West Midland Bird Club

Tittesworth Reservoir News, in 2007

Unless otherwise stated, reports on this page are anecdotal, and have not been verified by the relevant country recorder or rarities committee.

For the scientfic names of these birds, and their local status, see our county lists.

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2006

December 2007

The 30th proved to be a day that several regular birders visited the site and recorded their observations. The following have been highlighted: a Little Grebe (very uncommon at Tittesworth), six Great Crested Grebes, 30 Cormorants, a Grey Heron, nine Pochards, 11 Wigeon, a Goldeneye, a pair of Mandarins, over 60 Lapwings, 13 Snipe, a Coot, a Moorhen (both Coot and Moorhen are incredibly sparse at Tittesworth), three Common Buzzards (including one light-phase bird), a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, five Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Nuthatches, a Treecreeper, two Stock Doves, a Goldcrest, a Song Thrush, two Mistle Thrushes, 10 Long-tailed Tits, two Jays, 10 Bullfinches, a Reed Bunting and a Weasel.
On the 29th the following were of particular interest: 82 Teal, four Goosanders, a Common Buzzard, eight Snipe, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Tawny Owl, seven Long-tailed Tits, a Coal Tit and two Willow Tits.
There were over 120 Lapwings on the Small Island on the 27th. Also worth mentioning are two male Goldeneyes, a pair of Mandarins, a male Kestrel and the long-staying — now almost tame — Mute Swan.
On the 26th there were 190 Canada Geese, 27 Tufted Ducks, 85 Teal, eight Wigeon, a male Goldeneye, five Goosanders, 47 Lapwings, 11 Snipe, one Coot, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, 70 Fieldfares, 90+ Redwings, a Goldcrest, a Grey Wagtail, a Jay and four Reed Buntings.
By the 23rd, Great Crested Grebe numbers had lifted to 10.
The 19th yielded three Great Crested Grebes, five Pochards, just two Snipe, but best of all two Tawny Owls sitting side by side!
Four Goosanders were observed on the 17th.
A Marsh Tit and Common Sandpiper were good finds on the 16th. Three raptor species were also seen: Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard.
The best find on the 13th was a Dipper feeding in the River Churnet.
Three Pochards and two Kingfishers were found on the 11th.
Of note on the 9th were the following: two Grey Herons, 43 Teal, 55 Wigeon, 17 Snipe - a bit down on the 33 for the 5th (a late logbook entry), eight Common Gulls, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Willow Tits, two Stock Doves, four Treecreepers, five Bullfinches, two Meadow Pipits and three Reed Buntings,
On the 7th three Common Buzzards were seen soaring above the River Churnet.
The Canada Goose flock stood at 193 on the 5th. Also of note were a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers feasting at the west hide feeding station, a Grey Wagtail, several Long-tailed Tits and two Willow Tits, the latter species in national decline but doing well at Tittesworth. After much heavy rain of late the water level of the reservoir has risen and now only about three square metres of the Large Island is showing. The reservoir should be full again by the end of the year.
On the 3rd the following were of particular note: 14 Goosanders, a male Mandarin, 145 Lapwings, a Grey Wagtail, a Treecreeper and two Meadow Pipits.

November 2007

Our current Moorhen pair were noted on the 28th as were the following: eight Goosanders, 53 Wigeon, 37 Teal, a Peregrine, two Kingfishers, four Stock Doves, a Jay and a Bullfinch.
Snipe numbers were higher than of late on the 27th numbering 51.
On the 26th two male and two female Mandarins were located. Lapwing and Snipe numbers were reasonably high at over 90 and 31 respectively but just 13 Tufted Ducks was a poor showing.
An exceptional find on the 25th was a ring-tailed Hen Harrier flying low over the Conservation Pool at around 1410 hours. Also it was quite remarkable to see over 200 Siskins! In addition 60 Pink-footed Geese flew south at around 1000 hours. The following are also worth noting: three Mandarins, a Dunlin, a Peregrine, two Kingfishers, over 80 Fieldfares, 30+ Redwings, three Willow Tits and over 40 Lesser Redpolls.
Two Moorhens were seen on the 21st. This species is in short supply at Tittesworth. Other species worth a mention were five Pheasants (low in numbers on the site but quite numerous in the surrounding moorlands), a Treecreeper and two Willow Tits.
Undoubtedly the best sighting for the 20th was of an immature Peregrine over Hinds Clough Wood. Also on the 20th a lone Oystercatcher was present for the day and the Lapwing flock numbered a healthy 125.
Good finds on the 19th included a Knot (a site rarity), a Redshank, a Dunlin, a Grey Wagtail and two Meadow Pipits.
By the 18th Teal numbers had lifted to 82.
The most interesting finds on the 17th were 11 Great Crested Grebes, five Goosanders again, three Common Buzzards, two Kingfishers, a Brambling, two Willow Tits and a Nuthatch.
Four female Goldeneyes were present on the 16th. There were also 120 Wigeon, 70 Teal but only four Tufted Ducks, two Pochards and five Goosanders. However there was a high count of 69 Snipe.
The Tittesworth Water bird report for 2006 is now available from the visitor centre. The report's new compiler and author is Brenda Scott. The report runs to 68 pages, with several illustrations, and is priced at £2.50. Proceeds from sales will as usual be donated to wildlife charities.
The 15th was a bright, clear, sunny day offering excellent views of all species present. The best views were of two Kingfishers glowing in the midday sunshine and fishing in the Conservation Pool's feeder stream. In particular the following are also worth a mention: the long staying Mute Swan (this species is almost a Tittesworth rarity), about 80 Teal, two female Pochards, the female Goldeneye, 40 Snipe — some basking/dozing in the sun's rays, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, at least 20 each of Robins and Blackbirds in a very, very small area of the site, about 200 Fieldfares, over 20 Redwings, approximately 30 Long-tailed Tits, a Willow Tit, a pair of Siskins, a male Bullfinch and a Lesser Redpoll.
A male Mandarin turned up on the 14th to join a female Pochard and a female Goldeneye. Cormorant numbers stood at 24, Great Crested Grebe at 14 and Snipe at 28. Again a Kingfisher was observed. Also there were two Stock Doves and four Collared Doves present. A good non-avian observation was of three Brown Hares.
It was good to see four female Goosanders on the 12th. The 12th also yielded the following: a Kingfisher, several Siskins, seven Tufted Ducks — a low number for this site, four Common Buzzards, a male Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, several Lesser Redpolls, three Bullfinches and an estimated 1000 Starlings.
The Wigeon flock was down to 16 on the 11th but Teal numbered 52. There was also a dozen Great Crested Grebes present along with 210 Canada Geese and 183 Mallards. A Grey Wagtail, a Common Sandpiper, three Common Buzzards, two Moorhens, a Treecreeper and a Lesser Redpoll were present on the same day.
Two female Bramblings were found on the 9th and a number of Siskins was noted. Cormorant numbers were up at 20 and the following were also observed: a Kingfisher, a Kestrel, a Mistle Thrush and a Jay.
The first Goldeneye of the year's second winter period was noted on the 7th. It was a female bird. The Lapwing flock was over 150 strong. Also two Ravens passed by.
On the 6th a mystery small grey wader turned out to be a Dunlin!
A Hen Harrier was logged for the 5th but no details were provided.
Only 46 Snipe could be found on the 4th. Also worth a mention for the 4th are 174 Canada Geese, a Common Gull, 16 Cormorants and a Reed Bunting.
On the 2nd it was observed that the reservoir's water level had continued to fall. The Conservation Pool was almost empty. The shallow pool remaining had over 50 Teal swimming in its waters. The Small Island was now completely exposed right down to the pool bottom.
The most interesting observation on the 1st was a Sparrowhawk flushing over 50 Redwings from large hawthorn bush. It was unsuccessful in catching prey.

October 2007

On the last day of the month the following were of particular interest: five Brown Hares, a single Pochard, over 200 Lapwings and 15 Long-tailed Tits.
Ninety one Snipe and 72 Teal were counted on the 30th. There were also three Meadow Pipits and a Kingfisher present.
On the 29th two Kingfishers were located and 60 Redwings were counted.
A male Mandarin was the suprise find on the 28th. Over 60 Teal were also present.
The Dunlin was still present on the 27th. A Pochard, a Little Grebe, 53 Snipe and 180 Lapwings were also seen.
The only unusual find for the 22nd was a Dunlin.
Of note on the 21st were the following: 81 Snipe, 39 Wigeon, three Goosanders, a female Stonechat, two Ravens, five Bullfinches and an albino or leucistic Crow.
The best observation on the 20th was of two Brown Hares.
Five adult Whooper Swans were present on the reservoir until dusk on the 18th. A male Common Scoter was also found.
Star find! On the 16th two adult winter Ring-billed Gulls were found on the Large Island. They were present until about 2pm when they took flight and headed north. Another good sighting was of a Common Sandpiper on the west shore close to the Fisherman's Lodge.
Swallows were still around on the 15th when five were noted. Speckled Wood butterflies were still on the wing.
A magnificent count of 94 Snipe was made on the 14th. Other good counts included 58 Teal, three Common Scoter, over 80 Redwings and seven Swallows.
Swallows (6) were seen again on the 13th.
The 11th yielded the following interesting sightings: 38 Snipe, three Moorhens — sparse in numbers on this site, a Dipper again, 150+ Fieldfares, a Meadow Pipit, two Jays, about 40 Goldfinches and six Swallows.
An excellent find on the 8th was a single Bar-tailed Godwit. Ten Shelducks and a Dipper were also present,
There were over 60 Starlings on site on the 7th, a species not frequently registered at Tittesworth. There was also an immature Moorhen, which confirms breeding on the site. However, the best find of the day was an Arctic Tern. Other species worth mentioning (and their numbers) were: 21 Wigeon, a Willow Tit, 11 Long-tailed Tits, four Coal Tits, a Nuthatch, five Buzzards, a Skylark and 13 Swallows.
On the 6th the following warblers were noted: three Goldcrests — the site's resident warbler, two Chiffchaffs and a male Blackcap. Also of note: a Shoveler, four Song Thrushes, two Treecreepers, four Great Spotted Woodpeckers, three Kingfishers, two Grey Wagtails, a Raven, a pair of Bullfinches and six Reed Buntings.
Of note on the 4th: eleven Great Crested Grebes, 46 Teal, 93 Lapwings, four Moorhens, eight Pheasants, two Kingfishers, over 30 Pied Wagtails and a Jay.
Observations from the 3rd. Because there had been little rain of late the reservoir level had fallen. The Large Island is fully exposed and the Conservation Pool was only about two thirds full. The long staying Mute Swan was seen attempting to obtain food from a visitor in the carpark. Mute Swans are very uncommon at Tittesworth. Two Pheasants were seen — they're usually only heard — and 12 Snipe were present at the northern end of the reservoir.

September 2007

On the last day of the month 154 Lapwings were counted. Seventeen Snipe were also present. By far the best find of the day was a juvenile Arctic Tern. In addition there were the following: a female Shoveler, 49 Teal, over 80 Swallows, two Kingfishers, three Chiffchaffs, three Jays and six Redwings — the first arrivals for the second winter period.
The 27th yielded the following: a juvenile Great Crested Grebe, 11 Wigeon, seven Snipe, a Kingfisher, a Raven, a Dipper again and around 70 Goldfinches. About 200 Pink-footed Geese flew over the site — the first for the second winter season. It's interesting to note that skeins of Pink-footed Geese have been over flying the nearby Macclesfield area since the 18th September. Undoubtadly the best find of the day was a Little Tern found with Black-headed Gulls at around 1.30pm.
Of note on the 24th were the following: over 150 Lapwings, three Kestrels, a Buzzard, a female Sparrowhawk, a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Kingfishers, a Jay and a Meadow Pipit. A Brown Hare was also noted.
On the 23rd there were three Kingfishers, 40 Teal, six Herons, three Snipe, a Nuthatch, 10 House Martins, 22 Pied Wagtails, a Jay and, of the raptors, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.
There were a number of good finds reported on the 22nd and included the following: 14 Great Crested Grebes, 34 Teal, a female Goosander, six Moorhens and one Coot — both species scarce at Tittesworth, a Common Sandpiper, eight Swallows, two Dippers — a really good find for the site, five Great Spotted Woodpeckers, three Chiffchaffs, a Grey Wagtail a Willow Tit and a Goldfinch flock of over 40 individuals. Butterflies seen were Red Admiral, Peacock and Speckled Wood.
By far the best sighting on the 18th was a Dipper, a real rarity on site these days. It bobbed and fed on the River Churnet close to the Blackshaw Lane road bridge. A single Willow Warbler was seen but it was not singing or calling. Twelve Long-tailed Tits were counted in the vicinity of Foster's Wood. Worryingly a Mink was seen walking by and swimming in a stream that passes through Foster's Wood. The butterflies in flight were Speckled Wood (many), Peacock and Small Copper. Of the few plants in flower Devil's-bit Scabious was the best on show.
By the 16th Snipe nunbers had increased to 11. However, the best observation of the day was of a single Arctic Tern. It is also worth noting that Teal numbers had lifted to 22.
The following were of note on the 13th: two Kingfishers, eight Snipe, 18 Teal, a pair of Kestrels, a Reed Bunting and a Weasel.
A good range of birds was recorded on the 11th but perhaps the bestsighting was of 130 Goldfinches. Five Song Thrushes were also recorded.
There were 230 Lapwings on site on the 9th. Also a Little Grebe was observed, which is an uncommon species at Tittesworth. Perhaps the best find of the day was a juvenile Peregrine. Four Grey Wagtails were also found and a female Shoveler put in an appearance.
A Green Woodpecker was an excellent observation for the 7th. This species is now extremely uncommon at Tittesworth. Lapwing numbers had soared to 220 on the same day. Also nine Snipe, at least 38 Pied Wagtails, over 40 Goldfinches and a male Sparrowhawk were noted. Another superb find was a male Black Darter dragonfly.
A female Wigeon was probably the best find on the 5th. Also present were 200 Lapwings and two Kingfishers.
Worth a mention for the 4th are the following: the long staying Mute Swan (an uncommon species at Tittesworth),a Grey Wagtail, a Common Sandpiper, three Stock Doves and two male Blackcaps.
The most amazing observation on the 2nd was of 14 Mandarins — 12 females and two males. Other observations of interest were: 21 Great Crested Grebes, a Common Sandpiper, three Moorhens, two Ravens, three Stock Doves and a Jay.
On the first day of the month three female Mandarins were espied. In addition there were 16 Teal, five Snipe, 75 Lapwings and a Kingfisher.

August 2007

On the last day of the month eight Grey Herons were counted. There was also a Goldfinch flock topping 100.
On the 30th an Oystercatcher was present but most unusually there were six Yellow-legged Gulls on site. Also a juvenile Little Grebe was of interest.
There were plenty of raptors about on the 26th — a Hobby, a juvenile Peregrine, a Kestrel and three Buzzards. Other good "ticks" on this day were 14 adult Great Crested Grebes plus two juveniles, five Snipe, a Grey Wagtail, two Kingfishers, six Coal Tits, 11 Long-tailed Tits, two Willow Tits, two Spotted Flycatchers and four Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
Good finds on the 25th included a pair of Mandarins, a Common Sandpiper, two Little Owls, a Jay, a Juvenile Common Gull, a Raven, two Moorhens, two Whitethroats and a Chiffchaff.
The site was almost silent of bird song on the 23rd. Very few birds were visible. Six adult Great Crested Grebes were counted plus two noisy juveniles. Only two Willow Warblers were heard using only contact calls. The long staying Mute Swan was seen off The Point. Twenty species of flowering plant were seen including Amphibious Bistort, Redshank (that's Persicaria maculosa, not to be confused with the bird!), Oxeye Daisy, Greater Plantain, Meadosweet, Creeping Buttercup, Fat Hen and Bridewort (or Willow Spiraea) — the latter new to the site list. Black berries are now showing on Buckthorn and red berries on Guelder Rose.
Lapwing numbers were healthy at 83 on the 22nd. Two Little Owls were also found. Five Grey Herons were also counted. The gull count yielded 111 Black-headed Gulls and just two Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
Of note on the 21st were 12 Great Crested Grebes, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Grey Wagtails, two Jays, 10 Long-tailed Tits, two Siskins, two Lesser Redpolls, five Reed Buntings and a Red Fox.
The following were logged on the 19th: two Common Sandpipers, four Tufted Ducks, five Teal, a female Mandarin, a male Sparrowhawk, two Sedge Warblers, two juvenile Chiffchaffs and a Mute Swan.
On the 17th seven Buzzards were observed. There were also two Whitethroats, two Snipe, a Kingfisher, a Mistle Thrush and two Stoats.
The best find on the 13th was a male Sparrowhawk.
Some observations of note for the 12th: one Common Sandpiper, four Grey Herons, a Kingfisher, two Nuthatches, over 100 Goldfinches, a Blackcap, a Linnet, a Little Owl and a Spotted Flycatcher.
On the 10th it was noted that a pair of Moorhens were looking after two juveniles. Also an adult Coot was supervising a single youngster. It is worth reporting the activity of both Moorhen and Coot, both species being in very low numbers at Tittesworth. A single adult Spotted Flycatcher hunted from the top of a dead tree near the west hide. The following Odonata species were on the wing today: Common Blue damselfly, Brown Hawker and Common Hawker dragonflies. There were several butterfly species noted but it was the Comma that had not been recorded recently. A goodly number of flowering plants were identified. As a result Smooth Sowthistle and Creeping Cinqufoil will be added to the site list.
By the 8th Lapwing numbers had risen to 92.
The Red Kite was observed again on the 5th from 8.30am until 10.15am. Also worth a mention are the following: over 70 Lapwings, three Little Owls, a Common Snipe, three Spotted Flycatchers and three other birds of prey — Common Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.
The best find on the 3rd was a Red Kite soaring over the Mermaid Inn on Morridge ridge to the east of the site.
On the 2nd a juvenile Cuckoo was located! Also present were a female Peregrine, two Sedge Warblers, eight Willow Warblers, a Willow Tit, two Lesser Redpolls, three Kestrels and a Kingfisher.

July 2007

The following bird species were reported on the 31st: a Curlew, 58 Lapwings, four Spotted Flycatchers, a Raven, two Song Thrushes, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Kingfisher, two Lesser Redpolls, Mute Swan and a Little Owl.
Four Common Scoters (three males and one female) swam in the main reservoir on the 30th. Two Common Buzzards were also seen and amazingly a juvenile Wren was found in the west hide! Butterflies observed on the 30th: Meadow Brown, Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell and Gatekeeper.
Lapwing numbers had edged up to 56 by the 29th. Worthy of note for this day are — eight Spotted Flycatchers, five Common Redstarts, a Willow Tit, six Linnets, three Sedge Warblers and four Mistle Thrushes. Four butterfly species were recorded for the 29th but the best find was of a Ringlet, not often found on site.
The best record for the 27th was a Grey Wagtail, a species not recorded of late.
Chiffchaff and Common Whitethroat are worth a mention for the 23rd. Red Admiral and Gatekeeper butterflies were also seen.
Seven Shelducks turned up on the 22nd. The following were also observed: four Sedge Warblers, a Treecreeper, a male Common Scoter, a female Mandarin, three Spotted Flycatchers, Common Buzzard, a female Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Redpoll, Mute Swan and once again that site rarity the Green Woodpecker.
On the 21st two Common Terns were espied but a Common Redstart is also worthy of note.
Of note on the 17th were two Common Sandpipers, a Song Thrush, two Kingfishers, a Barn Owl and a Sedge Warbler.
Interesting finds on the 15th included a Mute Swan, two Curlews, a female Mandarin, a Kingfisher, a Kestrel, a Nuthatch, a Common Tern and three Stock Doves. The water bird count today included 350 Canada Geese, 82 Mallards but only two Tufted Ducks.
The best find of the day on the 14th was a Green Woodpecker — quite hard to locate on this site. Lapwing numbers had increased to 52. Three juvenile Great Crested Grebes were noted today.
Late logbook entries for the 12th included two Common Sandpipers, a Kingfisher, a Reed Bunting, a Sparrowhawk and a Barn Owl carrying prey — thought to be a vole. A Brown Hare was also noted.
There was no change on site on the 12th but it was good to hear a Song Thrush singing strongly. Two juvenile Willow Warblers showed themselves by Churnet Bay. The only warbler in song was a lone Chiffchaff. Butterflies on the wing included Meadow Brown, Orange Tip and Small Copper. Twenty two species of flowering plants were noted today including Cat's-ear and Kidney Vetch, which are new to the Tittesworth list.
The four Oystercatchers, which had first appeared on the 22nd June, were still present on the 11th.
On the 8th there were 46 Lapwings present. A pleasant suprise was the arrival of three Shovelers. Stock Dove numbers were high at five. Also present were 15 adult Great Crested Grebes and two juveniles. Thirteen Swifts scythed through the sky on this day. Three colourful Bullfinches were also noted. However, the best find of the day was a Little Egret feeding up on the Conservation Pool.
Two Tawny Owls were present on the 5th but so also was a Barn Owl. A Jay was noted as were the following: Lesser Redpoll, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, an Oystercatcher, five Common Sandpipers, four Tufted Ducks, two Sedge Warblers and three Garden Warblers.
Six Common Scoters appeared on the reservoir on the 4th. A pair of Goldcrests was feeding young on the same day.
Common Sandpiper numbers stood at five on the 1st. Once again a Barn Owl was observed. Juveniles were seen with Great Crested Grebes, Lapwings and Curlews. A Kingfisher was also noted.

June 2007

Interestingly four adult Curlews were seen on the 28th with a juvenile. Was it reared on site? Hopefully it was because a lot of effort has been put into improving the northern end of the site for the benefit of waders. Good news! A Common Spotted Orchid was found today.
On the 26th there was an adult Great Crested Grebe with three juveniles. Also, rather unusually, a female Pintail was observed.
Common Sandpiper numbers stood at four on the 24th. There were also seven Little Ringed Plovers, a Curlew, 16 Lapwings, four Oystercatchers, a Tawny Owl, a Barn Owl, a male Common Redstart with two juveniles, a Sand Martin, 18 Swifts, a Raven and a Sparrowhawk.
Four Oystercatchers roosted on the Large Island on the 22nd.
On the 21st there was a pair of adult Little Ringed Plovers escorting three chicks. The following were also noted: seven Goldfinches, a Mute Swan, a Jay and a male Teal.
The following are worth mentioning for the 19th: Egyptian Goose, six Grey Herons, a Great Tit pair with six young on one of the feeders, a juvenile Robin, a family party of Nuthatches including four juveniles, a pair of Common Redstarts, two Spotted Flycatchers and a Lesser Redpoll. Butterfly species: Speckled Wood, Peacock, Meadow Brown and Orange Tip. There was also Chimney Sweeper moth.
The premier find on the 18th was four Common Scoters, although the following were also noteworthy: a Barn Owl (at 7am) and a Tree Pipit.
The following were noted on the 17th: a Barn Owl, two Curlew, 10 Lapwings including four juveniles, 138 Mallards, 434 Canada Geese, six Coots, four Moorhens, six Little Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers, a Mute Swan, 14 Great Crested Grebes, a Cuckoo was heard, six Common Redstarts and a Nuthatch. These butterfly species were also present: Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Large White and Speckled Wood.
A single Oystercatcher was found on the 16th.
A Whitethroat was observed on the 11th. Two Grey Wagtails were also noted.
Three juvenile Grey Herons were with three adult birds on the 10th. There is no evidence that the juveniles were raised on site. A lone Lesser Redpoll was also spotted.
On the 7th a Kingfisher was seen again. A juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker was accompanied by an adult bird.
Great news! On the 3rd a Barn Owl was seen flying near the Roaches at 7am. There had been no sightings until today since the the death of one of two Barn Owls on the 11th January. Was this the survivor or one of a different pair which inhabit an outbuilding of a property close to the top of Gun? Other useful finds on the same day included 185 Canada Geese plus eight goslings, two Teal, a Common Redstart, a Little Owl, a Curlew, a Common Buzzard, three Stock Doves and eight Pheasants.
On the 2nd the following were of note: one Common Sandpiper, four Little Ringed Plovers, a Mute Swan, a Kestrel, a Kingfisher and a Sedge Warbler.
On the first day of June, the following were noted: five Great Crested Grebes, three Grey Herons, a female Mute Swan (this almost a rarity for Tittesworth), an Oystercatcher, a pair of Common Redstarts carrying food to young in a nestbox, three Song Thrushes singing lustily, two Goldcrests, two Spotted Flycatchers, a pair of Pied Flycatchers feeding young in a nestbox close to the Blackshaw Lane bridge over the River Churnet, two Long-tailed Tits, two Coal Tits, 16 Goldfinches, four Linnets and two male Reed Buntings. More species of plants are now in flower incuding Broad-leaved Dock, Common Sorrel, Germander Speedwell — a lovely deep blue colour, Ragged Robin, Yellow Rattle and Cow Parsley. The following butterflies were also noted: Brimstone, Small White, Large White, Peacock and Meadow Brown.
Well over 50 copies of the Tittesworth Water Bird Report for 2005 have now been sold. All proceeds are donated to wildlife charities including the RSPB and the World Owl Trust. Copies may be purchased from reception in the Tittesworth Visitor Centre; at the monthly RSPB Macclesfield Local Group meetings or by post. The purchase price is £2.50 (p&p 50p). The bird report for 2006 is now in preparation.

May 2007

Out of many species recorded for the 29th the following are worth a mention: 14 Tufted Ducks, a pair of Teal, a female Mandarin, five Lapwings, a male Kestrel, two calling Pheasants, a Stock Dove, a Jay and a Kingfisher.
A pair of Teal were observed on the 27th. Also noted on this day were ten Cormorants and the pair of Shovelers — first noted on the 26th.
The best find on the 26th was an Osprey seen over the Conservation Pool at around mid-morning. Also of note were the following: a Cuckoo was heard, a pair of Shovelers was observed, a Kingfisher was found, two male Common Redstarts were recorded and two Sedge Warblers were located.
On the 23rd the following were of particular interest: seven Cormorants, a Mute Swan, a Curlew and a Sparrowhawk.
The 20th yielded the following: eight Great Crested Grebes, five Mute Swans, a Pink-footed Goose, four Common Buzzards, two Kestrels, three Dunlin, two Common Sandpipers, four Little Ringed Plovers, five Treecreepers, four Grey Wagtails, five Common Whitethroats, three Lesser Whitethroats, over 20 Garden Warblers, four Spotted Flycatchers, a Nuthatch, a Willow Tit, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Raven and a Lesser Redpoll.
Of note on the 19th were the following: Great Crested Grebes using a raft — hopefully this will lead to successful breeding, five Grey Herons, a male Mandarin, a Curlew, three Dunlin, three Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, 50 Swifts, 11 Sand Martins, 18 House Martins, 28 Swallows, a Sedge Warbler, 11 Garden Warblers, six Blackcaps, eight Chifchaffs, 14 Willow Warblers, a pair of Pied Flycatchers and three Spotted Flycatchers.
The Mute Swan was still present on the 17th. A Skylark and two Meadow Pipits were seen on nearby Gun. Five Song Thrushes were found on site. Two Linnets were observed — the first for sometime. Some of the flowering plants seen on this day included Forget-me-not, Pink Purslane, Greater Stitchwort, Bluebell, Red Clover, Cuckoflower and Common Bistort.
Many species were noted on the 16th including — seven Cormorants, a Mute Swan, a male Mandarin, 26 Tufted Ducks, five Little Ringed Plovers, two Curlew, a Dunlin, eight Lapwings, over 25 Swifts, a pair of Common Redstarts, a pair of Pied Flycatchers and a Lesser Redpoll.
On the 15th a tragedy was described in the logbook. Two Coots attacked a Moorhen nest that had been established on a raft located at the north-east end of the Conservation Pool. One by one the nestlings were killed by the Coots and the smaller Moorhens could do nothing to prevent the slaughter. The battle was fought over at twenty minute period. A passing Crow picked up the floating corpses and devoured them on the bankside. As the observer noted, "nature red in tooth and claw".
There was a very high count of 16 Dunlins on the 14th.
A Canada Goose gosling was seen on the 13th — the first of the season. The Pink-footed Goose was still present. Four Pheasants were sighted and better still four Brown Hares! Further good finds on the 13th included a site rarity, a Reed Warbler, found in Blackthorns near the fisherman's lodge, a Ringed Plover, two juvenile Nuthatches, seven Sedge Warblers, eight Garden Warblers, two male Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, 13 Rooks — a species rarely seen on site, over 20 Goldfinches and two pairs of Bullfinches.
On the 12th two male and a female Mandarin were seen close to the visitor centre. A single Ringed Plover was also another good find — the first for 2007. There was no change in the status of other species present on the site.
There was a high count of 11 Dunlin on the 10th. Also present were a Pink-foot Goose, a Kestrel, a Common Buzzard, five Pied Wagtails and a pair of Reed Buntings.
These species were included in the day record for the 7th; two drake Mandarins, two Dunlin, two Curlews, three Little Ringed Plovers, seven Lapwings, three Grey Wagtails, three Treecreepers, 15 Goldfinches and a cock Bullfinch.
On the 6th the following were of particular note: a Great Crested Grebe on one of the rafts — first time usage by this species, the Pink-footed Goose, 31 Tufted Ducks, two Teal, two Shelduck, four Little Ringed Plovers, a Curlew, a Sand Martin, three Sedge Warblers, three Common Redstarts and a Nuthatch. A Canada Goose nest was located and four eggs were visible.
Best finds on the 3rd were three Grey Wagtails, a Pink-footed Goose, a Dipper, two Stock Doves and eight Goldfinches.
The male Yellow Wagtail first found on the 30th April was also recorded for the 2nd. Common Sandpiper numbers had risen to six and Little Ringed Plovers to four. Other good finds on this day were a Mute Swan, a colourful drake Mandarin, an Oystercatcher, a Kestrel, a Common Buzzard, three Swifts, a Spotted Flycatcher and a pair of Pied Flycatchers.

April 2007

A super find on the 30th was a single Yellow Wagtail. Common Sandpiper numbers stood at four. Three Common Terns also spent time hunting over the reservoir.
Excellent finds on the 29th included three Whimbrel, a Black Tern, two Common Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, over 20 Garden Warblers, a Spotted Flycatcher, a pair of Pied Flycatchers, a Dipper, a Tawny Owl and the following butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip and Gatekeeper. Two Whimbrel flew through at around 11:15am an the 28th. The following were also located: one Oystercatcher, seven Curlews, seven Blackcaps and 11 Chiffchaffs.
Good finds on the 25th were a Dunlin, a Peregrine, a Garden Warbler and four Lesser Redpolls.
The first Cuckoo of the year was heard on the 22nd. Also of note were the following: three Common Sandpipers, a Swift — the first sighting of the year, a Common Tern, a Dipper, two Common Redstarts and four Bullfinches.
Two Mute Swans graced the reservoir on the 21st — a very uncommon species for this site. A rather exotic find was a Reeves Pheasant!
The best find on the 19th was a Jay — a shy elusive species.
On the 17th a Pink-footed Goose was found and also a pair of Mandarins. A White Wagtail was also located.
A single female Goldeneye was recorded on the 15th. In addition the following were noted: eight Teal, four Little Ringed Plovers, four Grey Wagtails, a Dipper and a male Common Redstart.
The best find on the 13th was a single Redshank.
There were 11 Cormorants present on the 12th. Two Stock Doves were noted and also a Common Sandpiper.
On the 10th there were over 40 Sand Martins present but only six Swallows. A Siskin was also noted and a lone Common Buzzard.
Worthy of note on the 9th were the following species: a Mallard with five ducklings, three Lapwings, two Snipe, a Kingfisher, three Stock Doves and two Bullfinches.
Of note on the 8th were a Little Grebe, 10 Great Crested Grebes, 44 Tufted Ducks, 14 Curlews, an Osprey, a Dipper, a Kingfisher, three Willow Warblers and four Treecreepers. The following butterflies were also noted: Comma, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Small White.
On the 7th the following were of interest: three Curlews, four Goldeneyes, 28 Tufted Ducks, two Oystercatchers, two Little Ringed Plovers, a female Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, three Tawny Owls, ten Chiffchaffs, three Nuthatches, 10 Lesser Redpolls and three Reed Buntings. Of the non-avian species found the Common Carder Bee and a Brown Hare were the best finds.
The following bee species were also noted on the 5th: Large Red-tailed Bumblebee, White-tailed Bumblebee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee and Tawny Mining Bee.
Good finds on the 5th included three Goldeneye, a Goldcrest, a Coal Tit (few in number at Tittesworth), a Nuthatch, a Treecreeper, seven Bullfinches, two Siskin, 12 Lesser Redpolls and a pair of Reed Buntings. The following plants are in bloom: Lesser Celandine (many large patches of this yellow flower by the River Churnet), Wood Anemone, Marsh Marigold, Coltsfoot, Gorse, Dandelion, Daisy, Butterbur and a new plant for the Tittesworth list: Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage.
The best find of recent times was an Osprey heading north over the reservoir at about 10.30am on the 3rd.
Goldeneye numbers had edged up to nine by the 2nd and three Common Buzzards circled the sky. Seven Pied Wagtails and four Stock Doves were noticed. A Comma butterfly was also evident.
On the first day of the month the following were noted: eight Goldeneye, 16 Tufted Ducks, Swallow and Sand Martin, 14 Chiffchaffs, 15 Goldfinches, four Bullfinches and eight Lesser Redpolls. Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies were also observed.

March 2007

On the last day of the month — the 31st, the following were of note: eight Great Crested Grebes, seven Goldeneye, a Pochard, a pair of Mandarins, four Curlew and eight Sand Martins. Three bee species were also noted.
On the 29th 40 species of birds were reported by a single observer. The following were of particular interest: two Greylag Geese, three pairs of Goldeneye, two female Goosanders, two pairs of Coot, two Moorhens, six Great Crested Grebes, two Snipe, a female Kestrel, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 10 Fieldfares, over 40 Redwings, six Mistle Thrushes, four Song Thrushes, a Grey Wagtail, four Meadow Pipits, a male Bullfinch, over 50 Lesser Redpolls and two male Reed Buntings.
On the 28th, about mid-afternoon, three hirundines were seen flying north west and were thought to be Swallows — the first sighting this year in the area. Three hours later six Sand Martins were seen flying over the Conservation Pool, the first of the season.
An additional and welcome sighting for the 26th was that of a Skylark on Gun. This species has dwindled in numbers in the area over the last few years.
Only 33 species were located on the 26th but included — two male Pochards, a Moorhen, two Coots (the latter two species being very uncommon on this site), a Grey Wagtail, a Song Thrush, two Chiffchaffs, well over 100 Fieldfares, a Nuthatch and a Treecreeper. The following plants in flower were noted: Gorse, Lesser Celandine, Coltsfoot, Butterbur, Wood Spurge (not previously noted on site) and Blackthorn. A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was also seen.
The following were of note on the 25th: 12 Goosanders, 13 Teal, three Mistle Thrushes, a Kingfisher, a Green Woodpecker — quite rare on this site, a female Sparrowhawk, a male Kestrel, two Common Buzzards, five Chiffchaffs, a Nuthatch, six Lesser Redpolls and a Common Shrew.
There were two Redshanks present on the 22nd. Other species present included 10 Snipe, a pair of Bullfinches, a Skylark, a Lesser Redpoll and a pair of Pochards.
Curlew numbers had dropped to 64 by the 18th. A pair of Mandarins was seen canoodling on the water!
The following were reported on the 17th: 21 Tufted Ducks, a Wigeon, four Goosanders, 40 Redwings, over 30 Fieldfares, a Tawny Owl, two Chiffchaffs and a Tree Sparrow. A Peacock butterfly was noticed and there was a report of an Otter sighting.
A Redshank was the most interesting find on the 16th.
On the 12th a Ruddy Duck appeared — almost a site rarity. Also present were three pairs of Goldeneye, three Pochards and two Common Buzzards.
A good range of bird species was recorded on the 11th and included — 11 Grey Herons, seven Great Crested Grebes, nine Goldeneye, 18 Goosanders, a pair of Wigeon, 14 Lapwings, 16 Snipe, a Siskin, one Lesser Redpoll, a single Chiffchaff, three Goldcrests, 26 Common Gulls, a female Peregrine, a Kestrel, two Stock Doves, six Long-tailed Tits and a Grey Wagtail.
Curlew numbers were slightly down by the 10th numbering 125. Four Goldeneyes and a single Grey Heron were also noted.
The female Mandarin was again located on the 9th.
Curlew numbers again rose sharply to reach a high of 140 on the 3rd. Coot numbers continued to rise slowly reaching nine, a high count for this site. Other finds included — seven Goldeneyes, a female Mandarin, five Great Spotted Woodpeckers, three Song Thrushes and three male Reed Buntings,

February 2007

On the last day of the month 89 Curlews were counted.
Curlew numbers reached 80 by the 26th. Also of note: six Great Crested Grebes, 36 Teal, seven Coot, two Herring Gulls, two Grey Wagtails, over 100 Fieldfares, 70 Redwings and 25 Goldfinches,
By the 25th Curlew numbers had shot up to 33. The following were also of note: the first Chiffchaff of 2007, a pair of Shovelers, seven Goosanders, 34 Curlews, 44 Lapwings, a pair of Bullfinches, two Moorhens and three Coots.
A Shelduck was an excellent find on the 24th. Wigeon were present but at a lowly number of just seven.
By the 23rd Curlew numbers had edged up to 10. The number of Lapwings counted was 31. A Pink-footed Goose was the most unusual find of the day.
Snipe were again showing well on the 21st. There were 25 birds on show. Curlew numbers had risen to nine. Undoubtadly the best local find of the day
was 35 Golden Plover at nearby Morridge.
Fifteen Pochards was a reasonably good count for this species on the 18th. Also of note were the following: 24 Tufted Ducks, 18 Teal, six Goldeneyes, a female Mandarin, 28 Snipe, three Curlews, two Tawny Owls, two Common Buzzards, a female Sparrowhawk, a female Kestrel, seven Magpies (a high count for this site), 110 Fieldfares, 40 Redwings, six Stock Doves, a male Stonechat, a male Bullfinch and a male Reed Bunting.
On the 17th Snipe numbers had lifted to 25, four Goosanders were seen, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers located and a female Goldeneye found. The lone Curlew was still on site.
The 16th was a day of heavy rain. The single Curlew was again noted. A male Sparrowhawk and 18 Snipe were of note.
A single Curlew turned up on the 12th, the first for some time.
The best find on the 11th was a Red Kite — a site rarity. It flew over the main reservoir at around 1400 hours and then drifted lazily in a westerly direction. On the same day two Willow Tits were noted — a declining species but which is quite often found at Tittesworth. The following were also noted: a Little Grebe — uncommon at Tittesworth, over 40 Tufted Ducks, 42 Lapwings, three Pheasants, two Common Buzzards, a male Kestrel, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, five Goldcrests, six Bullfinches and a Reed Bunting.
By the 5th Goldeneye numbers had lifted to seven, five males and two females.
On the 4th the following were observed: a Little Grebe, seven Great Crested Grebes, five Grey Herons, 17 Cormorants, six Goldeneye, 15 Pochards, 23 Goosanders, a female Mandarin, 22 Snipe, a Grey Wagtail, two Nuthatches, four Treecreepers, seven Pied Wagtails, five Stock Doves and a Brown Hare.
Of note on the 3rd were 14 Carrion Crows — usually only present in single numbers on this site, a Greylag Goose, a Treecreeper, 45+ Redwings, four Grey Herons, two Moorhens and a Common Buzzard.
Good finds on the 2nd of the month included two Dippers displaying, over 200 Pink-footed Geese overflying and calling, 12 Goosanders and 27 Lapwings.

January 2007

A Shelduck appeared on the 30th. The gull roost included 3,500+ Black-headed Gulls, 165 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 300+ Common Gulls — a huge number for this site, 12 Herring Gulls and one Great Black-backed Gull — very uncommon at Tittesworth. There were also 20 Cormorants and four Great Crested Grebes present.
The 28th yielded the following useful finds: 17 Goosanders, 45 Teal, 11 Pochards, a Coot, two Grey Herons, 14 Snipe, two Lapwings, a Common Buzzard, a Kestrel, a Mistle Thrush and a Song Thrush.
On the 27th two male Goldeneyes were seen, one going into eclipse. On the same day the following were noted: 24 Tufted Ducks, 27 Goosanders, 61 Wigeon, 38 Teal, 10 Pochards, 12 Snipe, two Tawny Owls, ~150 Fieldfares, 35 Redwings, two Treecreepers, 11 Long-tailed Tits, a Jay, a pair of Bullfinches, eight Lesser Redpolls and two Reed Buntings.
Immature Mute Swan numbers rose to six on the 26th. Goosander numbers had risen to 33.
On the 25th there were five immature Mute Swans on the main reservoir. The Mute Swan is an uncommon visitor to Tittesworth.
The 21st yielded the following: one Pink-footed Goose, 20 Snipe, 12 Long-tailed Tits, a Meadow Pipit, a male Stonechat, 3000+ Black-headed Gulls, 30+ Siskins and four Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
On the 20th the Lesser White-fronted Goose was again reported and a description sent to the Staffordshire Bird Recorder. If confirmed this would be the first wild bird of this species found on site.
On the 19th a Lesser White-fronted Goose was reported.
Of note on the 16th were 16 pairs of Pochards.
Goosander numbers stood at 26 by the 14th. Two Goldeneye were present and a male Stonechat was recorded. Of the finches — a single Lesser Redpoll was observed along with four Siskins. Also on the 14th a Raven passed by, 11 Greenfinches were counted, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers were present, a female Shoveler dropped in, the following raptors were viewed — Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and two Common Buzzards, two Moorhens observed (scarce at the moment) and a Water Rail was found.
Snipe numbers continued to rise and by the 13th had reached 28. On this day a Marsh Tit was found and a Water Rail was heard to the north of the Conservation Pool.
On the 11th one of the Barn Owls was found in Meerbrook with a broken wing. The local vet repaired the wing, but the emaciated bird died that day whilst in care. A sad end to a great story for Tittesworth — the presence of two Barn Owls on and around the site for the last 18 months. Let's hope that the surviving bird stays and finds a mate. We can but hope.
Snipe numbers lifted to 16 by the 10th. The following were also of interest: seven Pochards, 23 Tufted Ducks, 43 Teal, 37 Wigeon, a single Barn Owl and a Reed Bunting.
On the 7th two Barn Owls were seen together in a tree to the east of the Conservation Pool. This was the last time the two were recorded together. Other interesting observations on this date were — 11 Common Snipe plus a Jack Snipe, three Common Buzzards, two Tawny Owls, nine Goosanders, a male Goldeneye, two Willow Tits, a Song Thrush, a Raven, a Pink-footed Goose and a "seven spot" Ladybird!
On the morning of the 4th there were 1000 Black-headed Gulls on site, obviously well before roosting time. Also there were well over 100 Fieldfares plus about 50 Redwings.
On New Year's Day the following were noted: 12 Common Snipe, six Stock Doves, the Barn Owl again, 33 Teal, 40 Tufted Ducks, a male Goldeneye in eclipse, two Nuthatches, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, three raptor species — a Peregrine, Common Buzzard and a male Kestrel, and 12 Long-tailed Tits.

Reports by Ray Perry.

The Tittesworth Visitor Centre is at Meerbrook, Leek, Staffordshire ST13 8SW; map reference: SJ9960 .

Ornithology in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire & the West Midlands county, since 1929.

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