Todwick Environment: Wild Birds
SK58 Birders – November 2010
by Brian Chambers
The Chesterfield Canal always has some interest for walkers. For birdwatchers, autumn is an especially good time, the leaves have mostly fallen so bird-spotting is easier and some different species are about.
Flocks of Siskin, some years approaching 100 in number, can be seen. These birds breed mainly in northern coniferous forests, the UK birds being joined by an influx from Scandinavia. In winter they feed on Alder and Birch seed, both plentiful by the Canal. They are small yellowish birds with a streaked breast, yellow wing bars and the males have a black crown and bib. Often in the same flock will be Goldfinch and another winter Canal visitor, the Redpoll. Redpolls are similar sized but basically brown streaked birds, and as the name suggests have an attractive red fore-crown, a bit like a natty hat.
Flocks of Chaffinch are also present, amongst these may be a few Brambling. These also come from Scandinavia, a sort of northern Chaffinch. They sport an orange breast in contrast to the pink breast of the Chaffinch. They are seed-eaters, most years I have had one or two in my Todwick garden eating the mixed bird seed on offer.
Keep a lookout along the Canal for Water Vole, Ratty of Wind-in-the-Willows fame.
A gem of a species that may appear anywhere is the Waxwing. A Northern European migrant of bizarre appearance – a crest on the crown, large black bib, yellow tip to the tail, yellow on the wing tips and also on the wing a blob of waxy red which gives the species its name. They love red berries, are attracted to shopping mall car-parks that are often planted with cotoneaster etc., this weekend a small flock was at the Handsworth Asda!
The next SK58 "Loyal Trooper" meeting is on Wednesday evening, 24 November 2010. Todwick’s wildlife photographer, Allan Parker, will give a talk and slide show "Birding North-West Spain". As usual EVERYBODY is Welcome.
SK58 Birders – October 2010
by Brian Chambers
Langold Lake is the largest expanse of water in SK58, owned by Bassetlaw District Council. A footpath skirts the water’s edge and footpaths criss-cross the adjacent parkland, the whole area is open to the public.
During Autumn the Lake has its highest counts of Wildfowl, a good number of resident birds plus many migrants from other parts of the UK, from Scandinavia and from Northern Europe.
On entering the site from the car parks the first species to see will be the Mallards, waiting for their daily bread and scraps. The mallards are now almost back to their handsome best after the post-breeding moult, the annual feather renewal. Recent counts have been 40-50 birds.
Female Wildfowl are always drabber than the males, helping to camouflage them whilst sitting on eggs. In large flocks the birds still tend to swim about in pairs, especially Gadwall.
This week there were about 80 Gadwall present. This is a species easy to overlook, on a cursory view similar to female Mallards but a little smaller. The male has a grey body with a finely vermiculated breast, black under-tail wedge and a small white patch (speculum) on the side, quite a handsome bird on close examination. Numbers are always greater at this time, swelled by migrants, 80+ is a good count, reports say it is a species on the increase nationally, this is certainly true of Langold Lake’s population.
Tufted Duck number about 20-30, the male has black/white plumage and a feather tuft (ponytail) on the back of the head. The female is a browner, duller version.
The most common species present is Coot. Many birds nest here so there are their offspring but again joined by many migrant birds, lately the count has almost reached 200 birds.
The beautiful Great-crested Grebes nest on the Lake, this year 3 pairs have raised young. However predators, probably Pike fish, have reduced the juvenile count to 3, 5 Adults are present.
Other species visit the Lake from time to time. A pair of Wigeon is present, the male with an unmistakeable chestnut coloured head with a central creamy stripe. Recently Shoveler was recorded, it’s main distinguishing feature a huge broad bill. Pochard, the male with a chestnut head and grey body is often seen. Cormorant and Heron often visit to do a spot of fishing. The surrounding trees often hold Siskin, Redpoll, Goldfinch, Tit species and eventually the Winter Thrushes – Fieldfare and Redwing.
Langold Lake is an excellent spot to take a walk, and also a site to see plenty of birds.
The next SK58 meeting will be at "The Loyal Trooper" on the 27th October. The talk is entitled "Texas-Houston to the Rio Grande". Everybody welcome.
SK58 Birders – September 2010
by Brian Chambers
Early Summer is always a quiet time in the birding calendar, that is for bird watchers not for the birds who are busy raising their broods. Now we are into September the birds are on the move, post breeding flocks and the start of migration south to warmer climates and better food sources.
Over the Axle Lane fields there have been exceptionally high numbers of Yellow Wagtail. These are summer visitors, the male a splendid canary yellow bird, not to be confused with the resident Grey Wagtail that has yellow under-parts and is usually close to water. Mid-August a count of 17 was recorded, comprising adult and juvenile birds.
Northern Wheatear have also been spotted in the past few weeks, often perched on the old stone wall alongside the path to South Anston. These birds breed on upland moors, are easily identified as they flit about by their prominent white rumps.
The Golden Plover are also returning, by the end of August about 40 birds were recorded feeding on the ploughed fields. They can be difficult to spot on the bare soil, but their habit of wing flexing revealing a light under-wing betrays their presence.
There have been few Corn Bunting this year, no more than 2 breeding birds. This species although dull in appearance is a gem for Axle Lane, it is a farmland species very much in decline nationally. In previous years post breeding flocks of 20+ have been seen, hopefully this will be the case this year. It is a UK resident species with birds migrating locally.
Other birds seen passing through in the late August include Curlew and the rarer Whimbrel. Whimbrel breed further to the North and are smaller with a shorter less curved bill. Difficult species to tell apart, Curlew calls its name Whimbrel’s call more of a whistle.
Another Nationally threatened bird is the Grey Partridge, again the Axle Lane fields are a stronghold for this species. This time of year, especially in the evening many family parties, 12+ birds, can usually be seen. The Grey has a dark belly patch and an orange face, the more common Red-legged Partridge (rare on Axle Lane) has a white face outlined in black.
Finally, keep an eye out for Raptors on Axle Lane. Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Buzzard, Hobby and Peregrine Falcon all visit, the large numbers of Golden Plover, Skylark and flocks of Finches providing a good food source.
SK58 Birders monthly meetings resume on September 29th at the "Loyal Trooper", South Anston. The talk will be about Badgers, something a little different this time. Everybody Welcome.
SK58 Birders – June 2010
by Brian Chambers
The next Indoor Meeting takes place at "The Loyal Trooper", South Anston on the Wednesday evening of June 30th, 7.30 pm. The speaker, Glyn Hudson, an accomplished photographer, will talk about the Birds of Cuba. This is the last meeting before our usual summer break, the next one will be in September. All are welcome to attend.
The Chesterfield Canal is one of the best birding sites within SK58, and within walking distance of Todwick. It provides habitat for a very varied bird life.
On the water now are a number of Mallard female birds shepherding their young, the males often get together elsewhere. Moorhen with their young are also plentiful.
Kingfishers have been seen regularly this year. They need a bank or similar in which to excavate a nest hole, with a plentiful supply of fish they can raise two or even three broods.
Grey Wagtail, so named because of its grey back, can usually be seen around the Toplocks section of the Canal near Turnerwood.
Flitting about in the hedgerows and woodland are most of the Tit species. Blue and Great Tit will be familiar from your garden. Other species are Long-tailed Tit, unmistakeable tail, and now in family parties of perhaps as many as twenty birds. Willow and Marsh Tit are very similar with their black caps and bibs, best distinguished if you know their calls. Then there is the dainty Coal Tit with a white strip behind its crown and a very thin bill to pick out the tiny insects on which it feeds.
Other small birds likely to be seen here are Goldcrest, Wren and Treecreeper. In the woodland are both Greater-spotted and Green Woodpeckers.
Colourful Bullfinches are very successful along the Canal, between the Norwood Tunnel and Toplocks there could be upwards of 6/7 pairs nesting.
So, if you fancy a stroll and hope to see some birds the Chesterfield Canal is a good site.
SK58 Birders – May 2010
by Brian Chambers
The SK58 April indoor meeting featured a talk and slide show by Pete Robinson on the country and bird-life of Botswana. Pete, a regular SK58 guest speaker, has travelled widely throughout Africa photographing the animal and bird life. Great slides and an interesting insight into life in this relatively unknown country, the Kalahari Desert probably being its best known feature.
Plenty of Summer Migrant birds are back in our area, plenty of bird song to establish territory and attract a mate. Many Swifts and Swallows overhead.
Yellow Wagtails, the male a bright yellow with the characteristic long wagging tail, are back on Axle Lane. They are most often seen in the rape crop near where the cross-field footpath meets the stone wall, if your luck’s in one may be perched on the wall.
Common Terns are another unusual visitor to our area. A species that is more often seen over the sea but which have taken to inland lakes and rivers. In appearance like a streamlined Gull with a black cap, they dive for small fish at the Axle Lane fishing ponds, also frequent the ponds at Kiveton Woodlands, Langold Lake and Brampton Fisheries.
Turtle Doves, about the size of the ubiquitous Collared Dove, are now quite rare. They have been recorded near the old Todwick Sewage Works and even in village gardens in previous years, but not lately. If you see any please let me know. At the moment a pair is on Thurcroft Marsh, last year this was the only occupied site in SK58. The Gunslingers of Malta, plus other Mediterranean countries, take a huge toll as the birds migrate back from Africa.
Another bird that seems to have deserted Todwick is the Spotted Flycatcher. A pair used to breed in Bluebell Wood. At Carlton-in-Lindrick a pair is often seen amongst the grave-stones, ideal perches from which to dart out and grab a passing insect. I keep hoping to see one similarly around Todwick Church, perhaps this year!
SK58’s best bird last month was a splendid male Redstart at North Anston Community Woodland, near the Children’s Hospice. Its orange-red breast and tail, black throat and white forehead make it one of the country’s most colourful birds. They just pass through here but do nest in Derbyshire’s Padley Gorge woodland.
The May Indoor Meeting is at "The Loyal Trooper" on Wednesday the 26th, a talk about GOA. The June talk is on the 30th, Cuba the topic. As ever, everybody is most welcome to attend.
SK58 Birders – February 2010
by Brian Chambers
SK58 Birders held their AGM on 27 January 2010. The Group is in a healthy financial state despite having Insurance costs of about £400 to cover outdoor events, unfortunately a necessity in this litigious age. Presently there are 68 Members who generated an incredible 7000+ records last year, the data base now holds over 114,000 such records from 1991. On a walk to South Anston 25 Golden Plover may be seen, this would comprise one record. These records have been vital in challenging environmentally disastrous planning applications.
Locally, the stubble field between the stone-wall path to South Anston and the A57 has been a great feeding spot during this severe cold spell. The spilled corn and wild flower seed has attracted big flocks of Skylark, with counts of c300 birds. The Axle Lane fields are a Skylark stronghold, with 25+ pairs breeding, the Winter flocks include migratory birds from the Scandinavian area.
Together with the Skylark flock are Reed Bunting, possibly as many as 10 birds, and upwards of 20 Yellowhammer. The presence of these small birds here has attracted the attention of Merlin in the past, the UK’s smallest raptor. This small falcon is a ferocious hunter, prolonged dashing aerial chases are characteristic of their behaviour.
Click the images to see larger versions
Langold Lake, the best water site in SK58, currently supports good numbers of Ducks, interesting species present are Pochard, Goosander, Great-crested Grebe and occasionally Wigeon and Shoveler.
Tommy Flockton’s Marsh, the area east of the entrance to Kiveton Community Woodlands, usually supports 5 – 10 Teal and a Kingfisher has been recorded here quite often. The footpath is in a dreadful muddy state, wellies are essential!
SK58 Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of each month in the upstairs room of the "Loyal Trooper" Pub, South Anston, 7.30 pm start. New members always welcome. The March meeting features a talk & slide show on birds of the Greek Island of Lesvos.
Continue to 2009 and earlier reports.