Sunday Walk 19/01/2025

A small group of our members braved the cold, misty, murk on our monthly Sunday morning walk in January at Draycote Reservoir. Fortunately not windy or wet, but the visibility could have been better, however we were treated at the start with a Ferruginous Duck close in by the Pontoons. It was close enough for John to photograph, plus a number of little grebe always a delight.

We continued along the Dam wall buzzed by the numerous cyclists and joggers, still ticking off Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush and Redwing on the grassland below, whilst on the water to our left dozens of Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck and Mallard dived and dabbled. We were always scanning across the reservoir, without any luck, for the expected Red-throated Diver until the central waters were taken over by windsurfers and sail boats effectively splitting the reservoir in two.

We continued to check out Toft Bay with large numbers of birds present, mainly Tufty and Coot, very few Gulls. The only other finds were 1 Greylag, 3 Canada geese and 5 Common Pochard.

Rather than walk all the way round we decided to double back and head for Rainbow Corner past the Sailing Club on advice we'd pickup. We managed to add to our list a couple of Chiff Chaff and a small flock of Long-tailed Tit feeding in the grassland, plus Golden eye and Goosander on the water, but frustratingly no sign of the Red Throated Diver.

With our Parking tickets running out we headed back, with the boats leaving the water as well.  Shortly after, I discovered the Diver was recorded as we were driving away, just our luck....

Apart from pervious mentioned - Grey Heron, Moorhen, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Woodpigeon, Black-Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull.

Total - 30 species.                 

Report by Nev Weston

Featured pic is the Ferruginous Duck by John Taylor 19/01/24 at Draycote Water. Sometimes called the White-eyed duck.

Sunday 19th March - walk at Swithland

Hi Everyone,

It turned into a pleasant morning on Sunday at Swithland Reservoir. The weather was a bit grey, but when the sun came out it was lovely apart from the midges all along the dam. Fortunately, they weren’t biting. Although, we didn’t see a great deal, it was good to get out. The grey wagtails were impressive in colour and numbers. A few sand martins were seen, but too distant for a good view. They were trying to mob two of the buzzards, which throughout the morning were circling overhead. The patterns on their undersides could at times be clearly seen without binoculars. Tufted ducks were in greater numbers than anything else, which was not what we had seen at Rutland Water the previous month although as we left the dam end many black-headed gulls had begun to gather. Other notable sights, sadly, were the bodies and feathers of a few gulls plus one sick bird which we put down to avian flu. Your thoughts go to the other birds particularly the buzzards, corvids and animals which might be tempted to scavenge. We need to see an end to this terrible disease. Also, in a field up the lane towards the railway, there was the partially decomposed remains of a young badger - a victim of avian flu and later scavengers or an attack from something larger. All sobering sights! We went round to the other end of the Reservoir on the Ridings. However, there little new to add to the mornings tally. Bird list: Canada geese 4, Greylag geese 2, Mute swans, Gadwalls 3, Mallards a few, Tufted ducks 40-50, Pheasant, Feral pigeons a few, Wood pigeons , Coots, Great Crested Grebes 4, Black-headed gulls 50+, Grey heron, Little egret, Buzzards 4, Peregrine, Jackdaws, Carrion crows, Blue tits many, Great tits a few, Chiff Chaff, Blackbird, Robin, House Sparrows, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail 4, Pied Wagtails, Chaffinches, Goldfinches Sand Martins 4 seen by Madeleine, Goldcrests pair seen by Angie, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, Green Woodpecker calling

Burbage Bird Club Meeting 14/11/22

Hi Everyone,

I hope I find you all fit and well. This is a quick reminder that Mr Nicholas Watts from Vine House Farm in Lincolnshire is to give a talk and presentation next Monday evening on 14th November at 7.30pm in the Sapcote Church Hall.

Vine House Farm is in partnership with 46 Wildlife Trusts covering the UK, Isle of Man and Alderney. By buying bird food, feeders, nest boxes etc. we are not only caring for wildlife and our own well being, but supporting our local Wildlife Trusts enabling them to stand up for wildlife wild places. Please come along to support them.

A walk will be organised for Sunday 20th. I am definitely walking! I am on a fitness kick.

Best Wishes, Madeleine