OS: 121 • GR: SK 911661 • Map Ref: 69

Whisby Nature Park: Latest news

Wildlife in January 2010

The freeze-up in the first half of January caused a mass exodus of water birds especially, and also passerines to a certain degree. The monthly Wetland Bird Survey count was abandoned on the frozen lakes so a later count was made on 27th when there were totals of 17 Pochard; 362 Coot; 29 Goldeneye; 6 Moorhen; 94 Tufted Duck; 57 Greylag Goose; 19 Cormorant; 49 Mallard; 90 Gadwall; 12 Mute Swan; 3 Goosander; 49 Wigeon; 9 Canada Goose; 6 Little Grebe; 5 Shoveler; 4 Ruddy Duck; 2 Great Crested Grebe; and 25 Teal. Not a bad recovery from the very few birds remaining earlier in the month.
A Bittern was anonymously reported at Grebe Lake on 1st but no further sightings occurred
A Black-necked Grebe appeared at nearby Apex Pit on 27th.
There were 4 Bullfinches at Grebe Lake on 8th.
A few reports of single Buzzards have been received.
Chiffchaffs were seen on 8th and 28th.
A Coal Tit fed at the bird table on 23rd.
50 Fieldfares at West Lake on 3rd is a good count for Whisby; otherwise only single figures have been observed.
One Goldcrest on 23rd had survived the freeze.
12 Goldeneye was the maximum count on 16th.
124 Great Black-backed Gulls congregated at Willow Lake on 1st.
Great Spotted Woodpeckers have been observed on 5 occasions with “drumming” on 27th.
During the freeze at least 1 Green Sandpiper was seen on several occasions in the Pike Drain which became a mini-hotbed of bird interest while the lakes were frozen.
Green Woodpeckers were reported on 3 occasions.
Up to 110 Greenfinches were massing to roost in the Chicken Farm conifers on 13th with fewer seen on other occasions.
98 Herring Gulls congregated at Teal Lake on 30th.
There were 13 records of Kingfishers, mostly singly but up to 3 on 7th, seen along the Pike Drain in the worst of the freeze when the lakes were frozen and the birds were forced to seek running water.
70 Lapwings were standing on ice at Willow Lake on 6th.
12 Lesser Redpolls were counted at West Lake on 3rd with 1-2 subsequently seen or heard fairly frequently in areas of birch.
A remarkable flock of 80 Linnets were just out side the reserve on the north-western boundary on 6th.
As with Kingfishers, up to 3 Little Egrets were seen in the Pike Drain during the freeze, and last reported on 11th.
16 Little Grebes were “marooned” in a small patch of free water at Willow Lake on 8th.
A Merlin was reported just south of the Nature Park on 17th.
20 Redwings accompanied Fieldfares at West Lake on 3rd
There were 15 Siskins at Teal Lake on 6th.
A small movement of 30 Skylarks flew south over the site on 6th.
1-2 Snipe were in the Pike Drain and 5 at Grebe Lake north shore during the freeze.
55 Teal were standing on ice at Grebe Lake on 1st and 142 were counted at Willow Lake on 8th.
2 Water Rails were seen in a ditch near the north-western corner of the Nature Park on 10th.
A Willow Tit was seen at Hidden Pond on 28th. These seem to have become very scarce this winter.
Many more records of Woodcocks than usual came mostly from the edges of scrub areas north of the railway. 10 observations were made throughout the month.
A Yellow-legged Gull was at Willow Lake on 1st.
A Small Tortoiseshell near the carparks on 20th had evidently been disturbed from hibernation.
Fox, Stoat and unfortunately Mink were all observed in the middle of the month.

 

 

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