Nosterfield Bird Review March 2025

Lower Ure Conservation Trust 

Nosterfield Bird Review March 2025

by Andrew (Andy) M Hanby

Nosterfield Dawn David Saunders

March is very much Whooper Swan season at Nosterfield.  This year it didn’t feel particularly busy in that regard, as there were no big days of visible movement either here or elsewhere in Yorkshire.  However other fora, notably the visible migration group and comments by other members of our group, pointed to extensive nocturnal passage.  Furthermore, looking at the data initial impressions might be misleading;  596 Whooper swans were recording going north during the month, with another 369 birds present in varying sized flocks throughout the period, although none lingered longer than a day.  This gives an impressive total of 965 birds known to have passed through - not to mention birds heard but not seen passing over at night.  This total is up on last year’s estimation of 773.   Considering relatively few were seen elsewhere in the county compared with previous years, this is a good showing.

Whooper Swans heading NW over Well Bend  Andy Hanby                                                                          

The other classic March mover, Meadow Pipit, mustered a total count of 1173 moving.   This is standard for us, because in recent years a switch to a more easterly flow has shifted the main flow to the west side of the Pennines, with a site near Fleetwood in Lancashire amassing over 20,000 birds during the same period.

 During the month there were several species almost continuously present, some from February, which included the Eurasian White-fronted Goose, which tended to lurk around the northern parts of the recording area.

Eurasian White-fronted Goose                                                             James Robson

Also regular were Little and one to two Great White Egrets.  The male Smew’s long visit ended on the 18th - let us hope it visits again next year.

Both Great White Egret…..                                                                           Andy Hanby

….and Little Egret were regular visitors Andy Hanby

One of the more exciting things in March was the continued rise of Pochard numbers.  In most of my time visiting the recording area, this has been a scarce duck with counts over 20 being notable.  A count of 65 on 5th was remarkable, but unbelievably, this was easily exceeded on 9th when 105 were recorded on their favoured lake, Ladybridge.  These Pochard were often hard to count because they tended to favour a part of the lake not easily seen from public access; however, I feel the numbers on the latter date must have been augmented by some overnight migrants on their journey back to Europe

Bittern became increasingly recorded in March with up to three birds, including two booming males and Marsh Harrier was also increasingly seen from 6th. 

Marsh Harrier                                      Christine Weaver

Finally, further adding to breeding bird hopefulness were sightings of Tree Sparrow at four different locations.  This species used to be a common breeder at multiple sites in the recording area, but in recent years sightings and the number of different locations seen have dwindled.  In March 2022, there were seven bird days, but the following year zero.

Last year, this was back to seven, giving a scintilla of optimism, which appears to have been justified, with 19 this year including day counts of up to five birds.

Tree Sparrows at Well bend                                      Andy Hanby

Tree Sparrow in Nosterfield village                                       Gareth Jones

Little Owl…..               Andy Hanby

…..and Barn Owl were commonly seen in March                 Matthew Cormack

In addition to the overarching comments above, the chronology of the month revealed some interesting additional observations.  On 1st two pairs of Mandarin Duck were seen by the reedbed and a migrant Stonechat was reported at Well bend.   The next day saw two Chiffchaffs at the sewage farm.  This species then steadily built up during the month, peaking at 24 on 29th.  A lone Egyptian Goose was present on 6th and 7th.

The Egyptian Goose Tim Jones

The ’ Sand Martin Cup’ was awarded on 8th when the winner had two flying WNW over Lingham Lake. Generally, these were sparse throughout the month, with a peak of only 45 about towards the end.

Five Avocets were present on 9th and Black-tailed Godwits, often eyed by up to two Peregrines, formed a backdrop. 

Black-tailed Godwit…..                                         Paul Newey

…..and Peregrine on the Reserve                                          Nathan Beer

The 11th saw the continuation of a new bittersweet trend, when two Common Cranes were reliably sighted as they headed north over the area, unseen by any of the regulars.

Flyover ‘alba’ wagtails were evident throughout the month, peaking at 13 on 5th and it wasn’t unexpected to find good numbers of Pied Wagtails on the ground, including 49 in a manure-filled field near East Tanfield Quarry.  Predictably a White Wagtail was found on the Reserve the next day, with two in the manure field the day after and two, probably different, birds on 19th.

As well as Alba Wagtails, Grey Wagtails were commonly seen.   Matthew Cormack

A visit to the South Henge on 15th was rewarded with a singing Corn Bunting and plentiful Skylarks.  Two additional Corn Buntings flew north on 20th.  This is another species where we have guarded optimism of a recovery in breeding numbers, although the ever-expanding numbers of uncontrolled dogs roaming the South Henge will probably nip that optimism in the bud.

On 22nd Little Ringed Plovers arrived in force, with two north and three flying about.  From then, they were regularly present with a total of 15 bird days for the month.  This is a very early full-scale arrival for us, previous years’ bird days totals show: only one 2024 , two in 2023 and one in 2022.

Our first Kittiwake for over a year headed north on 23rd, accompanied by a good movement of Black- headed Gulls and 610 Starling.  The latter species had been relatively scarce during the month and this seems likely to have been a genuine migratory movement, rather than the commonplace to-ing and fro-ing from nearby roosts.

The first Swallow of the year occurred on 24th; a total of seven sightings till the month’s end compared favourably with the previous three-year combined total of nine in the month of March.

On 26th an Osprey flew north-west coinciding with the return of a bird to a nearby nesting location.  The following days were regaled with singing Blackcap on 27th, an unseasonable Great Black-backed Gull on 28th and our first Willow Warbler of the year on the same day.

The 29th was a good day, with another Osprey, 571 Fieldfare and 296 Meadow Pipits moving north.

The last day of the month bumped our monthly species total up to 120, with the addition of a Common Sandpiper.

Skylark Tim Scott