Nosterfield ‘Weod Monath’ 2022 Bird Review
The Anglo-Saxons called August ‘the weed month’, because it was (is?) the month when weeds grow the fastest.
August continued the theme of 'Steady Eddie', which has characterised much of the summer months, with some good reliable performers such as Osprey and Marsh Harrier being seen with some regularity, sparse new quality birds and only modest numbers of moving birds.
After relatively low numbers early on, Swallows seemed to pick up during the month, whilst 3rd saw the first of a run of Great White Egret records and the continuing presence of the male Common Scotor on Flasks Lake, initially found on 1st.
The Scoter, a smart male, gave great views and had the decency to stay until 9th. Photo: Tim Jones
The next day two colour-ringed Great White Egrets were photographed together on the edge of Flasks Lake, at the reedbed end. Red ABP, a male, was ringed as a nestling at Ham Wall RSPB reserve in Somerset on 29th April this year and Red ABU, another male, was ringed on 7th May at another wetland site 2-3 km west of Ham Wall. After fledging, ABU was later seen at North Somercotes, Lincs on 18th July and ours is the next sighting!
And then there were two (Great White Egrets). Photo: Tim Jones
Also notable on 4th was a Knot on Flasks Lake and over the next few days a variety of waders, including Black-Tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper and Golden Plover popped in to join the rising numbers of Lapwing, with Flasks 'Beach' and the ever-enlarging Flasks island, the favoured spots.
On 6th the male Redstart from last month was still present down the end of Flasks Lane, while a Spotted Flycatcher, normally a scarce bird here, hawked for insects around the trees near Camp Wood. The only Wheatear of the month was also found on the Middle Henge.
A Mediterranean Gull was recorded on 7th and the next day saw the start of a good run of Greenshank records, with four heading south over Flasks Lake. More uncommon was a Grey Plover, moving south, on the same day. A morning’s bird ringing in the fen area adjoining Flasks Lake also on 8th, resulted in 59 birds ringed, including 12 Blackcap, 11 Willow Warbler, 8 Reed Warbler, also Sedge and Garden Warbler and Whitethroat.
On 9th the Spotted Flycatcher saga hit a new level, with the discovery of a family party of at least four birds, including three juveniles down the Flasks Lane passerine hot spot.
The Spotted Flycatchers were seen on and off until the end of the month. Photo: Mike Smithson
Even more exciting, and a truly rare bird at Nosterfield, was a Pied Flycatcher calling down Flasks Lane on the same date.
The next few days were relatively uneventful, with a Whimbrel south on 11th. Things perked up on 14th, with a Greenshank on Flasks Lake and five Knot moved north-east. On 15th a nice covey of Grey Partridge was seen from the North Hide. The species seems to have done well this year with, in addition to this covey, different family parties down Flasks Lane, Green Lane and at the Carthorpe road junction.
During the month, very yellow Willow Warblers became increasingly evident.
The 16th heralded a stunning first for the Nosterfield area, with a calling Corncrake heard from Lingham Lake carpark by two observers well experienced with the species. As Simon Warwick’s mobile phone was not on site (with its Corncrake ring tone!), this consolidates a great record.
Wader variety continued with two Turnstone on Flasks Lake on 17th, but was followed by a relatively quiet period, with low-key highlights such as three Common Terns on 20th, two Osprey and two Marsh Harriers on 21st and, best of all, an eclipse-plumaged Scaup on 22nd.
On 24th at least one Spotted Flycatcher was in residence down Flasks Lane, but interestingly, another individual visibly migrated south over two observers at the Reserve screen. Also on the same day, in addition to two juvenile Shelduck still lingering on the Reserve, a flock of 13 was present on Langwith Lake, but soon departed WSW. The following day, 13 were at Bury Reservoir, Lancs, where they are very scarce at this time of year. The coincidence of numbers and timing strongly suggests that they were the same birds.
Nine of the wandering 13 Shelduck.
It was a “Big Gull” day on 27th, with 1020 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls and 522 Common Gulls in the recording area and on 29th, the post-roost gathering of wagtails at Ladybridge Lake achieved a reasonably respectable total of 16 Yellow and 34 Pied Wagtails.
Unlike previous months, there was no grand finale and like an old soldier, August merely faded away.
Stop Press
Early indications suggest September is going to be great --- watch this space
Andrew Hanby, on behalf of the Nosterfield Naturalists
5th September 2022