Nosterfield Bird Review November 2024

Lower Ure Conservation Trust 

Nosterfield Bird Review November 2024

by Andrew (Andy) M Hanby

Winter Morning Simon Warwick

The month opened with 22 Whooper Swans through and more excitingly, four Short-eared Owls around the Henges, all on 1st.  Sadly, the number of Short-eared Owls then dwindled, with the last sighting on 11th.  Throughout the month Bittern, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine and Great White Egret made sporadic appearances.

Short-eared Owl Dave Ward

The 2nd was a very nice day, with Little Gull again on Flasks Lake and a Red-breasted Merganser on Langwith Lake. Amazingly, the next day, the ‘merganser’ was now ‘Mergansers’ with a total of five now on Langwith.  The next few days saw a minor celebrity appearance in the form of a male Mandarin Duck on 4th, a day which also saw 300 Pink-footed Geese through, heading north.

Red-breasted Merganser Tim Jones

The recording area’s ‘year list’ hit the bonus button on 7th when a Red-throated Diver flew east over Flasks Lake towards Lingham Lake, but sadly, could not be re-located.  The Little Gull re-emerged on 8th, a day when two Stonechat were again seen and the local Linnet flock peaked at 170.

The 9th was a good day for armchair birdwatchers.  A visible migration watch from Well bend yielded an impressive 760 Fieldfare moving south-west, counted from the comfort of a deckchair!  Even more comfortable, from the warmth of the observer’s home, a Bar-tailed Godwit was discovered in a video he had taken of Curlew moving over the South Henge.  For the more ambulatory, a flock of six Brambling down Green Lane was a great find.

Bar-tailed Godwit Tim Scott

On 10th, the local gull expert was strategically deployed to Langwith Lake and was rewarded by good numbers of gulls, including three first calendar-year Caspian Gulls, as well as a Green Sandpiper.  The next day two Caspian Gulls came into roost.  Additionally, a Ruddy Shelduck accompanied the Greylag flock, which, during the month, proved to be a magnet for itinerant wildfowl.

Be like Nathan and Tim - check the Greylag Goose flocks!

Nathan Beer: Barnacle Goose and Whooper Swan

Tim Jones: Ruddy Shelduck

A veritable herd of 438 Pink-footed Geese chose to feed in the recording area on 12th and 530 headed north over the area the next day.  Meanwhile, Bittern continued to be seen intermittently.  A Raven flew north on 16th; despite raven country being not too far away, this is a hard species to get to grips with in the recording area.  Chiffchaff and two Dippers were recorded on 17th.  It is worth noting that a productive stretch of the River Ure, from the bridge in West Tanfield, to a little downstream of Sleningford Lock, is in our recording area and is a regular haunt of Dipper, which breed (possibly two pairs), as well as Grey Wagtail and Goosander.

The finale of the month was provided on 29th, with a Tundra Bean Goose flying north over the South Henge, five Bramblingat the dipping pond and a female Red-crested Pochard on Ladybridge Lake.

Red-crested Pochard Tim Jones

Brambling Nathan Beer

Evening Flight David Saunders

Nosterfield Bird Review October 2024

Lower Ure Conservation Trust 

Nosterfield Bird Review October 2024 

by Andrew (Andy) M Hanby

Optimistic October Observers (“OOO”) are bird look-out team                 Gareth Jones

After a slow first of the month, the 2nd was an exciting day with four Gannets over, and on, the Reserve, almost certainly part of the flock seen earlier by a visible migration team at Ozendyke on the Lower Wharfe.  It has been some while before this impressive oceanic species has been seen in the recording area.   A Knot was also present.

Gannet                                                      Tim Jones

The next day continued the thread of Marsh Harrier sightings, with an adult male in the area.  During the month at least three different birds were seen including the young, yellow wing-tagged bird ‘AD’, originally from Cambridgeshire.

Another good day on 4th, with a Pectoral Sandpiper on the main Reserve.  It has been a couple of years since the last record of this scarce North American (and Siberian) wader, so it was good that it lingered until 27th and put on a good show for many visitors.  Also present was a Garganey; this was also a long stayer, last being seen on 29th.

Pectoral Sandpiper                                             Dave Ward

Three Whooper Swans passed through on 5th, the first of a total of 103 bird days for the month, with a peak of 21 through and six about on 19th.

Great White Egrets still made appearances through the month, with two present on 6th. 

The 12th was interesting with a Mediterranean Gull on Flasks Lake, a Brambling down Green Lane and five Pintail flew over, heading south.

Bittern Mike Smithson

Bittern (above) and Cetti’s Warbler (below) were regularly seen.

Cetti’s Warbler Matthew Cormack

In recent years Pochard have been a notably scarce species in the recording area, with eight being the maximum count in the last four Octobers, therefore 18 on 14th was very notable.  However, remarkably, the numbers escalated, hitting 63 on 22nd, making it a commoner diving duck than Tufted Duck, in the area!

The 15th was a day of many parts, well partridges anyway, with 18 Grey and 14 Red-legged Partridges.  An optimist would suggest successful breeding; the realist, the release of pen-reared birds for the demands of the ‘sporting’ season. 

The following day revealed further evidence of the progress towards winter, with 50 Redwing in the area, coinciding with the first big arrivals of this species on the Yorkshire coast, with both Spurn and Flamborough recording over 7,000 birds.

Peregrine                   Dave Ward

Jay                 Debbie Drake

The mid-potion of the month was regaled by Sanderling on 17th and juvenile Little Gull on 23rd.

Incidentally, there were then three more ’spread-out’  Little Gull sightings into November, each time first calendar-year birds – creating some unresolved head scratching about whether one or several individuals were involved.  During this mid-term period, impressive counts of 101 Goldfinch and 153 Linnet were also logged, whilst the last two Swallows were reported on 19th.

Little Gull                                                                    Tim Jones

As the month draw to a close, a very late Hobby was reported on 24th, but the finale was provided by the discovery of a Short-eared Owl roaming the South and Middle Henges on 30th, with two there the next day.  This species is by no means a regular species in the area, and these were very welcome performers for all into the start of November.

Short-eared Owl                                                                         Diane Smiley

Nosterfield Bird Review September 2024

Lower Ure Conservation Trust

Nosterfield Bird Review September 2024

by Andrew (Andy) M Hanby

Hobby Matthew Cormack

The first day of September presented some overhead movement, with two Greenshank heading south-west and three Ruff and 96 Swallow moving north-east.  A few warblers including three Cetti’s Warblers were documented and three Egyptian Geese were present at the start of a three day stay.  Probably most notable and heartening was another sighting of Tree Sparrow….

Egyptian Goose Tim Jones

The next day both Little Stint and Bittern were seen.  These, along with regular sightings of up to three Hobby were thematic for the month.  Little Stints peaked at three on 5th, with the last of the month on 14th.  Often two Bittern were seen and on 16th, three!  Successful breeding seems likely to have occurred, but was not proven

Little Stint Tim Jones

The first sighting of Garganey occurred on 3rd (with subsequent observations on 12 dates  until 30th), but more notable for us was a brief visit by six Little Gulls to Flasks Lake.

I confess my own acceleration from excited to blasé about some species does cause me some introspection and this can be said about Great White Egret, with two birds making a one day visit on 4th and again on 25th.   I’m not sure when the first record occurred, but in 2021 this species was seen on seven dates, with a peak of just one individual.  By the end of September 2024, birds had been seen on 67 days, with up to four present on several days.  It is easy to see why it is rapidly falling off the list of birds requiring descriptions.  At Rutland Water counts of over 100 have occurred on a single day in September, which gives some idea of the trajectory we are also on!

Unfortunately, warblers are generally not diligently looked for and counted in autumn, as rival excitements on the mud and water distract from rummaging around in the bushes.  It was therefore encouraging to have a count of seven Chiffchaffs from one observer on 6th.  This was from a regular count walk he does, a method worth recommending to others and given the size of the route, one could easily extrapolate to a whole recording area tally exceeding 40 birds.

The fanfare of autumn was sounded overhead by Pink-footed Geese moving south on 10th.  The next day, in with the general build-up of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, was the first of probably three different Caspian Gulls on Flasks Lake.  Two were present on 12th, as well as a peak of 800 Lesser Black-backs and a one day visit by a solitary Black Tern.

Caspian Gull Tim Jones

Generally, our local breeding Avocets are gone by mid-July, so three feeding on Flasks Lake on 14th represented migrant individuals.

Avocets Tim Jones

 A single Spotted Flycatcher on 16th was the only one of the month.  Things then calmed down for a while, with an easterly airflow bringing excitement to the Yorkshire coast and disappointment to landlocked birders averse to long drives.  This weather did, however, lead to arrivals of Bramblings throughout the county and the Nosterfield recording area got its share with five in a garden in Well on 22nd.   

By 23rd, the autumnal duck build-up was well underway, with nine Pintail and 113 Teal.  Some wader action was also notable, with a Knot on Flasks Lake and a count of 23 Snipe.

Knot Tim Jones

A count of six Red Kite on 25th was highest of the year and potentially indicative of local breeding success.  Also present were Wheatear, Stonechat, Yellow Wagtail and two Whooper Swans.  A count of six Jay was reported, and it is worth noting that there are hints of a Jay irruption occurring, with higher than usual numbers at visible migration sites.

On 27th a Spotted Redshank was seen by one observer on the Reserve and on 30th, an Arctic Tern made an appearance.

Green Woodpecker Dave Ward

Nosterfield Bird Review - August 2024

Lower Ure Conservation Trust 

Nosterfield Bird Review August 2024

by Andrew (Andy) M Hanby

Bittern Matthew McCormack

The first day of the month was a thematic prequel for continuing threads, with 202 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Bittern.  Both species were then part of the back-drop, with two Bittern seen on three dates.

Garganey John MacLoughlin

The next day, Garganey, Osprey and the family of four Marsh Harriers were all seen and continued to be seen till the month’s end, with two Garganey from 23rd to 26th.  There were 24 bird days of Osprey – with up to three birds on any one day and a minimum of six different individuals throughout the period.

Osprey Dave Ward

Regular sightings of up to two Hobbies, two Red Kites and multiple Common Buzzards added to the raptor density.

Hobby Dave Ward

Egrets continued to add to the Carmargue-like atmosphere of the area, with a count of 59 Little Egrets on 4th being a new record for the recording area, which was soon surpassed by 63 on 12th!

Waders were represented by low numbers of the usual suspects, so therefore two Sanderling on 9th were a welcome surprise.  The next day was also of interest, with a nice adult Yellow-legged Gull on Flasks Lake and two feral Snow Geese on the Reserve.

Snow Goose Dave Ward

The first sighting of Great White Egret for the month occurred on 11th, this species was then reported almost daily until the month’s end, with two on 13th, 28th and 31st.  Observations elsewhere suggest that some autumnal movement was starting to take place.

Five Tree Sparrows on 16th were a very welcome sight.  This species’ claim to territory in the recording area seems to be weakening on a yearly basis – it would be such a shame to lose them.  At the other end of the ‘numbers spectrum’ was a veritable Christmas feast of 1826 Greylag Geese counted the very next day.

 The Birdguides website announced the presence of a Black Tern on 21st, but, sadly, no other details were forthcoming.  The adult Yellow-legged Gull reappeared at Flasks Lake on 23rd, whilst the following day saw some notable visible migration, with two Tree Pipits and 27 Black-tailed Godwits moving south.  This all coincided with the appearance of a Sanderling on the Reserve.

Yellow-legged Gull                                   Tim Jones

Three Egyptian Geese on the Reserve on 31st concluded a very interesting month.

Marsh Harrier                                 Ian Webster

Andy Hanby

20/09/24

Nosterfield Butterfly Review - July 2024

by James Forster (Fozzy)

The start of the month saw a continuation of the cool and wet conditions that we’ve been plagued with for what feels like the whole of the summer, so far. Thankfully, the jet stream pulled out of its stall mid-way through the month and moved north, releasing several high pressure systems to sit over the country, that we all craved. The average temperature for the month was 14.8OC but it was definitely a tale of two halves.

The month started well, with two White-letter Hairstreaks spotted on the Elm along the path past the dipping pond on the Reserve (where the ‘kissing gate’ used to be) on the very first day of the month. They were reported intermittently until 8th, with a peak count of four on 7th. The White-Letter Hairstreaks on the Elm at the end of Flasks Lane were first reported on 4th until 22nd, with the peak count being two individuals. Pleasingly, one was located during the second butterfly walk of the year, this time on the quarry on 20th, which was a new butterfly species for many who participated.  Also recorded on the walk were Large White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Green-Veined White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell.

White-letter Hairstreak Adrian Wetherill

Meadow Brown and Ringlet were a fixture during the month, albeit in lower than expected numbers. The first report was on 5th during the weekly quarry butterfly transect, whilst the sister transect on the Reserve on 7th returned 19 Meadow Brown and nine Ringlet.  Peak counts on the Reserve were 32 Meadow Brown and 17 Ringlet on 18th, whilst on the quarry, the peaks were 27 Meadow Brown and 18 Ringlet on 28th. Coincidentally, it was the last sighting for Ringlet for July in the whole recording area, although Meadow Brown were still seen in good numbers on the Reserve to the month’s end.

Small Skipper were seen on 8th near the Queen’s Oak along the path to the North Hide. This peaked at three individuals on 18th, but only one seen on the quarry on 28th.

Small Skipper Adrian Wetherill

July is usually the start of emergence for butterflies that will go on to overwinter, such as Red Admiral, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone.  However, numbers were very low throughout the month compared with previous years.  Two Red Admiral were reported during the quarry transect on 5th, whilst on 7th near the North Hide, single Comma and Red Admiral were noted.  Another transect at the quarry on 10th recorded only singles of Red Admiral, Small White, Green-veined White and Comma.  It wasn’t until 17th that the next Red Admiral was spotted on the Reserve. The following day between the North Hide and the main car park, four Red Admiral, three Small Tortoiseshell, a Small White and two Green-veined Whites were counted.  The buddleia by the dipping pond hosted just three Red Admiral on 24th (contrast this with a peak of seven Red Admiral in 2023).  The first Brimstone of the summer was on the wing on the Reserve on 26th, together with three Large White, two Red Admiral, a Small Tortoiseshell and a Comma.  During the last few days to the end of the month, Red Admiral numbers remained low, with peaks of five Large White and two Brimstone on 28th on the quarry.  A Peacock on buddleia on 30th with another Brimstone sighting on 31st were the only notable sightings for these species in the recording area.

Peacock Gareth Jones

Despite poor migration conditions for insects leading up to the month, there were two reports of the beautiful Painted Lady - on 21st along the path to Flasks Lake and on 31st, again on the quarry.

The month finished with single reports of a Gatekeeper along Flasks Lane on 22nd, and second brood Holly Blue and Speckled Wood on the Reserve on 31st.

Speckled Wood Fozzy

Nosterfield Bird Review - July 2024

by Andrew (Andy) M Hanby

Green Woodpeckers were easy to see throughout the month and successfully bred again

Photo – Matthew Cormack

‘As is often the case, there was limited excitement to be had on the bird front this month…..’

would be a preface to this month’s round up, similar to the following:

“There seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today.”  Admiral Lord David Beatty in charge of the 1stBattlecruiser Squadron at the Battle of Jutland, when two of his ships blew up in quick succession.

Luckily, this magnitude of understatement applies to a happier state of affairs, brought about by the successful fledging of three young Marsh Harriers by a local breeding pair.  For a little while, there was some concern that our optimism in this regard was unfounded, but it all came good in the end!  Huge thanks to all who put in a great deal of their time monitoring the safety of these birds.

Remarkably, the nest monitors were able to watch these birds with a supporting cast which included up to four different Ospreys on any one day and several making use of (inspecting?) our ‘Osprey platform’.  Not to mention alliterogenic agile, aerial acrobatics by Hobby and Bittern flybys.

Loch Garten vibes; recce of the Nosterfield platform by two Osprey Dave Ward

The scene became even more Minsmere-like, arguably even Carmargue-like, on the Reserve with up to 56 Little Egrets and four Great White Egrets.  And, yes, it got better with a single Spoonbill on 7th and 20th.   

Juvenile Spoonbill                                                           Andrew Wappat

Almost inevitably on this background, our first ever Cattle Egrets were located, artistically posed on a tree at Lingham Lake on 8th, before decamping to Flasks Lake from where they made several forays to the cattle-filled fields to the north.  Amazingly, another single Cattle Egret was found on the Reserve on 26th, where it set its sights lower and hung around with sheep.

Cattle Egret, Lingham Lake                                                       Tim Jones

One of the Great White Egrets was colour-ringed and proved to be a bird of the year from the Somerset levels, where all our previous colour ringed birds have emanated from.  This particular individual, with its companions, made a brief excursion up to Northumberland before returning at the end of the month.

Other notables included up to three Wood Sandpipers at the beginning of the month and a turnover of mainly male Common Scoter on Langwith Lake, commencing with 36 on 10th and varying numbers thereafter.  These represent a reflection of the North Sea to Irish Sea overland movement, typical at this time of year and often detected by nocturnal sound recordings.

Wood Sandpiper     Nathan Beer

A single Sandwich Tern frequented the Reserve on 14th.

Notable lows included no records of partridge, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch or Treecreeper.   Eyes peeled for August and September.

Finally, in the ‘fence-hopping’ category was a paired Ruddy and Cape Shelduck, with their four hybrid offspring, on the Reserve on 28th.

A medley of Shelduck            Tim Jones                                                 

Study of Little Owl, Flasks Lane                                                                                  Gareth Jones

Nosterfield Butterfly Review - June 2024

by James Forster (Fozzy)

One poor month trundles into another. June differed slightly from the preceding months by having a short-lived week of summer weather before the high pressure made way for another low, which lingered over the country. As a result, the average temperature climbed slightly, from May’s 14°C to 17°C as a result.

The month opened with a Butterfly Walk on the Reserve on 2nd and a lingering male Orange-tip greeted the participants at the Tanfield Hide.  However, no Walls were found; in fact, no Walls were reported all month…. simply overlooked or a potential loss from the area?  From the car park to North Hide there was variety, including Large Skipper, Common Blue, Small White, Green-veined White, two Speckled Woods and two Brimstones.  A Peacock was spotted later in the day.  At the quarry, another male Orange-tip and Brimstone were on the causeway, with a Speckled Wood holding territory in the woods along Flasks Lane and a Brown Argus was also reported.

Brown Argus Fozzy

There was a significant gap in records until 14th, when an Orange-tip larva was spotted on tower mustard in the nursery.  A Brimstone was also reported from the recording area and on 16th a Red Admiral put in an appearance quarry side.  A few days later the first Ringlets of the year were spotted, with several near the Silt Lagoons and causeway.

On 20th, Flasks Lane and the causeway held two Common Blues, two Brown Argus, 11 Ringlets, two Meadow Browns, three Speckled Woods, and a Green-veined White.  The following day, the weekly quarry transect showed great improvement,  with five Brimstones, single Large and Green-veined Whites, ten Speckled Woods, 13 Meadow Browns and 17 Ringlets recorded.

Ringlet Gareth Jones

From 22nd until the end of the month, Ringlet numbers peaked at 33, with Meadow Browns hitting 18.  Speckled Wood numbers remained low, with odd individuals scattered around the recording area. Other notable sightings included a late Orange-tip still on the wing, a Large Skipper at the quarry and Brimstone numbers peaking at 11.

Orange Tip Adrian Wetherill

Worryingly, with half the calendar year gone, it doesn’t feel as though the season has yet started.  There is still time, with some specialist species still to emerge so keep scanning elms and oaks for White-letter and Purple Hairstreaks respectively and hopefully, hopefully, warmer weather is to come!

Nosterfield Bird and Natural History Review - June 2024

by Andrew (Andy) M Hanby

Ospreys on the platform Tim Jones

June was a month with both strands of optimism and pessimism – “Birds are an ecological litmus paper,”- Roger Tory Peterson.

Osprey and Marsh Harrier were two species which fell into the first category.  Osprey were seen throughout the month with, more often than not, two present, with a pair perched on the ‘Osprey platform’ on several occasions.  Judging by comparison of underwing pattern and whether or not they were ringed, indicated that there were at least three different males, including one from the Tweed area and two females.  Up to three different Marsh Harriers were also present.

Corn Bunting were seen on three days only – but that was merely because the South Henge is rarely visited and a peak of three birds, including a female, on 26th is a hugely positive development.  Similarly encouraging were the records of both Bittern and Grasshopper Warbler, each on three dates.  Also, on the plus side, was a distinct uptick in Whitethroats, with a peak of nine on 26th.

Adding to the upbeat theme, one of the regular Little Owl pairs produced two young and Little Egrets reached a three-year June peak of 24.  This compares with 14 in 2023 and nine in 2022.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also well up, with 134 bird days this month, versus 11 in June 2023. 

Gulls also introduce the scintilla of pessimism manifest by the fortunes of Black-headed Gulls. The June maximum count of 387 Black-headed Gulls was a poor comparison to 2023, when 1106 was the peak.  Also notable in this was a peak of only five Swallows; in 2023 when the observer coverage was less, the peak was eleven. Both Swallow counts are low and represent a very worrying trend for this aerial feeder.

Arguably also in the ‘not so good’ category were Ringed Plovers, with an astonishing 581 bird days and a peak of 95 on 9th.  Why bad? These seem to be birds held up from heading to their breeding grounds by cold northerly winds.  This concern was compounded by news of widespread bird deaths, involving several species, in Iceland associated with unseasonably cold weather and heavy snow.

‘Winter’ malingers with us included scattered records of Teal and Wigeon, the latter peaking at nine on 24th on the Reserve.  Coot have also found the Reserve to their liking in June, with a steady rise in numbers peaking at an impressive 126

June was sprinkled both with the scarce and the rare, with three Sanderling on 2nd and four on 4th.  The latter date also saw the Reserve host a stunning Red-necked Phalarope.

Red- necked Phalarope. Nathan Beer

On 14th an Arctic Tern was a brief visitor and on 16th, the only Great White Egret of the month was recorded.   Arguably rarer for the date was a Great Black-backed Gull on 18th, normally a winter visitor in our recording area.  On 21st the first Garganey of the month was seen and thereafter was present almost daily, with a pair on 25th

The 22nd greeted both another Sanderling and Arctic Tern and the following day was also good, when two Snow Geesemade brief stops in the area before flying off south and two Common Scoter spent the day in the area.

The Snow Geese Nathan Beer

The first record of Spotted Flycatcher for 2024 came from Flasks Lane on 26th, the same day that a young Tree Sparrowfrequented a feeder in Nosterfield village.

Tree Sparrow Gareth Jones

As the month drew to a close, evidence of returning waders accumulated, with Black-tailed Godwits on 28th and 30th and a Wood Sandpiper on 29th to the month’s end.

Original photo Tim Jones, legally actionable photo abuser Andy Hanby!

Nosterfield Bird and Natural History Review - May 2024

The Langwith Barn Owl                                                                                            Matthew Cormack

The month started very well, with three Great White Egrets in the area, another three Wheatear and a Redstart.  Arguably better still, was the continued presence of singing Corn Bunting at the Southern Henge and a singing, but still invisible,  Grasshopper Warbler at Langwith gate.

The South Henge Corn Bunting                            Alan Tremethick /Steve Hustwick respectively

The most frustrating day of the month and most likely the year, was on 2nd, when a ringtail harrier flew over two observers at the Reserve screen.  By the time the video system was in action it was too far away to clinch an identification.  The consensus from the video from both local and national experts was that it was Montagu’s/Pallid Harrier, with a straw poll favouring the latter.  In times gone by, even considering Pallid Harrier would have been regarded as lunacy, but nowadays they are equally as likely as Montagu’s.  You win some, you lose some!  

Also present on 2nd was the Wood Sandpiper on Keith’s field and the first Turnstone of the month, the latter commencing the first of a total of ten bird days for this species throughout the month.

Another continued theme was set by Garganey, which were recorded on 13 days through the month, with up to four males by the month’s end and two claims of single females.  Unfortunately, the latter did not provide enough evidence to prove breeding.

Turnstone, Sanderling and Whimbrel all put on a good show                               Tim Jones (Harrogate)

Ten Whimbrel present on 3rd continued the great run for this species, which peaked two days later with 19 on the Flasks Lake silt and altogether through the month, added a further 66 bird days to the final spring tally of 169, unprecedented for us.

On 4th, it was one of those great Nosterfield days where all sorts of birds popped up and in total 104 species were recorded.  Amongst the 17 species of wader, a brief single observer Temminck’s Stint was the highlight.  Five Sanderling and side by side summer plumaged Bar and Black-tailed Godwits were equally memorable.  Arguably, the best record of the day was an invisible, singing Turtle Dove near the reed bed, our first for several years.

On 6th, a singing Cuckoo appeared in the area of Langwith Gate and 45 Ringed Plover were in the area.  The latter are also having a great spring at Nosterfield and the peak count out of the 334 bird days in May occurred on 14th, with 53 present in the area.

Water Rail are probably present in the area all the time, but it was nice to hear one on 7th to prove this.  A Knot was also present the same day, with two singing Grasshopper Warblers.

Garden Warbler                        Dave Ward                     Lesser Whitethroat                         Pam Boulton

Both species were present in good numbers

The Turtle Dove was present again on 8th, with the first of up to two Ospreys seen on and off until the month’s end.

Cuckoo and Grey Plover were highlights on 16th, but these were topped by two Spoonbill on 17th and one on 20th, when there were also two fly-over Crossbill.

The month drifted gently to an end, with variable numbers of Sanderling appearing and sporadic sightings of Bittern interwoven with the threads described above, but interrupted by the unexpected arrival of two Whooper Swans on 25th and a squadron of nine Barnacle Geese the next day.  The latter included birds from a nearby colour ringing scheme that had been observed as far away as Kent (not Svalbard!).

Spoonbill       Gareth Jones

Andy Hanby 08/05/24

Nosterfield Butterfly Review - April 2024

By Fozzy

April 2024 will be remembered as one of the coldest starts to spring in living memory and as such, the records submitted reflect this.  There were days of good sunshine, but temperatures frustratingly struggled to reach 10oC let alone into good double figures.

The month took a while to get going, the first butterfly reported being a Brimstone at the back of the reedbed on 6th, with another at the nursery area, as well as Roger’s Seat.  One was also present for several days around the Lingham viewing screen.  A Small Tortoiseshell at the newt pond and another along Flasks Lane were the only butterflies reported that weekend.

Brimstone Photo: Fozzy

After a cold spell, a Brimstone and Speckled Wood were observed at the reedbed on 11th, whilst the following day a Peacock was reported at the reedbed end of the causeway.

During a butterfly transect on the quarry on 13th, Helen Hays observed several individuals: single Brimstone at the Quarry car park and Flasks Lane, with two Orange-tips for company; two Orange-tips at ‘Pneumonia Corner’; three Small Tortoiseshells and single Peacock along the causeway, with five Peacocks and one Small Tortoiseshell in front of the reedbed screen. One Brimstone appeared along the first section of path behind Kiln Lake, with a finale of single Orange-tip and three Peacocks at the nursery. A very good haul considering the conditions!

The first Red Admiral appeared on 14th, with single Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and Brimstone at the reedbed, with Peacocks seen at Roger’s Seat and the dipping pond.

Red Admiral Photo: Fozzy

After another cold period, two male Orange-tips were on the wing near the Quarry VC on 19th taking advantage of a few days of warmth. The following day, single Orange-tips were noted at the dipping pond and Flasks Lane, as well as Langwith, with four in Camp Wood.  A bumper four Brimstones were observed at the latter site as well as along Flasks Lane, with two reported at East Tanfield Quarry and another along the path to North Hide.

Continuing a good run, the writer observed single Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock along the path to the North Hide, with Small Tortoiseshell also along the Lingham to Flasks Lakes path, Speckled Wood at Flasks Lake and Orange-tip by Lingham screen.

The month trickled out with a male Orange-tip at Flasks Lane on 25th, whilst Orange-tip and Speckled Wood were reported on the Reserve the following day, with a single Small White and two further male Orange-tips near the plant nursery.  On 27th a single Speckled Wood on the path to North Hide, with a Brimstone just off the causeway finishing the month on 29th.

Here’s hoping for an increase in temperatures and a bumper season to make up for the slow start!