LATEST SIGHTINGS 2008
Thurs 3rd July
6 singing Corn Bunting Clifton Pasture . 1 Barn Owl hunting dangerously close to passing Lorry's along the grass verges at the side of the A453. 4 Common Buzzard over the Drift Lane plantation.
Weds 2nd July
Small group of 32 Linnet & Greenfinch by Clifton Bridge. 2 Sparrowhawk hunting along the cycle track. 2 Singing Sedge Warbler, 2 singing Reed Bunting and several Common Whitethroat in the rough grass along the River. 3 Common Tern on the river.
Juv Robin - Clifton Bridge
Tues 1st July
Lesser Whitethroat near branshill ponds, also nesting pair of Bullfinch. 2 Common Buzzard over Branshill Wood. 2 Herring Gull over Barton Flash. 1 rather cute looking young Rabbit near Branshill Ponds.
Rabbit - Barton-in-Fabis
Mon 30th June
Numerous singing Reed and Sedge Warbler on Holme Pit. The pair of Mute Swan that had 4 young cygnets seem to have had a real bad time this summer as only one cygnet has survived and one of the adult birds is missing with lots of wing feathers by the cow drink, so it looks as though a fox has taken it.
Mute Swan Cygnet - Holme Pit
Sat 28th June
2 Juv Northern Wheatear seen in the area near Beeston Weir this morning was a very unexpected sighting. Northern Wheatear is a regular passage migrant to the area in spring and autumn but there are no records of this species breeding in the area. The sighting of two Juv birds is an extremely rare occurrence and with two present in the same area it must be almost certain that breeding has took place in the area. Both birds were first seen at 11.30am feeding on the manure heap on the track next to Beeston weir and One bird was still present in the area at 3.00pm.
Juv Northern Wheatear - Beeston Weir.
Other sightings were 2 Lesser Whitethroat again in the large Oak between Clifton and Branshill Wood.
Good numbers of Corn Bunting and Yellow Wagtail on a late evening visit to Clifton Pasture. Also numerous Brown Hare in the area.
Weds 25th June
I spent this evening counting singing Corn Bunting on Clifton Pasture. 9 singing males were located in a two hour search of the area plus a further 5 birds that were seen near to the singing males so i presume that these were females.
Corn Buntings - Clifton Pasture.
Tues 24th June
very quite with not much about this evening with 1 Garden Warbler in Branshill Wood and 2 Common Buzzard over. Common Coot with 3 newly fledged young on Branshill Ponds.
Common Buzzard - Barton-in-Fabis
Mon 23rd June
2 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Garden Warbler in the large Oak between Branshill & Clifton Wood. 2 Common Buzzard and the Red-tailed Hawk over Branshill Wood. Still good numbers of singing Corn Bunting at various locations in the area.
Lesser Whitethroat - Barton-in-Fabis
Sun 22nd June
A late evening visit after arriving back from a 3 day trip to North Norfolk. 6 Corn Bunting in the Drift Lane and Clifton Pasture area. 2 Common Buzzard displaying over the small copse on Clifton Pasture. 10 Yellow Wagtail with 6 on Drift Lane and 4 on Clifton Pasture.
Weds 18th June
Red Kite reported near Barton Lane this afternoon but no sign of it this evening.
Mon 16th June
Lots of fledglings in the area this evening with at least 8 young Common Whitethroat near Branshill ponds been fed by both adult birds. 3 Common Buzzard and the Red-tailed Hawk again over Branshill Wood. male Corn Bunting in the barton area was seen mating with a female that had joined him whilst he was singing.
Common Whitethroat - Barton-in-Fabis
Sun 15th June
2 Cuckoo seen flying over fields at the back of Holme Pit, also 1 Hobby hawking Dragonflies over Holme Pit.
1 Common Buzzard and the Red-tailed Hawk sat in the dead tree facing Branshill Wood. 3 singing Corn Bunting in the Barton area this evening.
Sat 14th June
An excellent year for Corn Bunting holding territory in the area this summer with 4 singing males seen in the Barton area and a further 9 on Clifton Pasture in the evening. 2 pairs are feeding young in two different locations with breeding possible at a further 2 sites.
Corn Bunting - Clifton Pasture
Other sightings today were 5 juv Tree Sparrow near Barton Flash. 3 Common Buzzard and the Red-tailed Hawk over Branshill Wood.
Weds 11th June
4 Corn Bunting this evening on Drift Lane with 2 singing males in different locations. 1 Hobby flew over the Drift lane Plantation heading towards Clifton Pasture also 2 Common Buzzard roosting in the plantation and 2 G.S.Woodpecker on the dead trees. 6 Yellow Wagtail seen in different locations in the wheat fields so are probley nesting in the area. 8 Skylark and 4 Brown Hare on the approch road . 2 Great Tit and 4 Pheasant feeding at the Hopper.
Tues 10th June
2 pairs of Corn Bunting showing very well this evening in the Barton-in-Fabis area. Good numbers of Yellow Wagtail on Drift Lane and Barton Lane. 2 Tree Sparrow in the horse paddocks in Barton village. 2 Common Buzzard & 1 Hobby over Branshill Wood. 50+House Martin collecting mud from the large puddles by Branshill Wood Ponds.
Sun 8th June
The Red-tailed Hawk was seen make at least 6 attempts at catching roosting Wood Pigeon in Branshill Wood this morning but all attempts were unsuccessful. Also 3 Common Buzzard and 1 Hobby in the area. Tawny, Little & Barn Owl all seen today with the Tawny in Clifton Wood, little Owl in the hedgerow near Barton Flash and the Barn in an undisclosed location. 10 newly fledged Tree Sparrow near Barton Flash with 3 Adult birds.
Sat 7th June
6 singing Corn Bunting on Clifton Pasture this morning with lots of activity by the two nest sites. One of the two nest sites in the Barton area seems to have failed as no Corn Buntings were seen in the area after a 2hr watch, but feeding was very frequent on the second nest site. 2 Hobby seen displaying over Barton Lane mid morning.
Thurs 5th June
2 Tawny Owl in Clifton Grove on a very late evening visit looking for owls in the area.
Weds 4th June
2 Pairs of corn Bunting watched actively feeding young birds at two nest sites in the Barton-in-Fabis area this evening. 8 Tree Sparrow consisting mainly of young birds seen near the river near Barton Flash. The Red-tailed Hawk was seen sitting in its nest in Branshill Wood.
Tues 3rd June
12 singing Corn Bunting on Clifton Pasture this evening and a further 5 singing birds in an area in Barton-in-Fabis. Breeding was confirmed at both sites with 4 nest found in the area.
Sun 1st June
1 Grey Wagtail on the sluice Gates on Beeston Weir also breeding pair of Pied Wagtail. 8 singing Sedge Warbler in brambles near the weir. Tawny Owl sat out in the open on the edge of Clifton Wood but flew off into the wood just as i was about to take a photo. Again good numbers of singing Song Thrush in the wood. 10 Reed Warbler singing on Holme pit and 2 Sedge Warbler.
Song Thrush - Clifton Woods
Sat 31st May
10 Yellow Wagtail and 4 Corn Bunting on Drift Lane early morning. Common Buzzard, Red-tailed Hawk, 4 Sparrow Hawk and Hobby over Branshill Wood. Nesting pair of Tree Sparrow in the Barton-in-Fabis area. 2 Garden Warbler, 8 Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, & 10 Blackcap in Branshill Wood.
Singing Yellow Wagtail - Drift Lane
Friday 30th May
Such a commotion down the Grove this evening with Magpies and Blackbirds going bonkers. It was quite obvious that they had found something not to there liking. Searching the area where all the action had been resulted in finding a newly fledged Tawny Owl trying its hardest to hide on the edge of the wood. Worried that this little fluff-ball could be pick up by anyone walking past i decided (against all my instinct to leave it where it was) to pick it up and take it away from the footpath and placed it in cover below a tree in the wood. I stayed out of view and continued to watch as it clumsily climbed up the tree. Then to my surprise an adult Tawny appeared and flew to were the chick was sat and gave it a freshly caught mouse which it swallow in one gulp. This was one of those special moments that in my 30 years of birdwatching only happens once or twice and will stay with me forever. It also makes watching the same area each weekend and most nights in the summer months all the more worthwhile.
Tawny Owl Chick -Clifton Grove.
Thurs 29th May
Hobby seen to catch a Swift over fields near Clifton Bridge this evening. 5 singing Song Thrush between Clifton Bridge and the entrance to the Grove.
Weds 28th May
Kingfisher fishing on the small Brock that runs through Clifton Wood. 7 singing Song Thrush between Clifton Hall and Beeston Weir. 2 Sedge Warbler and 7 Reed Warbler on Holme Pit. Large numbers of Common Swift feeding over Clifton Wood.
Sat/Sun 24th/25th May
Extremely quite throughout the area this weekend, with very strong winds in the area. A visit to Clifton Pasture did produce good numbers of Yellow Wagtail(scarce this year near the river) and 1 Hobby so a return visit will be made when the winds drop.
Mon 17th May
1 possibly 2 reeling Grasshopper Warbler's by the small pond facing the Rougth Wood. At least 10 singing Reed Warbler were on Holme Pit this evening. The Tawny Owl was once again seen roosting in the same location as yesterday in Clifton Woods.
Sun 18th May
After 2 weeks away it was very noticeable that there was a large increase in migrants now settled in the area with most birds now breeding . A Tawny Owl seen in Clifton Wood continulously mobbed by blackbirds was the sighting of the day.
Tues 29th April
A walk along the river from Clifton Bridge to the Grove this evening was a lot quieter than i expected with very few migrants seen. 2 Singing Sedge Warbler near fairham Brook, 2 Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Tern, and small numbers of Hirundine.
This is the last daily report until 17th May as I fly to Lesvos tomorrow night to hopfully catch the main spring migration pass through the Island.
Mon 28th April
Lots of newly arrived Warblers in the area this evening with 5 singing Reed Warbler on Holme Pit, 7 Sedge Warbler along the side of the river near Beeston Weir, 1 Garden Warbler singing in Clifton Wood and lots of Common Whitethroat in various locations. 6 Common Tern on the river by Beeston Weir and 11 Common Swift.
Sun 27th April
2 Oystercatcher on Barton Flash this afternoon plus 2 Common Swift over. 1 Lesser Whitethroat singing in the brambles by the ponds in front of Branshill Wood. 5 Common Buzzard and the Red-tailed Hawk over Branshill Wood.
Weds 23rd April
Reed & Sedge Warbler in various locations this evening also lots of new Common Whitethroat in the area. 1 Kingfisher near Beeston Weir and 2 Grey Partridge in field near the Rough Wood.
Tues 22nd April
A party of 14 Arctic Tern's past Barton Flash heading towards derby's at 7.00pm, also 6 Common Tern on the river and 1 Oystercatcher on the Flash. 1 Cuckoo heard calling from the fields near Branshill Wood.
Mon 21st April
The first Common Whitethroat of the year seen this evening calling from the brambles in front of Branshill Wood ponds also 1 House Martin seen near Barton village feeding with several Swallow. 9 Fieldfare, 2 Red-Legged Partridge,and 10 Meadow Pipit feeding in the rough field this evening but no sign of any Ring Ouzel.
Sun 20th April
2 male Ring Ouzel in the rough field facing Branshill Wood at 10.30am. Both birds were feeding near to a small group of Fieldfare on the far side of the field, very wary so only a few distant photo's were taken. Both birds were presant until 11.30am when they flew off high over towards Mill Hill. This is surprisingly the first record of Ring Ouzel to the area. Also 2 Yellow Wagtail in the same field. 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull flying low over holme pit was a good sighting.
2 Ring Ouzel - near Branshill Wood
Sat 19th April
10 Fieldfare in the rough field facing Branshill Wood. 2 singing Corn Bunting in the barton area. 2 Kingfisher nesting on the side of the river at Clifton Grove.
Thurs 17th April
1 Female Goosander on the river near Beeston Weir. 3 singing Chiffchaff and 2 Blackcap in Clifton Wood. 32 Linnet in trees near the Rough Wood. 1 Barn Owl hunting at the back of Holme Pit late evening.
Weds 16th April
A big influx of Hirundines in the area this evening with large numbers of Sand Martin & Barn Swallow. 5 late Fieldfare in the field near Barton Flash. No sign of yesterdays Rock pipit or anything else of interest in the field near the landing stage.
Tues 15th April
A very well marked Rock Pipit seen on the far side of the field near the landing stage feeding with a small group of Meadow Pipit, this is a new sighting for the area and a full account will be added to the scarce birds page shortly. Nearby were 2 male Northern Wheatear feeding in the same field but no sign of any wagtails on a very wet evening visit.
Map showing location of field "Ringed Red"
Mon 14th April
Visible migration was very much in evidence in the area this morning with quite a few new arrivals. 2 White Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 3 Northern Wheatear in the field behind the copse near the landing stage, Nearby were 7 Fieldfare. 32 Swallow and 233 Sand Martin counted over fields near Barton Flash. 15 Chiffchaff, 8 Blackcap and 3 Willow Warbler counted singing between Branshill Wood and the Rough Wood.
Sun 13th April
Despite promising conditions it was generally quite today with no visible passerine movement in the area. 6 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap and 2 Willow Warbler singing in Branshill Wood. 4 Swallow over the sheep fields near Barton Flash. 2 Corn Bunting singing in a new location was an excellent sighting. 3 of my Nest Boxs in the Clifton Grove area were been checked out by Tree Sparrow this morning