Birdnews provided by Bird Information www.birdinformation.co.uk
Derbyshire 35 Whooper Swan NW/over Pleasley Pit CP at 07:40 NG19 7PH SK500643
Derbyshire 3 Sand Martin Willington GPs at 15:15 SK285274
Nottinghamshire Glossy Ibis Gonalston at 15:30 .From A612 take Dover Beck off A612 towards Gonalston Lane to view wet fields by bend near Carr Beck Cottage SK676471
Nottinghamshire Great White Egret Newark over Showground at 07:05
News supplied by Bird Information (www.birdinformation.co.uk)
Derbyshire 2 Adult Med Gull Foremark Resv 16:40 SK311229 Derbyshire 3 Sand Martin Willington GPs SK285274
Was one of the comments made at the end of the last work party by a long time member. Other than a couple of willow screens which we hope to put up near the hides on Monday morning (16th Mar), this was the last disturbance to the site so it should now be peaceful for both the birds and the birders. May all (but particularly the former) be satisfied.
In November 2014, a former well known member of Ogston Bird Club, John Tagg, sadly passed away. John bequeathed some bird watching equipment to the club, which was subsequently sold for around £900.00. His family suggested that the money might be used for a bird watching trip for Ogston Bird Club members.
After discussion, the Committee decided it would be fitting for some of the money to be used to set up a picnic table and plaque in memory of John at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, John’s favourite birding venue. This is now in hand with the RSPB. In this connection the club is also organising a coach trip to Bempton on Tuesday 28th April, when there will be a short dedication ceremony.
Frank Wharram is now taking bookings for the trip and we are asking for a donation from club members of a minimum of £5.00 per person towards the cost of the coach. Details of the trip are on the Trips section of the website.
The previously arranged trip to Bempton on Sun 10th May will continue to be available for those members who can’t manage a mid-week slot and on this occasion there’s also the possibility of linking up with the local Flamborough Group, courtesy of 2 members of OBC who’ve recently moved to Flamborough.
7th March 2015
A biting wind churning the reservoir’s surface saw the initial group of 24 participants scurrying off apace after leader Paul Beard. Shelter was soon found as we headed for Milltown Quarry, and by this time large patches of blue were showing between the clouds, giving a marvellous backdrop for the glossy- coated Ravens displaying above. Buzzards and a Kestrel had also been spotted. Those tarrying behind the main party were rewarded with a Peregrine streaking over them in the vicinity of Overton Hall. Here John Parlby had reminded us of its brief occupancy by the botanist and Royal Society President Joseph Banks , who sailed round the world with Captain Cook in 1768.
A couple of folk who had returned from the walk early saw the first Ringed Plover of the season, making it a good morning’s birding for all !
40 bird species were recorded on the main walk. A few celandines were in flower and 2 hares cavorted at the quarry.
Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Coot, Lapwing, Black -headed Gull, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Fieldfare, Redwing, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Long- tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Raven, Rook, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Siskin, Yellowhammer.
Jennifer Johnson
Many thanks from the club to the 11 members who took part. The weather was kind to us and a great deal was achieved. The contractor using a flail, has made a massive difference to the scrub area between the main hide and the public hide. We hope that we can maintain this area as a ‘hay meadow’ which should benefit the orchids that were previously swamped.
In addition, the gull roost can now be viewed from the road side without bushes impeding the view and the willow has been cut back in an effort to prevent it taking over the ponds and reed bed.
So, today is Valentine’s Day. Once that brief novelty has faded it makes sense to turn to that true love of your life: wildlife and the outdoors. It might be 50 shades of grey outside but you can cheer yourself up by caressing a tree, 20 trees to be precise, as you help to improve a home for a young family in Liz’s Wood. Yes, true love will soon be in the air again so we urgently need to clean out our remaining bird boxes in the wood near the Jim Mart Reserve. For those that prefer some rough and tumble there is always plenty to tackle around the bramble areas, or you could scratch the reserve’s back with a vigorous rake through the nettle patch. If your preference is to leave a deeper impression then directed digging will be permitted on the day.
To help out at the next work party, meet at the reserve on Saturday, 21st February, at 9:30 am. We will finish around lunchtime.
All members are welcome and no previous experience is necessary. Please wear appropriate work clothes, stout shoes, boots or wellies, and gardening gloves or equivalent. Appropriate tools to bring, although some are available, would be loppers, rake, garden fork or spade. For the nest box cleaning a pair of ‘Marigold’ type household gloves are useful; the reserve has a folding step ladder but a short single section ladder would be more practical.
Organised work parties take place at the Jim Mart reserve on the morning of the third Saturday in every month, except in December. For further information visit the Jim Mart NR pages on the Ogston Bird Club website https://ogstonbirdclub.co.uk/ , or contact Peter Faulkner by email ([email protected]) or by telephone (0784 214 8888).
Pupils at Stretton Handley C of E Primary School have recently completed 3 surveys for The Big Schools’ Birdwatch which takes place every January. The school is within the recording area for Ogston Bird Club and is often on the route of the club’s monthly guided bird walks. The school’s bird hide overlooks a pond, hedgerows and a wooded area where Bullfinches and Tree Sparrows can often be seen in impressive numbers. Full details of this year’s results can be found on the school’s wildlife blog.
What a merry throng we 12 made in the shelter of the hides on this drear January morning. The feeders were busy with tits , finches and buntings , accompanied by a hopeful hen Pheasant lurking for scraps below. Bullfinches added a welcome splash of colour in the gloom as did the glowing yellow rump of a Grey Wagtail showing well on nearby posts.
Eventually Paul called time and we progressed towards Brackenfield Church seeing two Little Grebes , a female Goldeneye , and several Snipe fly in to join the Lapwing flock on the shore.
Light levels became exceedingly poor , everything and everyone became soggier as the intensity of the rain increased and so we headed for home as it turned to sleet. Nevertheless 38 species had been recorded. Bleak midwinter …. not a bit of it!!
Little Grebe , Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant , Greylag Goose ,Canada Goose , Mallard , Teal , Goldeneye , Pheasant , Moorhen , Coot , Lapwing , Common Snipe , Black-headed Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon , Grey Wagtail , Pied Wagtail , Wren , Dunnock , Robin, Song Thrush , Mistle Thrush , Blackbird , Goldcrest , Long-tailed Tit , Blue Tit , Great Tit , Coal Tit , Nuthatch , Jay , Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Bullfinch , Chaffinch , Siskin , Reed Bunting.
Jennifer Johnson
A Happy New Year to everyone. If you haven’t made enough resolutions for 2015 yet, then why not aim to help out (more) at the club’s only wholly-owned nature reserve. You could even abandon some of those guilt-driven resolutions which you already know that you aren’t going to keep, try some of these instead; no need for expensive gym membership when the exercise is free at the Jim Mart reserve; save money by joining our monthly work-party instead of going on the Saturday morning shopping trip; improve your knowledge of the natural world by identifying and recording the wildlife you see on the reserve (500+ known species for you to find, and many more species still waiting to be discovered, probably).
So, to get OBC members mentally attuned in time for the 2015 Big Garden Bird Watch (24th-25th Jan.), the main task for this month’s work party will be to check and clean out the reserve’s nest boxes in readiness for the 2015 breeding season. If helping the fluffy feathered things to tidy their summer houses isn’t your idea of real work, then we can provide a good line in digging holes or cutting bits off hedges and trees.
To help out at the next work party, meet at the reserve on Saturday, 17th January, at 9:30 am. We will finish around lunchtime.
All members are welcome and no previous experience is necessary. Please wear appropriate work clothes, stout shoes, boots or wellies, and gardening gloves or equivalent. Appropriate tools to bring, although some are available, would be hedge clippers/shears, loppers, garden fork or spade. For the nest box cleaning a pair of ‘Marigold’ type household gloves are useful; the reserve has a folding step ladder but a short single section ladder would be more practical.
Organised work parties take place at the Jim Mart reserve on the morning of the third Saturday in every month, except in December. For further information visit the Jim Mart NR pages on the Ogston Bird Club website https://ogstonbirdclub.co.uk/ , or contact Peter Faulkner by email ([email protected]) or by telephone (0784 214 8888).
