25th April 2009

In lieu of any recent birding at the MVCP I updated my MVCP Year list:

Black-necked Grebe
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Mute Swan
Greylag Goose
Canada Goose
Wigeon
Gadwall
Teal
Mallard
Shoveler
Red-crested Pochard
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Scaup
Garganey
Common Scoter
Red-breasted Merganser
Shelduck
Osprey
Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Marsh Harrier
Kestrel
Pheasant
Water Rail
Moorhen
Coot
Lapwing
Snipe
Redshank
Curlew
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Iceland Gull
Kittiwake
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Sandwich Tern
Arctic Skua
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Stock Dove
Kingfisher
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Meadow Pipit
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Wren
Dunnock
Robin
House Martin
Sand Martin
Swallow,
Stonechat
Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Song Thrush
Redwing
Cetti's Warbler
Blackcap
Sedge Warbler (heard-only)
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Wheatear
Skylark
Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Jay
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Starling
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Lesser Redpoll
Bullfinch
Linnet
Yellowhammer
Reed Bunting

MVCP Year list: 96

13th April 2009

6am - 8am, and 9am - 9.15am

Gullwatch

Highlights:

3 Common Terns

Kingfisher

(Successful trip to Brogborough Lake to see 22 Common Scoter)22 Common Scoter - Brogborough Lake

MVCP Yearlist - Still 96

12th April 2009

6.10am -3pm & 5pm - 7pm
Gullwatch - Sluice - Gullwatch

Probably the best birding day ever on Stewartby Lake!!

Highlights:
6.10am - 3pm
2 Black-necked Grebes - found 6.10am
1 male Red-breasted Merganser - found 6.20am
1 Sandwich Tern & 3 Arctic Terns - found 6.30am
1 Arctic Skua - Found just after 7.30am by Andy Plumb and present until just before 8am (5 minute "gap" in middle when it flew off)
1 Adult Kittiwake - appeared about 7.30am
7 more Arctic Terns seen late morning - early afternoon
Osprey - seen briefly from gullwatch flying across Stewartby Lake 2.15pm

5pm - 7pm
2 more Sandwich Terns
1 Shelduck



Arctic Skua - a few record shots of the star bird of the day...


The two stunning summer plumaged Black-necked Grebes

Male Red-breasted Merganser

Sandwich Tern & 3 Arctic Terns - 7am Stewartby Lake


Pair of Garganey - Access Track


2 Sandwich Terns - Stewartby Lake in the evening

Osprey - Stewartby Lake 2.15pm

Shelduck - Flying over middle of Stewartby Lake in the evening

MVCP Yearlist 96 (Arctic Skua, Black-necked Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser, Kittiwake, Osprey & Shelduck added today!)

11th April 2009

8am - 7pm
Highlights:

Guided Walk (8-11am)

Visitors Centre - Stewartby Lake - Pillinge - Visitors Centre

Pair of Garganey & Lapwings - Access Track

3 Sandwich Terns & 1 Arctic Tern - Stewartby Lake

Blackcaps seen & Cetti's Warbler (heard-only) - Wetland 3

4 Bullfinch - Bramble Meadow

Afternoon

Water Rail (heard only) all 3 hirrundines - Wetland 3
3 Common Terns & albino Herring Gull (in roost) - Gullwatch

Lapwing Access Track

Carrion Crow - at Gullwatch

MVCP Yearlist 90 (Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern & Blackcap added today + Missed off list (seen earlier in year) Buzzard, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Linnet and Yellowhammer

10th April 2009

6.40am - 6pm

Gullwatch - Sewage works - Jubilee Cottages - Visitors Centre - Pillinge - Gullwatch

Highlights:

6.40am - 1 Commic Tern on distant buoy - from Gullwatch

Male Wheatear - in front of cafe (10am)

House Sparrow - Jubilee Cottages

Common Tern Stewartby Lake

Female-type Marsh Harrier - seen from cafe and from access track

Pair of Garganey & 1 Redshank - Access track pond

Female Wheatear - Access track

All 3 hirundines - Access track / Pillinge

2 Snipe & 3 singing Sedge Warblers (heard only) -Wetland 9

Cetti's Warbler and more Sedge Warblers (heard only) - Wetland 3

Male Garganey - one of the pair near the access track

Female-type Marsh Harrier - Seen from the cafe and access track

Moorhen - in front of cafe
House Martin
Magpie - near Gullwatch

Yellowhammer - Visitors Centre
Willow Warbler - c20 singing on site

MVCP yearlist - 80 (House Martin, Sand Martin, Swallow, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler (heard-only), Common Tern, Garganey & Marsh Harrier added)