapwing, Water Rail. A52 Pit: Mediterranean Gull, 90 Northern Lapwing.
Hoveringham - Railway Lake: 1 Black-throated Diver, 2 Peregrine, 17 Goosander.

Sat 8th Dec

Colwick Country Park - West Lake: Smew [female favouring the east end of the lake], 26 Eurasian Wigeon, 24 Gadwall. Hall Lake: 16 Shoveler. Trout Lake: 33 Northern Lapwing, 6 Common Goldeneye, 30 Common Pochard, 4 Red-crested Pochard, Mandarin Duck, Black Swan, Mediterranean Gull [log boom] Lesser Black-backed Gull, Kingfisher.

Fri 7th Dec

West Leake - 1 Little Egret [feeding in grass fields west of west leake].
Colwick Country Park - Racecourse: 11 Meadow Pipit. West Lake: Smew [female], Goldeneye [single male]. Trout Lake: 4 Red-crested Pochard, 12 Shoveler, Mandarin Duck, Mediterranean Gull [log boom until 14:45].

Wed 5th Dec

Nottingham General Cemetary - 1 Merlin [feeding on what appeared to be a Brambling], Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch.
Nottingham City Centre - c.700 Pied Wagtail [Angel Row roost].
Colwick Country Park - West Lake: Smew [female], 24 Eurasian Wigeon. Trout Lake: Mediterranean Gull [adult on log boom], Mandarin Duck, 4 Red-crested Pochard, 5 Siskin.

Tue 4th Dec

Bestwood Country Park - Mill Lakes: 50+ Siskin [flock of 50-60 along western bank of lake].

Mon 3rd Dec

Colwick Country Park - Racecourse: Stonechat [female], 9 Meadow Pipit, 4 Common Gull, Yellow-legged Gull. Nature Reserve/Hall Lake: 6 Redwing, 19 Shoveler. Trout Lake: 33 Northern Lapwing, Mandarin Duck, 2 Red-crested Pochard, 2 Mistle Thrush, 5 Siskin [Loop Bank]. West Lake: Smew [female], 23 Eurasian Wigeon.

Sun 2nd Dec

Holme Pierrepont - Blott's Pit: 2 Common Redshank, 5 Meadow Pipit, Skylark [over to NW], A52 Pit: 950 Eurasian Wigeon, 14 Common Goldeneye, 125 Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe.

Sat 1st Dec

Hoveringham - New Workings: 27 Eurasian Teal, 4 Common Redshank, Common Buzzard. Big Pit: 300 Northern Lapwing [over], 2 Common Redshank, 12 Common Goldeneye, 9 Goosander. Sailing Lake: 2 Whooper Swan [main gate].

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