Welcome to the Website of the Nottinghamshire Birdwatchers

This page will be updated on a daily basis, to provide a convenient news service to scarce & rare birds found within the County Nottinghamshire.

The Sightings page and @Nottsbirders Twitter feed are intended to alert birders to scarcer species that they might be interested in seeing within the County.

Records of more common species should be submitted to Andy Hall the County Recorder, to be included in the monthly Newsletter and Annual Reports.

None of these reports have been verified or checked by the Notts Birdwatchers' Records Committee.

Records of certain species will not appear here during the breeding season - but please send in your reports regardless.

Please report your Latest Sightings to: Rob Hoare or @NottsBirders on the Twitter feed.

Friday 28th February

Langford Lowfields RSPB - Smew [female].

Mansfield - 60 Whooper Swan [north at 16:30].

Rufford Country Park - Firecrest.

Bennerley Marsh - Whooper Swan [single juvenile over to north-east], 80 Eurasian Wigeon, 2 Eurasian Teal, 95 Black-headed Gull, 14 Northern Lapwing, 30 Redwing, Song Thrush, 22 Goldfinch, 9 Bullfinch. Chat Corner: Common Snipe.

Thursday 27th February

Welbeck Watchpoint - 1 Goosander [drake], 5 Mandarin Duck [3 drakes].

Centre Parcs - Siskin [several], 3 Brambling, 1 Lesser Redpoll

Wednesday 26th February

Cotham Flash - Short-eared Owl, Iceland Gull.

Langford Lowfields RSPB - 6 Whooper Swan [2 adults and 4 juveniles on silt lagoon 7], Smew [female].

Attenborough Nature Reserve - Stonechat [female - Tween Scrape].

Kimberley - Red Kite.

East Stoke - River Trent: 20 Eurasian Wigeon, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Common Buzzard.

Rainworth - Merlin [male at Lurcher Farm].

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - 1 Smew, 1 Siberian Chiffchaff, 10+ Common Goldeneye, 10+ Oystercatcher, c.20 Common Shelduck [including 11 on Walters Pit], 4 Common Buzzard. Cross Lane Fisheries: 1 Slavonian Grebe Chainbridge Scrape: 5 Ruff, 6 Red-crested Pochard.

Clayworth Common - 37 Whooper Swan, 5 Egyptian Goose.

Tuesday 25th February

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - 1 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Ruff.

Clayworth Common - c.30 Whooper Swan.

Retford - Hallcroft Fisheries: 1 Siberian Chiffchaff.

Monday 24th February

Retford - Hallcroft Fisheries: 1 Firecrest.

Kings Mill Reservoir - Kittiwake.

Sunday 23rd February

Rufford Country Park - Hawfinch.

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - 1 Slavonian Grebe, 13 Red-crested Pochard, 1 Bittern, 28 Whooper Swan, 5 Ruff, 6 Oystercatcher, 1 Little Egret, 1 Egyptian Goose, c.100 Northern Shoveler, c.150 Eurasian Wigeon, c.50 Eurasian Teal, Meadow Pipit.

Attenborough Nature Reserve - Little Egret [Coneries Pond], Chiffchaff [Barton Lane], Herring Gull [Tween Pond], Lesser Black-backed Gull, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Gull [Clifton Pond], Bullfinch, Eurasian Jay, Little Grebe [Delta], Redwing, Fieldfare [across reserve], Reed Bunting [Clifton Pond], Goosander [all ponds and river].

Saturday 22nd February

South Muskham - 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Little Egret.

Sherwood Forest Nature Reserve - Marsh Tit.

Friday 21st February

Attenborough Nature Reserve - Coneries Pond: 2 Little Egret. Clifton Pond: 4 Common Goldeneye, 17 Northern Shoveler, 80 Eurasian Wigeon, Bittern, 3 Common Snipe, Pink-footed Goose. Barton Flash: Little Egret, 2 Oystercatcher. Works Pond: 5 Goosander, 1 Eurasian Teal, 2 Great Crested Grebe. Church Pond: 2 Egyptian Goose. 10 Gadwall, 3 Common Goldeneye, Common Pochard, 2 Northern Shoveler. Tween Pond: Common Shelduck, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Red-crested Pochard, 3 Common Snipe, 45 Northern Lapwing, Common Buzzard. Main Pond: 7 Goosander, 11 Great Crested Grebe. Delta: 7 Northern Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe.

Collingham Lakes - 2 Goosander [pair], 19 Common Redshank, 11 Common Shelduck, 3 Northern Pintail.

Oxton Bypass - Raven [over 07:00].

Rufford Country Park - 2 Red Kite [flying around main car park on and off from 14:45 to 16:00].

Thursday 20th February

Clumber Park - 2 Hawfinch [chapel area at 10:55].

Wednesday 19th February

Rufford Country Park - Hawfinch, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

Besthorpe NWT - Mons Pool: 90 Eurasian Wigeon, 60 Eurasian Teal, 3 Northern Pintail.

Collingham Lakes - c.700 Eurasian Wigeon, c.150 Eurasian Teal, 5 Northern Pintail, c.20 Common Goldeneye. Silt Pond: 2 Ringed Plover, c.35 Common Snipe, 17 Common Redshank.

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - 3 Water Rail [calling], 12 Common Shelduck, 12 Oystercatcher, 100+ Fieldfare ,40+ Redwing. Windsurf Pit: 13 Red–crested Pochard. Cross Lane Fisheries: 1 Slavonian Grebe. Chainbridge Scrape: 5 Ruff, 1 Common Snipe, 1+ Little Egret.

Clayworth Common - 25+ Whooper Swan, 11 Egyptian Goose.

Tuesday 18th February

Attenborough Nature Reserve - 1 Little Owl [far bank, 1+ miles upsteam of cottages]. Erewash Fields: 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Common Buzzard. Clifton Pond: 2 Water Rail [from Tower Hide], 1 Little Egret [over].

Welbeck Watchpoint - 5 Mandarin Duck [17:30].

Cotham Flash - 2 Short-eared Owl.

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - Slavonian Grebe.

Rufford Country Park - Hawfinch.

Monday 17th February

Clumber Park - 8 Hawfinch [chapel area at 10:55], 5 Mandarin Duck [near ornamental bridge].

Attenborough Nature Reserve - Clifton Pond: 2+ Bittern [3 sightings between 12:20 and 13:40 - over and in reed-beds], c.25 Common Snipe.

Langford Lowfields RSBP- c.120 Pink-footed Goose [over - north-west at 12:00].

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - Slavonian Grebe.

Holme Pierrepont - Smew, 2 Oystercatcher.

Rufford Country Park - Hawfinch.

Kilvington Lakes - 6 Whooper Swan [West Lake].

Sunday 16th February

Kilvington Lakes - 2 Common Shelduck, Common Pochard, Yellowhammer, Bullfinch, Skylark, Common Kestrel, Northern Shoveler, 4 Common Buzzard, Fieldfare, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Common Snipe.

Colwick Country Park - Eurasian Wigeon, Blackbird, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Northern Shoveler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen.

Misson - Slaynes Lane: 2 Stonechat, 1 Ringed Plover, 7 Common Shelduck, 8 Whooper Swan.

Bassingfield - 2 Whooper Swan [West Lake].

Saturday 15th February

Gedling Pit Top - Stonechat [male], c.50 Skylark, c.30 Meadow Pipit.

Friday 14th February

Rufford Country Park - Hawfinch.

Collingham Lakes- c.300 Eurasian Wigeon, 10 Common Goldeneye, 20 Tufted Duck. Plus: 4 Roe Deer.

Thursday 13th February

Collingham Lakes - c.50 Mute Swan [adjacent field], c.750 Eurasian Wigeon, c.150 Eurasian Teal, 4 Northern Pintail, c.20 Goldeneye, 2 Goosander, 19 Common Redshank [Silt Pond].

Girton Gravel Pits - c.20 Common Goldeneye, c.1500 European Golden Plover.

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - Slavonian Grebe, Marsh Harrier [Cross Lane Fishing Lake], 11 Red-crested Pochard [Windsurf Pool], Oystercatcher, Little Egret, 5 Ruff, Common Snipe, 3 Northern Pintail [Chainbridge Scrape East].

Bassingfield - 2 Whooper Swan [with 50+ Mute Swan - between airport and Grantham Canal].

Wednesday 12th February

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - Bellmoor Lake: 20 Goosander. Bellmoor Ponds: 2 Common Redpoll, 20 Lesser Redpoll, c.20 Siskin, 6 Bullfinch. Bunker Wood: 40 Siskin.

Clifton - Little Egret.

Tuesday 11th February

South Muskham - 1 Mediterranean Gull [adult in roost again], 6 Yellow-legged Gull, 23 Common Goldeneye.

Attenborough Nature Reserve - Clifton Pond: 2+ Bittern, 12 Common Snipe, 1 Water Rail.

Monday 10th February

Sherwood Forest NNR - Budby Forest South: 14 Parrot Crossbill.

Langford Lowfields RSPB - Smew, Chiffchaff Jack Snipe.

Collingham Lakes - c.300 Eurasian Wigeon, 22 Common Goldeneye.

Kings Mill Reservoir - 1 Northern Gannet [adult winter], Willow Tit.

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - c.30 Whooper Swan [Clayworth Common], c.200 Pink-footed Goose [north-west], 1 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Ruff, 5 Common Snipe.

Sunday 9th February

Clayworth Common - 14+ Whooper Swan, 12 Egyptian Goose.

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - 1 Slavonian Grebe [11:30 Cross Lane Fisheries], 1 Red-crested Pochard [Windsurf Pool].

Kings Mill Reservoir - 1 Northern Gannet [adult winter].

Clumber Park - 22 Mandarin Duck, 9 Goosander, Water Rail, 12 Common Pochard, 1 Common Goldeneye [male],40+ Siskin, 4 Common Crossbill, 25+ Brambling.

Saturday 8th February

Bentinck Void - 2 Jack Snipe.

Holme Pierrepont - 1 Raven [west over hall], Smew [2 males & 2 females on works pond].

Budby Pumping Station - 6 Mealy Redpoll, Common Shelduck [drake], Raven, Mandarin Duck [numerous].

Friday 7th February

Collingham Lakes - c.300 Eurasian Wigeon, c.100 Eurasian Starling, 5 Common Goldeneye, 1 Merlin. Plus: 4 Roe Deer.

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - Slavonian Grebe [small pit opposite ski club access gate].

Thursday 6th February

Clayworth Common - 20+ Whooper Swan, 10 Egyptian Goose.

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - Neatholme Fen: 2 Common Shelduck, 1 Little Egret. Neatholme Scrape: 4+ Common Shelduck. Windsurf Pit: 1 Red-crested Pochard. Chainbridge Scrape: 1 Little Egret, 1 Common Shelduck, 1 Oystercatcher.

Sherwood Forest NNR - Budby Forest South: 14 Parrot Crossbill.

Rufford Country Park - 2 Hawfinch.

Tuesday 5th February

Rainworth - 1 Raven [Lurcher Farm - to south-west].

Besthorpe / Girton- River Trent: c.600 Eurasian Starling, c.250 Northern Lapwing, c.60 Pink-footed Goose.

Langford Lowfields RSPB - 1 Smew [female on silt lagoon 7].

Nottingham - 1 Red Kite [high over arboretum at 09:10 - drifting north-east].

Retford - Hallcroft Fisheries: Lesser Whitethroat.

Cromwell - 16 Whooper Swan, 22 Mute Swan, 3 Eurasian Curlew.

Monday 4th February

Idle Valley Nature Reserve - Marsh Harrier [around Mattersey Priory], 8 Egyptian Goose, 16 Whooper Swan.

Clayworth Common - Neatholme Pit: 4 Northern Pintail, 6 Goosander.

Rufford Country Park - 2 Hawfinch.

Sherwood Forest NNR - Budby Forest South: 1 Common Crossbill.

South Muskham - 31 Whooper Swan [all adults on lake by A616].

Attenborough Nature Reserve - Clifton Pond: 7 Common Snipe, 1 Water Rail, 3+ Bittern [mainly in the edge/middle of reed-beds. At least one bird visible over a 2 ½ hours from 12:10 - including one swimming].

Sunday 3rd February

Rufford Country Park - Hawfinch.

Girton - River Trent: c.200 Greylag Goose, c.80 Pink-footed Goose.

Besthorpe NWT - Mons Pool: c.100 Eurasian Wigeon, c.250 Eurasian Teal, 6 Northern Pintail.

Collingham Lakes - c.950 Eurasian Wigeon, c.150 Eurasian Teal, c.25 Common Goldeneye, 1 Merlin, c.15 Common Redshank [Silt Pond].

Newstead & Annesley Country Park - 15 Whooper Swan, 3 Grey Partridge, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Brambling, 2 Skylark, 10 Common Pochard

Saturday 2nd February

Sherwood Forest NNR - Budby Forest South: c.12 Parrot Crossbill.

Stoke Bardolph - 3 Common Chiffchaff [sewage works].

Caythorpe - c.30 Mistle Thrush, 1 Little Egret, 1 Woodcock [over].

Sherwood Forest NNR - Budby Forest South: Parrot Crossbill.

Clumber Park - Tawny Owl, 12 Mandarin Duck, 4 Common Crossbill, 2 Marsh Tit, Grey Wagtail.

Friday 1st February

Sherwood Forest NNR - Budby Forest South: c.9 Parrot Crossbill.

Budby Pumping Station - 4 Brambling.

Idle Washlands - Eurasian Wigeon [in large flock of c.2500 wildfowl].

Many thanks to:

Andrew Allsop, Simon Barsby, M R Bartle, Chris Bell, Paul Bennett, Ian Bollen, Sue Bollen, R M Box, Robin Brace, Alan Bradley, Neil Brown, Andrew Capstick, Andrew Chick, Jim Clarke, Jan Thompson, Les Fisher, Andy Franklin, David John Freeman, Sheila Freeman, Glyn Fuller, Jeffrey Gellion, Tom Hibbert, Robert Hilton, Ian Hurst, Dave Jones, Mike Leatherland, Alistair Macdougall, Neil Matthews, Josse McMahon, Nigel Mill, Chris Overton, Karl Proctor, Dave Read, Martin Russell, Alan Scrimshaw, Mark Tyler, Robert Tyler, Jonathan Waite, Pete Warren, Mark Wilde, John Wilson.