"10-Mile" update...

Six weeks ago I was on a birding high after adding Bittern to my “10-Mile List” at Willington, I was also a little unsure as to whether or not I could reach last years total of 136 species within my recording zone. Well, all that is history. My total species count now stands at 137!

The five new species are...

Osprey. Whilst on a cycle ride on August 23 I was lucky enough to have an Osprey fly slowly over me as I headed into Mickleover. I managed to get very good views of the bird as it passed overhead and it was the highlight of a great, 52-mile, ride. I think I deserved that one, even if only for being crazy enough to be out riding for 52 miles on a Sunday morning!

Dunlin. I had to double-check all my records for the year before I added this one to the list - I couldn’t believe it had taken me until August 30 to see a Dunlin locally! Three Dunlin were seen at Willington Gravel Pits on a rather quiet Sunday morning when the only other notable sightings were of a single Hobby, 2 Green Sandpiper, and a Kingfisher. Things were so quiet that I even resorted to counting the Canada Geese! I recorded a total of 492, slightly less than the 500 Black-headed Gull. Well, I did say it was a quiet morning!

Shag. I had planned on a bike ride on the evening of September 6 but a quick check of the sightings on Birdguides had me heading off to Willington instead - a juvenile Shag had been located. Not only was this a new species for the “10-Mile List” it was also the first I’d ever seen inland. Other than the Shag it was yet another very quiet visit. A Buzzard showed well at the rear of Gull Pit and 23 Snipe were seen in flight. Summer lingered on in the form of Common Tern, Swallow, House Martin, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler.

Greenshank. A very brief visit to Aston-on-Trent Gravel Pits this morning resulted in species number 136 for the year. I had hoped for something a little bit special to match last year’s total, but I’ll take the Greenshank all the same! To be fair, it was a rather smart looking Greenshank and it did show very well - but it was still a Greenshank. Green Sandpiper, Dunlin and Chiffchaff were the other notable sightings.

Little Egret. This has always been a bit of a bogey bird for me in Derbyshire; I only saw my first in the county last summer. Today, at Barrow-on-Trent, I found 5 of the things and, in the process, moved my “10-Mile List” on to 137 species for the year. I’ve been trying to locate one of these little white herons all summer without any success so I was rather pleased that Little Egret was the species to take my total ahead of last year’s. Also at Barrow were 105 Cormorant, 17 Grey Heron, 100 Tufted Duck, 7 Buzzard, 2 Chiffchaff and 2 Jay.

Two very poor photos of a Little Egret. These were taken with my mobile phone through my ‘scope - the reason why will become clear in my next blog post!

With just over 3 months still left of 2009, can I move the list on to 140 species? I really haven’t a clue!

132 - a lucky number?

Almost a year ago I posted a blog here about how I’d finally added Little Egret to my Derbyshire birding list and that the Egret was also species 132 on my 2008 “10-Mile List”. Well, 132 must be a lucky number for me, or Willington Gravel Pits is my lucky site!

Yesterday morning I had planned on getting up early and going out birding. In the end I stayed in bed until after 9:00AM and just couldn’t be bothered with the prospect of flooded paths, mud and a lack of birds! Staying at home and doing a bit of work on one of my bikes held much more of an attraction for me - that was until I received a next message from one of the county's most active birders. A Bittern had been seen at Willington Gravel Pits! It took me less than half an hour to gather together my telescope, bins and camera and drive to the reserve.

I had to wait for over an hour for the Bittern to show but when it did I was far from disappointed - the bird did two separate fly-pasts, high above the main pit, before deciding to settle in the reed bed. The views were by far the best I’d ever had of a Bittern and it was my first for Willington. It was also a new species for the “10-Mile List”, number 132. I was one happy chap.

By now it was approaching mid-day and I was starting to think of getting home so I could work on the bike - the Bittern had other ideas. Just as I was about to leave it climbed out of the reeds and started to walk about in the open! This was too good to be true! I’ve seen a few of these birds over the years but never before have I seen one show so well, it was more like watching a Grey Heron.

I did get a few photos but they didn’t turn out too well, I blame the strong breeze that was blowing for the blurred images. It had nothing to do with my hands shaking with excitement! Well, I don’t think it did!

At first it's just a head...

... then the whole bird!

Then it went walk-about!

The “10-Mile List” is now just 5 species short of beating last years total - maybe it can be done, maybe not. Oh, and the bike did get it’s chain, gears and rear mech. cleaned and serviced later in the afternoon too! Not a bad result all-in-all!