Newsletter Mar-Apr 2019.Odt

DRONFIELD WILDLIFE & NATURAL HISTORY GROUP Newsletter No.23 – March/April 2019 SECRETARY Miss M Smith Tel. 07814 140034 Compiled by Mr. B.S. Smithson, Tel. 01246 415495 Mr. & Mrs. M. Fairest MARCH METEOROLOGICAL WEATHER REPORT from DRONFIELD –from garden bird surveys– BSS. It was dull with sunny spells on 1st & 2nd, a mixture of sun and rain on 3rd & 4th, sunny on 5th and rain on 6th & 7th. Most days had periods of sun and rain from 8th-19th. The 10th, 11th & 17th also had some snow or sleet. It was windy from 3rd-17th, strong on 9th, 10th and 13th-17th. The 20th was a nice sunny day. The 21st & 22nd were cloudy but dry. From 23rd to the end of the month it was sunny, with an early frost on 24th and rain in the evening. The days were warmer from 28th-31st. There was sun on 21 days for all or part of the day and rain on 11days. 4 days were cloudy or overcast. GARDEN BIRD SURVEY The most numerous birds in 13 gardens (monthly totals) Species Total None at Most at 1 House Sparrow 842 [12][17][20] 231 at [18], 210 at [15], 166 at [3] 2 Woodpigeon 547 - 98 at [3], 90 at [14], 76 at [18], 3 Starling 546 [3][12][17] 265 at [18], 166 at [4], 135 at [16] 4 Blackbird 511 - 94 at [3], 70 at [18], 58 at [15] 5 Dunnock 318 - 81 at [16], 63 at [18], 45 at [1] 6 Blue Tit 251 [20] 54 at [16], 47 at [6], 39 at [1] 7 Magpie 208 - 71 at [3], 34 at [13], 25 at [14] 8 Goldfinch 175 [3][20] 70 at [16], 59 at [14], 54 at [1] 9 Great Tit 121 [3][13][16][18][20] 73 at [1], 13 at [6], 10 at [8] 10 Robin 112 [4][18] 31 at [16], 24 at [15], 20 at [14] 11 Carrion Crow 106 [6][8][16][18][20] 46 at [3], 32 at [14], 9 at [4] 12 Greenfinch 84 [3][6][15][17][18][20] 38 at [8], 21 at [1], 15 at [13] 13 Long-tailed Tit 76 [3][4][6][13][16][18] 33 at [1], 17 at [12], 14 at [8] 14 Collared Dove 73 [6][12][16][17][18][20] 24 at [1], 15 at [3], 14 at [15] 15 Chaffinch 49 9 gardens 34 at [1], 8 at [14], 6 at [8] Others Total of 6 sightings of Song Thrush at [14] and heard at [17]. No Mistle Thrush. Wren seen in 9 gardens most being at [14]. 21 sightings of Jackdaw at [15]. Rook was seen at [4] and [13] and flew over [3] and [14]. Coal Tit seen at 8 gardens. Sparrowhawk at [13][14] & [20] and flying over [18]. 1 Curlew flew over [17] on 19th. Total of 6 Siskin at [8] for the month and 8 at [14]. Great Spotted woodpecker at [1] and [14]. Nuthatch at [1]. Bullfinch at [1][8]. Birds flying over – Black-headed Gulls over 3 gardens, Buzzard over [6][12][14]. Grey Heron over [3][12]. Pheasant and Lesser Black-Backed Gulls over [4]. Tawny Owl heard at [14][17]. ORNITHOLOGICAL Starlings gathering in Poplar trees (357792) at end of garden [15] from C18 on G&EG 1st, C30 on 3rd, C20 on 5th & 8th, C30 on 11th & 21st and C12 on 26th. 1st Blackbird building nest at [1] Unstone. J&RS 5th Magpie building nest at [1] Unstone J&RS Song Thrush singing on Bradwell Close, Dronfield Woodhouse (3378) MS 7th 3 Mallard flew over [1] Unstone. Also 2 through rest of month. J&RS Judging by feathers scattered across the lawn at garden [8] either a cat or CS Sparrowhawk got lucky. No sign of Woodpigeons or Collared Doves since (18/03/2019). Mallard, Moorhen, Canada Goose, Coot on Chesterfield Canal (4074/4174) CS/BSS Pheasant and Collared Dove in same area. 8th 3 Buzzard flying over Hundall (3877) also on 11th & 14th J&RS 9th Grey Heron flying north over [15] at 1800 hours G&EG 10th C100 Starlings in big tree on Ashford Road, Dronfield Woodhouse (335780) MS 11th Common Buzzard flew over Civic Centre at noon. M&LF Also on 20th at 1030 hours (3578) Collared Dove and 3 Goldfinch on Ashford Close, Dronfield Woodhouse (3378) MS 18 Black-headed Gulls and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls settling in field at BB Barnes Farm, Dronfield Woodhouse (3379) 19th Curlew flew down Stonelow Road at 1020 hours BSS Long-tailed Tits collecting feathers mentioned earlier at [8] CS 19th Pair of Mandarin Ducks visiting pond and resting in Oak tree at [14] Coal Aston. P&MK and Carrion Crows building nest in adjacent woodland and fishing in garden pond 20th for snails. They defend territory fiercely from Magpies and Buzzards. Wren building nest in roosting pouch near kitchen door and singing very loudly. 20th Blue Tit resident in nest box at [13] A&JH Sparrowhawk circling over Green Lane/Hartington Road at 1310 hours (356788) G&EG 21st First sight of Woodpigeon after incident on 7th at [8] ! CS Female Mandarin perched 20ft up a tree in Moss Valley (374805) MS Skylark seen singing over field in Moss Valley (379802) MS 22nd Linacre (3372) Tufted Duck, Mallard, Blackbird, Robin, Carrion Crow, Rook, BB Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit and Great-spotted woodpecker drumming. Linacre (3272) Mallard, Starling, Rook. 25th Great Tits in nest box at [1] J&RS 26th Buzzard circling over Snape Hill Lane bottom at 1225 hours (352786) G&EG 27th Robin, Wren, Chiff Chaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, AB Woodpigeon, Chaffinch in Lea Brook Valley woodland (352783) 12 noisy Carrion Crows on big tree on Ashford Road, Dronfield Woodhouse MS (3378) 28th 4 Buzzard circling over Green Lane/Holmesdale Road at 1350 hours (356792) G&EG Blue Tits in nest box at [1] J&RS 31st Chiff Chaff singing in Dronfield Nature Reserve at 1230 hours (3677-3678) BSS 2 Garden Bird Survey 13 Gardens Garden Birds Total Species for March - 28 Maximum numbers seen together Garden No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 121314151617181920 House Sparrow 3 8 9 1 2 10 6 15 7 9 Starling 13 3 2 13 1 16 7 19 1 Blackbird 3 4 12 2 2 2 3 3 4 3 2 3 2 Blue Tit 3 2 2 3 2 2 3 4 6 5 3 1 Collared Dove 2 2 2 2 3 1 2 Magpie 2 4 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 1 1 2 1 Chaffinch 3 2 3 2 4 Dunnock 3 2 2 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 1 3 2 Robin 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 Greenfinch 4 4 8 Hd 2 Song Thrush 1 Hd Great Tit 4 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 Wren 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 Coal Tit 2 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 Carrion Crow 2 3 2 2 1 2 2 FO Mistle Thrush Woodpigeon 3 4 4 4 2 3 4 15 4 3 2 4 3 Rook 3 FO Jay G.S.Woodpecker 1 1 Goldfinch 5 1 2 4 2 6 4 3 4 1 FO Sparrowhawk FO 1 Pied Wagtail Long-tailed Tit 5 3 2 1 2 1 2 Yellowhammer B.H. Gull FO FO Goldcrest Treecreeper Jackdaw 2 Feral Rock Dove Bullfinch 1 2 Kestrel Nuthatch 2 Pheasant FO Grey Heron FO FO L.B.B. Gull Blackcap Fieldfare C.Buzzard FO FO FO Curlew FO Siskin 2 2 Tawny Owl Hd Redwing FO Mandarin Duck 2 Total 18 14 14 12 18 15 16 25 17 11 12 10 8 3 BOTANICAL 20th Lesser Celandine, Gorse, Dog’s Mercury on Fanshawe Gate Lane (3078) M&LF 22nd Linacre (3372) Common Dog Violet, Blackthorn, Lesser Celandine, Cowslip, Wood BB Anemone, Pussy Willow (3272) Blackthorn, Lesser Celandine, Pussy Willow, Golden Saxifrage. 25th Lots of Daisies in grass in front of flats and bungalows on Stonelow Road BSS (3578/3678) MAMMALS Grey Squirrel 3 out of 4 days throughout the month at [12] C&ES 3rd Grey Squirrel collecting nest material at [15] G&EG 13th Dead Badger on Dyche Lane, Coal Aston (361797) M&LF 14th Large Hedgehog observed at [13] A&JH 20th Young Fox seen at [13] A&JH 27th Grey Squirrel in garden [8]. Also on 30th. CS 30th Hedgehog in garden off Radbourne Common, Dronfield Woodhouse at 2000 AB hours (337784) AMPHIBIANS Frog spawn throughout month in garden pond [18] M&LF 18th Large Common Toad sheltering under upturned wash bowl in garden [18]. M&LF 27th Newt in garden pond at [17]. Most likely Smooth Newt. BSS INSECTS Butterflies at [15] during month – small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Comma. G&EG Also Red-tailed, White-tailed Bumble Bees, Honey Bee and 7 spot Ladybird. First Wasp seen on 18th. 20th Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on grass verge in front of bungalows on Stonelow BSS Road, Dronfield (363787) 25th Brimstone butterfly in garden [17] BSS 28th Brimstone butterfly in garden [1]. Also first Wasp. J&RS Peacock and Comma butterflies in garden [6] GB 29th Peacock butterfly in garden [1]. Also on 30th. J&RS Comma butterfly in garden [17]. BSS 4 Visit to RSPB Langford Lowfields - 17 th March 2019 This visit was postponed from last Sunday due to snow and gale conditions. 6 members set off from Greendale on a fine Sunday morning – Linda & Mick Fairest, Graham Gill, Brian Smithson, Charles Seymour and Malcolm Swift.

Load more