Thornton Ornithological Society

February Snow.

2012-02-05T05:08:00.000-08:00

Thornton with 3" of snow on the morning of 5th Feb. before the fog rolled in.

A male Reed Bunting feeding in the garden. I always presume that this is a species that I will see on my New Years day bird count. However, last year I did not see one at Thornton until the 5th Feb. and this year it was the 4th Feb. So where are they in January?

About 75% of the res. is frozen and good numbers of wildfowl are crammed in to the open water. They include 26 Pochard, 32 Teal and Harry the Whooper is back. Other species noted recently have included Tawny and Little Owl, Peregrine, Treecreeper, Rook, and Greylag Geese.

There is also a pale yellow Canary coming to gardens near to the church. It is often seen singing and has even attracted the attention of the Reed Bunting. I think it is a Canary breed known as an American singer, but I am no expert on cage birds. I am surprised that it has survived this long as a male Sparrowhawk hunts regularly in the area.

Goosander.

2012-01-05T10:27:00.000-08:00

A smart male Goosander was at the top end today, but no sign of the three Shelduck. Water levels are rising with both outflow filters now partially hidden. One larch had been blown over by the strong winds.

None, then 3 come along!

2012-01-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

I did not record Shelduck last year at Thornton, so it was a pleasant surprise to have 3 during this mornings squall. They were still present at 3pm.

Welcome 2012.

2012-01-01T12:11:00.000-08:00

2012 started dry and mild and the juv. Whooper was still present to help with the New years day count. Other notables were Kingfisher, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, and male Goldeneye. My final total for the day was 52.

New record for 2011.

2012-01-01T06:41:00.000-08:00

Red Admiral on Japonica, 27/12/2011

Tortoiseshell, 31/12/2011

2011 ended with very mild weather and little change in the species frequenting the reservoir. Duck numbers remained high with plenty of Wigeon, Teal and Gadwall. On the 28th a Peregrine was seen and on New years eve a pair of Goosander were fly overs. The exceptionally mild weather produced a Red Admiral on the 27th and a Tortoiseshell on the 31st. My final species total for the year is 124, which is my new highest annual total. My aim is to reach 130 in 2012. Happy New Year and a bird filled 2012.

Lesser Redpoll recovery.

2011-12-18T11:43:00.000-08:00

Having rung 157 Lesser Redpoll at Thornton this autumn it was great to get a recovery of one of them retrapped in The Netherlands. Y473221 was caught on the 9th October. It was then retrapped at National Park de Groote, Asten, Noord-Brabant, about 10km east of Eindhoven. This is a movement of 508km in 48 days. This is a typical migration route for this species, south east to the low countries.

Second Med. Gull.

2011-12-13T12:24:00.000-08:00

An adult Med. gull was in the roost on Saturday. This is the second for the autumn, the first being a first winter. Sorry for the pitiful photo. The eclipse male Pintail and juv. Whooper are still present and Dave had a Little Egret, also on Saturday.

Bird numbers increase as fishing stops.

2011-11-28T12:59:00.000-08:00

Sunset over Thornton.

With the end of the trout fishing season the numbers of wildfowl are increasing and I am confident that a rarity will appear before the years end. There were 188 Lapwing, 60 Wigeon, 50 Teal, 40 Gadwall and 4 Shoveler. The Pintail and juv. Whooper are also still off Wood bank.

Second Winter Med. Gull.

2011-11-21T13:07:00.000-08:00

A couple of poor shots of yesterdays Med. Gull. in the failing light.

New patch record!

2011-11-20T10:53:00.000-08:00

Today I broke my Thornton patch year record. On the 12th Nov. I had reached 123 with Peter the Pintail, who along with Harold the Whooper did the decent thing and stayed around for todays Webs count. I had reached this total last year, but this afternoon I went to 124 with a second winter Med. Gull. Dispite the early fog Dave and I were able to do a reasonably accurate count. Wigeon numbers were up at 55 as were Teal, 54 and Gadwall, 28. There were also 63 Lapwing.

Common Redpoll.

2011-10-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

At last a Common Redpoll caught today. See the Charnwood Ringing group site for more images.

Carduelis flammea has paler tips to the G.C., and is greyer than Lesser Redpoll, C. cabaret.

I managed to see Harold the Whooper out of the water for a few moments. He is not rung, but does have two legs!

Redshank elegance.

2011-10-26T12:16:00.001-07:00

Two Redshank were present today feeding around the lake margins.

Looks abit odd in this photo, but it is a Redshank.

The juv. Whooper is also still present although it was seen to fly off at 5pm yesterday in the direction of Groby pool. Today the Mute Swans seemed to be giving it less grief.

South east winds bring rewards.

2011-10-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

Juvenile Whooper Swan.

Juvenile Marsh Harrier.
I scoped this bird and was able to see its pale head and throat.

At 4.30 pm a juvenile Marsh Harrier was quartering the reservoir and the surrounding woods. It eventually flew behind the woods and may have gone to roost.

Scanning the reservoir I noticed a juvenile Whooper Swan. Initially it was being chased by an adult Mute , but eventually it was left alone and seemed quite settled off Wood Bank.
There is also a juvenile Mute on the res . but it is much darker than the Whooper, with the obvious bill differences.

Adult Male R.C.Pochard

2011-10-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

Three adults and an eclipse male R.C.P. were on the res. on 17th. There was also a good count of 70 Goldfinch. On the 18th 4 Grey Partridge were added to the year list and on the 19th a single Snipe was feeding at the top end.

Pink-footed Goose, a Thornton tick!

2011-10-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

Adult Pink-footed Goose with Greylag.

Most records of this species in Leicestershire are in January, but a small number are recorded in October. There are plenty of geese on the res. at the moment and it would be nice to think that it is a genuine wild bird from Iceland.

What ever, if Dave can count Barney on his year list I'm counting Percy!

Black Terns at last!

2011-10-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

Two Black Terns were at Thornton on Sunday Sept. 25th. My daughter took the shot with her new Nikon. Thanks Jen. One was a juv. and the other an adult. They were gone by the monday.

October Wheatear.

2011-10-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

We don't often get Wheatears in the autumn so this adult male was a pleasant surprise. It seemed happy on the cow pat in the October sunshine.

I managed to catch 12 Lesser Redpolls at the weekend.

This group of 25 Greylag have moved in and look quite photogenic on the lake margins. Other wildfowl this evening included 12 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon and a single Pochard.

Lesser Black Backed Gulls.

2011-09-22T11:47:00.000-07:00

A group of 137 L.B.B.Gulls were at Thornton on the 21st, with a single Herring gull.

It is quite unusual for us to get many large gulls ,so this raised the expectations that a rare gull might be amongst them. No luck , but I shall persevere.

First WEBS count.

2011-09-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

I completed the September WEBS count today with Dave. There were 250 Mallard, 70 Tufted and 75 Coot. Afew Wigeon ,Teal and a single Gadwall completed a rather disappointing tally, with the disappearance of the 3 Red crested Pochard adding to the gloom. Dave did manage to raise spirits with a late Swift, the ten year average being September 20th. Other sightings today included 2 Ravens, Willow tit, and at least 30 Tree sparrow at the feeder at the top end. I have not seen as many as this for several years.

Adult Autumn Arctic.

2011-09-13T12:05:00.001-07:00

Adult autumn Arctic Tern at Thornton since the 12th.

Good views from Stoney bank allowed the red bill to be clearly seen to aid the ageing process.
Very well demarcated but narrow black edgeing to the primaries.

Arctic tern with Markfield church in the background.

The three R.C.P. are still present and gull numbers are increasing ,with 2 Lesser B.B. with the 70 plus B.H. gulls. A Hobby was chasing hirundines on the 12th and 2 Ravens flew over to the north.

R.C.P. at last!

2011-09-06T11:48:00.001-07:00

At last I have caught up with Red Crested Pochard at Thornton, so Russ and Dave can no longer grip me off! Three eclipse males were present on the 5th and looking settled on the 6th.

These photos are my first attempt at digiscoping, taking photos through a telescope. There is plenty of room for improvement. Other duck included 6 Teal and 2 Wigeon. There were also 300 Canada geese and 2 Hobbys chasing the hirundines.

Gull Wanderings.

2011-08-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

The Belgium colour ringed B.H.Gull that I trapped in my garden and was at Thornton until 8th Jan. 2011 was seen at Siouville-Hague, France on 28th July . Will it return this winter?

Recent Ringing.

2011-08-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

Garden Warbler.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Male Nuthatch.

Greenshank.

2011-08-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

Two Greenshank were off Wood bank at 6 pm. There were also 5 Teal, 2 Little Egret and a Grey Wagtail. 5 Buzzard and 2 Hobby were also above the wood.

News from T.R.W.P.

2011-08-14T03:08:00.000-07:00

Up to 5 Common Buzzard have been seen over the last few days. The highlight was a female/ juv. type Marsh Harrier at 8pm on the 12th Aug. being mobbed by 3 Hobbys. 2 Little Egrets are now regular.

Mud awaits waders!

2011-08-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

The res is now lower than I have ever seen it so we await the wader passage with great anticipation. On the 18th July there were 6 Common Sandpipers and a single Redshank. Dave had 9 Crossbills on the 25th. There is a huge invasion of Two Barred Crossbills in Scandinavia, so perhaps they will reach our shores soon. This Common Sand was pictured on the outflow filter. There is another outlet below this so the water continues to make its way to Cropston.

Brown Argus?

2011-08-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

I photographed this at Thornton today. I think it is a male Brown Argus. Any experts out there who can confirm this , or is it the brown form of female Common Blue? I think the lack of any spots on the fore wing near to the body is relevant and seems to match the image on page 125 of Butterflies of Brit. and Ireland, Thomas and Lewington.

Little Egret.

2011-07-14T14:39:00.000-07:00

A female Garden Warbler

and a female Whitethroat both rung at Thornton

Little Egret off Wood bank

A pair of Kingfishers at the Sand Martin wall, Church Farm.

Small Skipper, Brown's Wood.

A single Little Egret was off Wood bank at 8am and still present at 5pm. Two Kingfishers were at Church Farm Sand Martin bank. Plenty of Small Skippers were at Brown's Wood, but as yet no sign of an Essex Skipper.

Black-tailed Godwit.

2011-07-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

The black barring on the breast indicates a male perhaps just starting to come out of breeding plumage.

Even more mud and still the level drops as water is abstracted.

Three fly over Little Egrets from the house? Honest Guv!

A single ,what seemed to be a male Black-tailed Godwit was on the dam at 4pm. today, 8th July. This is a peak time for this elegant wader and a Thornton tick for me. This follows on from 3 Little Egret that flew around the res on 6th July. Hopefully the mud will attract more waders over the coming weeks.

Summer successes and some Moths.

2011-07-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

Some moths caught by Dave Wright. The top one is Small Emerald, then Large Emerald and finally Swallow Tailed Moth.

For those who look at the Charnwood R.G. site you will have noted our ringing successes. This has included 2 Jackdaws and 17 Sand Martins rung at Church Farm. We have also rung 5 Barn Owls and 5 Kestrels around the village. New species added to my Thornton list have included a Marsh Tit that visited the garden, a Reed Warbler at Dessy Lakes, and a single Shoveler on the res. The 4 Quail between Bagworth and Nailstone were just outside my local patch, so don't count, but their "Wet me Lips" call was still great to hear.

A Common Sandpiper on the 27th June was perhaps the first glimmer of return migration. With even more mud now exposed there is a good chance of some more waders in the late summer. On the 4th July there were 4 Oyster Catchers and 4 Pochard, demonstrating some kind of movement.

Insects and Orchids.

2011-06-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

This Broad -Bodied Chaser was at the ponds at Browns wood and Common Spotted -orchid was at Church Farm.

Large numbers of hirundines are frequenting the reservoir and a Hobby is regularly seen. An afternoon walk up to Browns wood produced 7 species of butterfly. These included Small Heath, Small Copper, Large Skipper, Common Blue, Peacock, Large White and Speckled Wood.

Post card from Barney!

2011-05-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are missing Barney, well we recently had this holiday snap from him, post marked Svalbard!

More Waders.

2011-05-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

Some brief heavy showers encouraged some passage birds to drop in over the weekend.

The increasing mud was also an attraction.

On Friday 13th 2 Ringed, 1 Little Ringed and a single Dunlin were on the mud opposite the lodge.

On the morning of 13th there were also 5 Oystercatchers. By the evening there was only one left. It was enjoying a feast of Swan mussels and was still there on the 15th.

I had to take this photo of Brown's wood. It is hard to imagine that only afew years ago it was an arable field. This is the same site that hosted a Stone Curlew in May 2003.

News from Thornton Mudflats!

2011-05-07T04:39:00.000-07:00

More mud at the top end.

Tawny Owl on the rough.

Common Tern.

Sedge Warbler singing.

Probable White Wagtail.

Water level drops further.

2011-04-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

The increasing mud around the res. has attracted this Little Ringed Plover.

LRP's will attempt to breed in shingle areas, but I am afraid that the disturbance around the reservoir may not be to their liking.

A flock of 5 Yellow Wagtails were in the fields off stoney bank. They seemed to be all males.

Finally a flock of at least 10 Arctic Terns flew over on the 27th heading NE , nearing the end of their epic migration.

Waxwings with the spring Migrants!

2011-04-12T14:26:00.000-07:00

Male Yellow Wagtail.

Common Sandpiper.

Male Yellowhammer.

Waxwing.

Over the last few evenings a small group of Waxwings have been at the top end of the res. It has been strange to see these winter visitors fly catching in the tree tops, with hirundines flitting over head. Other recent passage birds have included 2 smart male Yellow Wagtails, and 4 Wheatears . Willow Warblers and Blackcaps are singing and afew House Martins are mixed in with the Sand Martins and Swallows.

Migrants arrive.

2011-04-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Over the last few days there has been a drip feed of migrants. 32 Meadow Pipits were in the fields below the res. on the 26th, and this coincided with the first Swallow. Sand Martin numbers have been swelling, with up to 100 by the 4th April. Two House Martins were seen today. (5th). Blackcap have been singing since the 2nd and 2 males were rung on the 3rd. Dave had a single Common Sandpiper on the 24th March, an early date for this passage migrant. Other wildlife has included Pipistrelle bats during the warm evenings and Orange Tip, Brimstone and Small White butterflies during the warm afternoons.

Spring images.

2011-03-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

Sparrowhawk helps with the washing!

First Small Tortoiseshell of the year.

Spire amongst the Daffs.

This young Mink was watched feeding on a frog on the 17th. Chiffchaffs are now calling and the first Tortoiseshell was seen on the 19th.

Spawn signals Spring.

2011-03-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

On the 6th a Curlew flew down the valley, no doubt heading for Brascote. Other recent sightings have included Peregrine, Raven and Woodcock. By the 10th there was plenty of spawn in the pond and a pair of Mallard had moved in. The final Webs count was completed today(13th). The highest count was 74 Mallard and 31 Tufted duck. There were also 14 Cormorant, some being the sinensis sub species, from eastern and southern Europe ,which breeds in the Baltic. (See photo). The highlight were the 9 Sand Martins that were feeding low over the reservoir, a sure sign that migration has begun.

Hybrid Duck.

2011-03-05T12:28:00.001-08:00

On the 27th February I noticed 3 juvenile Pochard near the outflow in the company of this male hybrid. I have recorded a similar hybrid at Thornton and I suspect that it is a male Tufted crossed with a female Pochard.

Lapwings.

2011-02-25T09:19:00.000-08:00

Possibly my favourite bird the Lapwing and there have been up to 75 on the dam over the last few weeks. This one was close to the outflow so I was able to snap off a shot, being concealed by the dam wall. Secreted amongst them on the 11th was a single Oyster catcher. The 2 colour ringed Black headed gulls are also still about. On the 22nd a male Goosander flew over aswell as a Peregrine. On the 23rd the first frogs were in the pond. There have been up to 5 Common Buzzards over the village, no doubt pairing up for the breeding season.

Slow Progress!

2011-02-08T12:04:00.000-08:00

Water Rail at Stanton inflow.

It has been quiet around the reservoir for the last four weeks, but my year list has now crept up to 75. Species added have included Peregrine, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose,Reed Bunting, Nuthatch, Kingfisher and a female Brambling. The pair of Little Owl are back calling on their territory and a Tawny is frequenting a nest site. Sparrowhawks have also been seen displaying. There are several species that I would have expected to have seen by now, but I suspect that the hard winter has forced some of them further west. This includes birds such as Pochard, Goldeneye, Snipe, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Marsh Tit. As the days lengthen lets hope that some of these species become more evident. Bring on the spring!

Raven before Rook!

2011-01-12T11:26:00.000-08:00

With much of the reservoir frozen the wildfowl numbers have dwindled. I did eventually catch up with a Great crested grebe on the 5th. It was sitting on the ice and looked very unhappy. This species obviously is forced to move when lakes freeze over, but I have never seen one flying over open country. New species added to the list included Goosander(3),Lapwing(40),and Raven(4) all on the 8th, and Rook and Grey Heron on the 9th. All three Tossers have had Raven before Rook this year. My ringing highlight was trying out my new whoosh net and catching this Belgium ringed Black Headed Gull. ( See the Charnwood ringing group website for more details). Finally, a very interesting talk by David Lindo was enjoyed at the recent L.R.O.S. meeting. His local patch is around Wormwood Scrubs in west London. His mates who watch this site are known as Scrubbers, who I am certain would hit it off with us Tossers!

O.M.T.L.!

2011-01-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

At 0915 on 2nd a quick glance out of my bathroom window and a Red Kite was added to my Toilet list. It flew off down the valley to the south west. Today 3 Waxwings were in the village, but very flighty, and not yet O.M.T.L!

T.O.S. Welcome 2011.

2011-01-01T12:27:00.000-08:00

It was a rare event for all three members of TOS to welcome in 2011 with a New years day bird species count. Weather conditions were not ideal but we persevered and having gone our separate ways,(Tossers, as the name implies are solitary creatures), I eventually ended the day on 56, 4 down on last year. Highlights were 2 fly over Golden Plover, Water Rail, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Willow tit, 2 Woodcock and Little and Tawny Owl. The owls were both given away by the nearby presence of Carrion Crows.

Colour ringed Belgium Gull.

2010-12-30T10:43:00.000-08:00

The Black Headed Gull that has been frequenting my garden was rung at Lommel in Belgium on the 23rd May 2010. It was a chick and was colour ringed as part of a Belgium ringing project. See their website at http://www.bhgull.be-ring.org/ for all the details. They have some great maps that show that some of their gulls have taken the slightly more pleasant option of over wintering near Madrid! EAAR was first reported at Thornton on 15th November. As you can see from the photos the letters are black on a yellow colour ring. Other sightings recently include a Water Rail and Snipe. 43 Redwing were in my garden on 26th Dec.

The Great Coot Migration!

2010-12-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

The Coot Migration!

On the 19th December there were only two areas of open water on the res. as I carried out my Webs count. I thought it would be easy, but I had not considered the Great Coot migration. I had just finished counting the Coot in one open area and was walking around to the next area, when I noticed that all the Coot were on the move. It was like something out of the Masai Mara as they all decamped and headed off to the next watering hole. On the 22nd a female Brambling was in the garden. Water Rails have been seen both at the Stanton inflow and down the main outflow stream below the dam. Today there were 104 Teal which is by far the highest number I have ever recorded. There has also been a colour ringed Black Headed Gull in my garden ,which was rung in Belgium. More details to follow. Six Siskins were at the top end.

In the bleak mid winter!

2010-12-16T15:07:00.000-08:00

It has been difficult over the last 2 weeks to have enough day light to report much local avian activity. The ice has come and gone, but now looks like it will return as we head towards Christmas. On the 3rd there were 35 Mute Swans occupying the small area of open water. A male Blackcap was feeding from apples that I had stuck in the garden hedge on the 11th. Teal numbers rose to a maximum of 51 on the 12th. This is the highest count that I have had at Thornton and may indicate frozen waters elsewhere.

Winter returns.

2010-12-01T12:52:00.000-08:00

A wintery scene at Thornton.

Tough conditions for this Heron.

The two inflow ends of the reservoir are frozen and wildfowl numbers are increasing. Species today included Little Owl, Water Rail, 4 Goosander (1 male,3 female) and 2 Ravens. On the 28th. November there were 36 Teal, a very good count for Thornton. There was also this Black headed gull that had not noticed the change in the season!

Common Gull?

2010-12-01T12:40:00.000-08:00

On the 13th. Nov. I noticed this first winter Common gull that seemed rather diminutive. It wasn,t until recently that I remembered last years Mew gull debate. I am no expert, but this bird does seem to have a short bill and ,well it grabbed my attention enough to snap off a shot.

One Year on!

2010-11-15T13:33:00.000-08:00

Hawthorn berries, Browns Wood.

More rounded tail feathers of an adult Lesser Redpoll.

Adult Lesser Redpoll showing more red on the breast feathers.

Adult male Bullfinch.

I started my blog exactly one year ago. I suppose the Rosefinch was the spark. My aim is to report the species seen at Thornton and perhaps encourage others to report on their local sites. Recent sightings have included a mixed flock of about 20 Siskins , 10 Lesser Redpoll and afew Goldfinch. Two female Goldeneye were brief visitors. The gull roost is also increasing with up to 400 B.H. Gulls and afew Common Gulls. Recently I trapped this fine adult male Bullfinch and also an adult male Lesser Redpoll. Note the more rounded tail feathers of this bird. The Hawthorn berries at Browns Wood are also impressive this year and will hopefully get many birds through the winter.

Signs of Winter.

2010-11-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

As the wind direction turned to a cold easterly some winter species made their appearance. On Saturday a Brambling was a welcome addition to the year list. On Sunday a fly over Goosander, 5 Goldeneye and 10 Wigeon all heralded the approaching season. Dispite all this a single Comma and a Red Admiral enjoyed the warm mid day sunshine. A second hand report of a probable Waxwing on the 30th October had me checking all the local berry baring shrubs. Finally, up to 23 Lapwing are roosting on the dam, where I am optimistically hoping for a Snow Bunting!

Grey Wagtail.

2010-10-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

A smart Grey Wagtail was at the outflow recently. It was probably the bird that I had rung earlier in the year. Grey Wagtails are classed as uncommon resident breeders and winter visitors in the county. They regularly breed at Thornton and recently I had a count of 6 birds at the dam. They are definitely one of my favourite birds.

Visitors from the East!!

2010-10-25T13:41:00.000-07:00

Two rare migrants were on T.R.W.P. recently in the form of an adult winter plumage Head of the Hungarian ringing scheme and an adult, slightly younger , Head of the Hungarian Great Bustard project. Check the tee shirt. Both migrated back east to their breeding grounds in central Hungary.

Lesser Redpolls.

2010-10-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

Small groups of Lesser Redpolls have been around the church aswell as afew Siskins. A single juvenile Ruddy duck was present on 11th. Other birds of note include Little Owl, Peregrine, Kingfisher, 9 Wigeon and a Shoveler. The warm sunshine on the 17th had a Small Copper and a Comma butterfly on the wing. Finally, 4 Ravens flew over at 10 am. on the 22nd.

The photo shows a first winter male Lesser Redpoll that I trapped and rung. Males have pink breasts in the spring ,but this bird has only the odd pink feather.

Redwings.

2010-10-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

I counted at least 800 Redwings heading south over Thornton in about one hour this morning. 8 Skylarks and 5 Swallows were also moving through. The only new year tick was a single Golden Plover. A first winter Stonechat was by the poney field at 1630.

More W.W.B.Tern photos. Thanks Dave.

2010-10-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

No sign of any terns on Monday. All had departed over night.

The Thornton W.W.B.T.

2010-10-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

Braving the foul weather I walked down to the dam hoping for a storm driven migrant. As I scanned the central area of the lake I immediately saw 3 Black Terns. This was good, but not a year tick. As I watched the terns I noted that one bird seemed to have a darker mantle and paler wings. This encouraged me to move to the centre of the dam and get closer views. I was also then able to see that the bird had a white rump and that it seemed slightly smaller than the 2 Black Terns. I realised that it was now worth returning home to check the Collins guide. I did this and also contacted R.M. Returning to the lake we now checked to see if the bird lacked a dark breast patch. Again it seemed to fit all the requirements . I decided to contact S.L. and by 11.20 he had seen and confirmed the bird as a juvenile White Winged Black Tern. A county, Thornton and year tick for me and a lifer for some of the 30 or so birders who came to enjoy some very close views. The right hand image shows the W.W.B. as the closer bird and a Black Tern behind. The lack of a dark breast patch is clear in both photos. My poor quality photos were taken with a hand held Panasonic DMC-TZ10, cropped and zoomed, so you get some idea of how close the bird was.

A third Black Tern joined the group later. While watching them at about 17.15 in the company of A.F. a Peregrine spooked the terns and they flew off high. At first we thought they were leaving , but they returned and were still present when I left at 18.00.

My second Thornton tick for the day was a Grey Plover. A.F. identified it on call and we both had clear views of the black armpit patches as it flew over and disappeared to the east.

More year ticks.

2010-10-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

Dispite my ringing effort on Sunday there was no repeat of the Rosefinch weekend. Never mind. Compensation was in the form a juvenile Arctic tern late on Sunday and on 30th a first winter Mediterranean gull was near to the outflow.(Main car park) This brings my site year total to 115. Wildfowl numbers are building up with a count of 492 Canada geese on the 28th.

Mustela vision.

2010-09-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

A very confiding Mink was watched as it hunted along the dam this evening. It is such a pity that this alien has caused so much damage to our native wildlife. When I first came to Thornton 24 years ago there were always Water Voles, Arvicola terrestris, at both inflows, but they have disappeared, easy prey for Mink. Dispite the bad press it was still a great animal to watch. Also at the dam were 6 Grey Wagtails. I cannot end this blog without mentioning that Sunday is the anniversary of the Thornton Rosefinch twitch. Ever the optimist , I shall erect a net in Rosefinch ride on Sunday at 9am and you never know!

Webs Count begins.

2010-09-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

On the 19th September I completed my first Wetlands Bird survey of a new season. There were no great surprises, although 17 Little Grebe and 40 Great Creasted were notable. 335 Canada Geese, 190 Mallard and 45 Tufted duck were also counted. Also recorded were 1 Gadwall, 1 Shoveler, 1 Kingfisher and 2 Cormorants.
Other recent sightings have included 5 Grey Wagtails on the 4th and 1 Black Tern from the 7th to 9th September. Today(20th), 2 Ravens flew low over the church at 1730.

More from TRWP!

2010-09-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

At last a rare sunny day on the 30th and I was again on TRWP duty. A single Swift, Hobby, 3 Buzzards, Kestrel and a Curlew were seen. A Nuthatch was calling and visiting the neighbours feeders. A more unusual visitor to the garden was a single Linnet.
I cannot sign off without mentioning the sad demise of the Thornton Moth Mans blog. It was this site that encouraged me to start my own. It is great to hear about what people are seeing locally, especially areas of Natural History that I know little about. So come on Russ ,don,t abandon your followers.

T.R.W.P!

2010-08-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

T.R.W.P is Thornton Raptor Watch Point, or in reality my decking over looking the reservoir. It was productive today, 22nd. August, with 7 thermaling Common Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk , 2 Ravens and a Swift. At 1610 an Osprey flew in from the east, circled the reservoir and then flew off west. Finally at dusk a single Hobby was hunting low near to the church.

Kingfishers galore!

2010-07-24T12:25:00.000-07:00

A family group of 5 Kingfishers were at the top end of the res. on 17th July, 2 adults and 3 juvs. Other sightings recently have included 2 Ravens, 2 Common Terns, 2 broods of Tufted duck and a single Peregrine. The House Martins are busy repairing the nest as it was damaged when the first brood left. Hopefully they will have a second brood. Ringing locally has been successful with Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Golfinches and a single juvenile Grey Wagtail being caught.

Breeding success.

2010-07-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

On the 11th June 2 young House martins were seen in the artificial nest. Swifts have also been inspecting the area and it has made me want to put in boxes for them. The only problem is that it does involve knocking through the gable end of the house which requires some careful consideration first! A single Green Sandpiper was found by DW on 8/7 on the mud at the top end of the reservoir. Other breeding success included a brood of Tufted ducks, an infrequent breeder on the res. Also 3 Kestrel pullus were rung on the 1st July. D.W. also found Red Eyed Damselflies at the fishing ponds in the Bagworth heath area. There were also good numbers of Ringlet and Small heath. Finally, Common Terns have been visiting the reservoir and on carnival day just as I was helping to put away tables, a Peregrine flew over.

The occupied nest.

2010-06-19T06:20:00.001-07:00

The occupied nest is second from the right. It and the small one were made from card board that had been soaked for several days in water, with added fabric softener. I then shaped this around a ball to create the nest .I fitted some gauze into the nest to help in fixing the nest to the shelf. It was then left to harden. I painted the shelf with a light colour, they prefer white eaves. As you can see the 2 purchased nests,(£14 each!!!), look great, only problem is they have never been used. My tatty ones have now been used 3 times. They have been damaged by sparrows, but the male just carries out some DIY and you can just make out the mud he has added.Oh, and one fell off, but not when it was being used thankfully! Hope this is of some help, but if you need any more info. on making nesting sites then there is a very good book on the subject, published by the BTO.

House Martins in residence.

2010-06-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

This shows the shelf onto which I attached the 2 bought nests and between are the 2 home made nests.

Summer visitors all in.

2010-06-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

I eventually caught up with a Spotted Flycatcher on 27th May. It was rewarding to stroll along the sculpture trail in Thornton wood, thinking ,this is a good place for a Spotted Flycatcher, Oh there is one! On the same evening a Badger was seen out hunting for worms at about 2030. It is also great to have a pair of House Martins in the nests I made for them. It is a mystery why they have never used the two expensive ones I purchased at the Bird Fair. A Curlew flew over calling on 6th May.

Summer on its way.

2010-05-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

At last the temperatures seem to be rising after the cool north winds of early May. The only bird sightings of note were 3 Common Sandpipers on the 5th and 8 Yellow Wagtails and 3 Sedge Warblers on the 6th May. A Grasshopper Warbler was still reeling at Bagworth heath on the 18th and a pair of Lesser Whitethroat were seen.

Dipped??

2010-05-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

The final migrants have been arriving with 4 Swifts and a Sedge warbler on the 26th April and a Garden warbler on May 1st. Highlight was a probable female Marsh Harrier that flew north at 1900 on 27th April. A Grasshopper warbler was reeling below the dam on 28th. Today, a second hand report of what sounded like a Common Crane at about 9am got my pulse racing. The observer said that he heard the bird before he saw it and that it was like a "Heron on steroids!!" It flew away to the north. D.W. and I checked fields between Thornton and Stanton, but it was not until I checked Birdguides that I realised that I might have dipped a Thornton first. A Common Crane was at Ogston res. at 11.11, and I am sure a crane could easily make the 70 miles in two hours.

Ton Up!

2010-04-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

The migrants have been arriving thick and fast over the last week. A Hobby was hunting over the reservoir on the 19th and a Redshank was on the dam on the 21st. Up to 2 Cuckoo were at Bagworth heath and two also at Browns wood. Barn and Tawny Owl were seen. Common Whitethroat and a smart Lesser Whitethroat were also at Browns wood. A Tree Pipit was a new site species and probably a passage bird, although the habitat it frequented was a potential breeding area. Finally, today a pair of Linnet below the dam took me to 105 species for the local patch and all before May.

Spring passage and summer arrivals.

2010-04-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

With some excellent spring weather migrants are now arriving in good numbers. The male Redstart was around until at least Friday, and D.W. found perhaps a different bird at Brown,s wood today. Up to 3 Yellow Wagtails were present with a male Wheatear and a brief Ring Ouzel below the dam was a treat for D.W. Two Common Sandpipers were on the dam and a pair of Shoveler were year ticks on the 16th. A reeling Grasshopper Warbler was back at Bagworth heath where a Cuckoo was also seen.

Redstart hedge!

2010-04-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

A smart male Redstart was added to the site year list on Saturday 10th. It was frequenting the same hedge that hosted one two years ago. This hedge was known as Little Owl hedge, but we might have to rename it! The Redstart was still present at 6pm on Sunday. R.M. also had 3 Ravens over the reservoir at 11am. and D.W. had presumably the same birds over Bagworth heath.

Migration in full swing.

2010-04-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

No sign of the R.N.Grebe today, that has presumably continued its journey east. An early walk produced three new birds for the site list. A Willow Warbler was bravely singing from a Blackthorn dispite the chill N.W. wind. A single Oyster Catcher did two circuits of the reservoir before heading back, I guess to Brascote, and the first Common Sandpiper of the year was resting on the weir at the Stanton inflow end. The walk to Bagworth heath produced a single Raven that looked massive compared to the Carrion Crow that was mobbing it. A small flock of Lesser Redpoll were also on the heath. The final treat of the day was in the form of a dapper male Yellow Wagtail that was associating with the White Wagtail in the grass fields beside Stoney bank.

Red-Necked Grebe.

2010-04-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

It has been several years since I have seen one of the rarer grebes on Thornton, so it was very pleasing to find a Summer plumaged Red-Necked Grebe at about 9.30 this morning. The grebe was frequenting the central area of the reservoir, with a small group of Great Crested Grebes. It was still present at about 1800 when it was closer to Stoney bank, the eastern side of the reservoir. This bird has probably wintered off our coast and is now heading back east towards Central Europe. Earlier this morning a short ringing session produced a male and female Blackcap and one Chiffchaff. The Chiffchaff was a returning bird that I had previously rung last July. It is very satisfying when birds return to a site, an indication that it fits their requirements. The hirundine numbers increased again today and there were one or two more House Martins. The White Wagtail was again in the field off Stoney Bank and a Treecreeper was seen carrying nesting material.

Barnacles, feral or Svalbard bound?

2010-04-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Up to 50 hirundines have been feeding over the res. mainly Swallows and Sand martins, with one House Martin on the 30th. On the 31st D.W. located 17 Barnacle geese that stayed until late in the day. At times they flew around the reservoir and favoured the N.E. direction, but I was not around to see in which direction they eventually departed. Their appearance was enough to get me looking in the new Avifauna. The entry made interesting reading concerning Barnacles and Thornton , where one was shot during the first week of April, 1891 and 7 were present during the last week of March 1981, when there was an influx of wild birds. There had been 31 at Eyebrook and one of these birds had a Svalbard ring. About 5 of the birds seemed to be adults with yellow faces. They were nervous and kept in a tight group. They did approach the car park area , but this may have been due to the feral Barnacle that is associating with the group of hybrid Snow geese. My feeling is that they were genuine wild birds that have probably moved further S.W. this year due to the hard winter. It would have been good if they had moved on to fields and we could have checked for rings. Other recent sightings included a male Blackcap, a White Wagtail, and a Common Tern, all on the 2nd April. The Tern is an early bird being 3 days ahead of the ten year average.

Hirundines at last.

2010-03-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

D.W. had a Swallow on the 26th, and today there were 2 Swallows and 3 Sand Martins. They tended to drop in when rain threatened and soon disappeared. There are also several Chiffchaff around the reservoir and they are now calling. Seven Buzzards were joined by a Peregrine this morning. There was also a report of a male Blackcap singing in Thornton wood. A walk over to Bagworth heath produced 2 more site ticks, a brace of Red Legged Partridge and a small flock of Meadow pipit mixed in with Skylarks.

Talon grappling Buzzards.

2010-03-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

I have seen Buzzards talon grappling before, but today two birds were seen to fall for what must have been at least one hundred feet, before they released. No sign of any hirundines at Thornton yet. Three Chiffchaffs were seen feeding , but not calling. A Water Rail is showing well at the Markfield inflow end.

The First Migrants.

2010-03-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

As the first migrants start to trickle into the county there is always excitement and expectation. On the 16th nine Song Thrush were feeding in the fields near to the church , no doubt passage birds, heading north. A Song Thrush was also seen carrying nesting material. A walk to Bagworth heath on the 17th, resulted in a close encounter with a Woodcock that was flushed. I have also managed to put up a home made Little Owl box in a known territory. Today I finally managed to tick my first warbler of the year, a Chiffchaff. It was busily feeding along a hedge and not calling ,despite the warm weather. It was also quite pale and I did wonder whether it was the northern race abietinus. Other signs of spring today included two Brimstone butterflies and a wonderful chorus of croaking from a frog filled pond.

Lesser Redpolls.

2010-03-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

There have been very few large flocks of passerines around locally ,so it was nice to find a flock of approximately 200 Lesser Redpolls and Goldfinches feeding on the Alders at Bagworth heath on 13th March. Three Curlews were over the reservoir on 12th. A Willow Tit was my 81 species on my Thornton year list and the colour ringed Black headed gull , 2Y74, is still loyal to the ressy car park. With the milder weather now in command the excitement is rising as we await the Spring migration.

Signs of Spring.

2010-03-06T09:03:00.000-08:00

Dispite the weather still being on the cool side there are at last some signs that spring is ready to burst out. On the 26th Feb. the first frogs were seen in the pond and Great crested Grebes were displaying. Pairs of birds were in evidence and this included a pair of Peregrine over the reservoir on the 26th, two Shelduck on the 2nd March, a pair of Little Owls on the 3rd and 2 Curlew today. At Bagworth heath a pair of Stonechat were brief visitors.

The Ice Returns.

2010-02-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

With winters icy grip still dominating spring seems a long way off. The recent bird sightings have also had a winter feel, with two Lesser Redpoll, Raven and a flock of 25 Wigeon. A smart male Yellowhammer in the garden was also admired against the snow. When temperatures do start to rise spring will burst out and we are promised a spectacular display. I think we shall all enjoy it after the hardest winter for thirty years. I remember last easter being in Finland , where they go from two metres of snow and temperatures of -20, to long warm sunny days, sometimes within a week or two. The Finnish birders we spoke to wanted a long drawn out spring so that migrants would linger on their journey north and give them more chance of adding them to their year lists. At Thornton it is always worth birding when the weather is bad as migrants are attracted to the insect hatches off the reservoir. Lets hope for a good spring migration to dispell those winter blues.

First hint of Spring!

2010-02-14T13:21:00.001-08:00

With the increasing daylight at last there is a hint of spring. A fine male Mistle thrush was singing from the church yard today. Three new species were added to the year list , taking me to 76. Two Great black backed gulls flew over in the company of a a mob of Herring gulls. A yomp up Brown,s wood produced a smart Marsh tit and two hours ringing on the rough resulted in a Lesser Redpoll trapped and rung. A group of 75+ Lapwing wheeled over the res. this morning and 2 Common Buzzards and a Kingfisher were also seen.

First hint of Spring!

2010-02-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

Waiting for the spring!

2010-02-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

As the cold weather persists there has been little to report . The only tick has been a group of 4 Greylag geese flying over on the 7th. Feb. Other species have included Water Rail near the wooden bridge, Teal and Green Woodpecker. The colour ringed Black headed gull has been frequenting the car park. It has a white ring with the code 2Y74 and is the same bird that was seen earlier in the year.

Collins Bird Guide, 2nd edition.

2010-02-01T11:19:00.000-08:00

There has been very little to report at Thornton for the last ten days. However, to relieve the tedium I have treated myself to the new Collins guide. It is amazing how our growing knowledge demands that bird guides are constantly having to keep up to date. The very useful page of Caspian Gull images is a case in point. Others include American Herring Gull, Brown and Taiga Flycatcher and soemmerringii Jackdaw to name but afew. It is all so useful as a reference and so informative. Meanwhile at the res. I have only added one site year tick, a Tawny Owl. Other species have included Kingfisher, Teal and now 7 dodgy Snow x greylag with the Barnacle goose. Three Snipe were at Browns Wood and a large tit flock in Thornton wood included over 15 Long Tailed tits, two Treecreepers and the more common tit species ,but no sign of the hoped for Marsh or Willow. I have recently added up my ringing totals for Thornton for 2009. I managed to ring 490 new birds of 31 species. This is only just short of my best year, 2005 when I did 531. It gives me a target for this year. I have also been busy putting up three Barn Owl boxes and one Tawny box, both at Thornton and at Charnwood lodge. My next project is to make some Little Owl boxes , using the new design from the latest edition of BTO News.

Thawing Thornton.

2010-01-18T12:54:00.000-08:00

Not much to report over the last few days and certainly no Hen Harrier! The Harris hawk is however still loafing around the Markfield inflow. New species to add to the Thornton year list have included Nuthatch, Woodcock and a small passage of Skylarks going north on Sunday. The wonderful mild weather on Sunday had the Mallard displaying. They might get a shock on wednesday if the snow returns.

The Big Freeze.

2010-01-09T11:30:00.000-08:00

There are now only two small areas of open water on the res. Today there was a very sad looking group of Coot hunkered down on the ice. The Wigeon have taken to grazing on the bank and are quite confiding. New birds today included a Peregrine and a Jack Snipe, that flew up from the out flow. Eight Teal were in the area of open water in the company of Gadwall, Tufted and Pochard, but no sign of the juv. Scaup. The BTO Blog has some great photos of a badminton playing owl! Its worth a look.

Conclusion on the dodgy duck!

2010-01-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

I managed to get good views of the hybrid Tufty on Sunday and it seems to be a classic male Tufty x female Pochard. The vermiculation is indistinct, and appears plain grey and I even managed to notice purple gloss, (it says violet on page 379 of Collins) on the head. Never mind, but at least I was able to console myself with 3 more site year ticks in the form of 1 Yellowhammer, a Goldeneye and a fly over group of 4 Ravens.

Lesser Scaup?

2010-01-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

I managed to film the hybrid Tufty x Pochard today.(2/1/2010) There were certain features that made me get quite excited ,but then there were also features that had the opposite affect. The shape of the crown and the mantle resembled Lesser Scaup, but the bill tip had too much black, although not as much as the illustration of the hybrid on page 59 of Collins. The bird flew off before I was able to scope the mantle to judge the vermiculation. As it took off my film shows a clear white wing bar on the secondaries ,but it is not obvious how far this extends. I did not notice any gloss on the head. The bird flew off at about 10.30 and could not be relocated in the afternoon. My conclusion is that it is probably a hybrid, but would be easy to confuse as a Lesser Scaup.

New Years Day.

2010-01-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

The annual Big Day birding around Thornton produced a very respectable 62 species. Best birds were a Water Rail again by the fishing lodge and the dependable juv. Scaup. Although not included on the list the Harris hawk is still frequenting the top end of the res. Most interesting however, is the Tufted x Pochard hybrid ,or is it a male Lesser Scaup!

Farewell 2009.

2009-12-31T11:11:00.000-08:00

So a great year comes to a close with my site total for Thornton on a respectable 115. Some surprising species were missed such as Dunlin and Willow tit, but quality in the form of 80 Waxwings, 5 Avocets and a Leicestershire first made it a memorable year. Final sightings today included a very confiding Water Rail, which can be viewed from just between the fishing lodge and the old trout cages. Also in front of the lodge the juv. Scaup was feeding and I hope that it is still there tomorrow as it will be a good addition to my 2010 list. I am hoping to add Red Crested Pochard to my Thornton list as I am fed up with the other Tossers gripping me off! My prediction for 2010 is a Firecrest trapped and rung ,as I think it is my only chance of catching up with one at Thornton. Happy New year when it arrives and a bird filled 2010.

Colour ringed Black headed gull.

2009-12-29T09:55:00.000-08:00

On the 28th a colour ringed Black headed gull was on the ice. It had a white colour ring with the code 2Y74 on the left leg and a metal ring on the right. By looking up www.cr-birding.be I was able to find out that the gull was rung in the Gloucestershire area. I am now waiting to find out when and whether this individual has been sighted elsewhere. Other news is that we managed to put up another Barn Owl box locally, which should help to encourage this species. A total of 7 Tree sparrows were at the feeder at the top end of the res. and the juv. Scaup is still present.

Boxing day birds.

2009-12-26T09:24:00.000-08:00

The morning started with a mad dash to try and get film of a possible Y.L.Gull on the ice. We have yet to scrutinise the footage and I have some doubts. At the same time a year tick for the res. was added in the form of a smart male Pintail. Not a duck that we get very often on the res. In total 9 duck species were present including a single Goldeneye and the loyal juv. Scaup. On the walk back from enjoying a splendid pint of Ped. at the Thatched in Stanton, 9 Snow geese x ? in the fields to the north of Stanton lane.

Merry Christmas and a bird filled 2010.

2009-12-24T08:35:00.000-08:00

A slight thaw today. The only new arrivals 2 Snow geese and 1 Barnacle, joined later by a Snow x Greylag x who knows what goose. Over 20 B.H. Gulls in the garden created an unusual spectacle. A single Common Gull joined them . The A.G.M. of T.O.S. was held last night at the Bricklayers Arms. High lights of the year were noted, there were 3. The membership could not remember them, so D.W. had to refer to his detailed field notes. The meeting was adjourned and we relocated to D.W.s where we did some serious damage to his Glenfiddich. Thanks Dave.

More Ice.

2009-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

The reservoir is now about three quarters iced over. Today I had at least 46 Great Crested grebes, also present 40 Wigeon,20 Pochard and 6 Little grebe. A single male Shoveler and the juv. Scaup. Only a scattering of gulls this afternoon in the roost until the fog rolled in. Ringing on the rough was succesful with a total of 31 birds, including 2 Reed buntings and 3 Goldfinch. News for the 22 December included two flocks of Golden plover, about 60 birds in total, all heading S.W. and 12 Teal on the res. 3 Goosander flew over on the 21 December.

The first ice.

2009-12-19T12:28:00.000-08:00

Both arms of the res. had areas of ice this morning. No rarities, but 28 Wigeon, 3 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 1 Kingfisher and 2 Lesser Redpoll. Also a group of 9 Little Grebe and 34 Great crested grebes. A disappointing gull roost with 20 Common gull and afew hundred B.H. Gulls.

Geese?

2009-12-13T11:26:00.000-08:00

D.W had a flock of grey geese flying south west over the village at about 9am. I then had a family group of 7 grey geese flying north east over the reservoir at 1 p.m. I did not think they were Greylag and the head seemed large in relation to a short neck. The juv. Scaup was again present this morning, but could not be found when I watched the gull roost at 3.30 pm. 23 Common gulls and 1 L.B.B. amongst the Black headeds.

Memorise of a great weekend.

2009-12-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

I thought this photo taken by Jen would bring back memorise of the Rosefinch twitch in September. Everything looks so green and it does make me realise how fortunate I am to look over this bit of habitat. It has also taken me this long to work out how to add a photo to my blog!

Lapwings.

2009-12-09T11:35:00.000-08:00

Lapwing numbers have increased with 95 resting on the dam at 4pm. A single Scaup is still present and was within photograph range of the main car park. An adult and first winter Herring gull were in the gull roost.