Warwickshire December Sightings

Warwickshire December Sightings

Warwickshire sightings submitted to Birdwatching magazine. If you have an area that you would like included please drop me a tweet or email.

Brandon Marsh:  Sightings included Shelduck, 62 Wigeon, 38 Shoveler, Goldeneye, three Water Rails, Bittern, Little Egret, Barn Owl, Stonechat, Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff.

Dassett Hills District: A Rose-ringed Parakeet was visiting garden feeders in Priors Hardwick. Merlins were noted at Burton Dassett, Knightcote and Stoneton, while Barn Owls were widespread including at least four at Knightcote. A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was at Wormleighton, while Knightcote had sightings of Grey Partridge, Jack Snipe and Willow Tit. Woodcock and Willow Tit were at Fenny Compton, with 85 Golden Plover near Wormleighton Res. There were 42 Wigeon and two Gadwall at Farnborough Park. A huge influx of Woodpigeons to the district including flocks of around 3000 at both Avon Dassett and Wormleighton.

Draycote: Sightings included Pink-footed Goose (19^th), two Shelduck, Pintail, Red-crested Pochard, two Common Scoter, 37 Goosander, Smew (from 21^st), four Little Egrets, 25 Little Grebes, Merlin, Water Rail, up to four Yellow-legged and three Caspian Gulls in the roost, single Barn and Short-eared Owls, two Chiffchaffs and 30 Tree Sparrows.

Salford Priors GP: Records included 26 Little Grebe, two Shelducks, nine Wigeon, 32 Gadwall, 85 Teal, ten Shoveler, five Pochard, 74 Tufted Duck, single Scaup, Goldeneye and Goosander, Peregrine, five Water Rail, Jack Snipe, 49 Common Snipe, Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, a Caspian Gull (14^th), Barn Owl, 5000 Woodpigeons, 800 Fieldfare, 665 Redwing, and two Chiffchaffs.    

Tame Valley: Ladywalk NR hosted 21 Goosander, four Chiffchaffs, a Siberian Chiffchaff (23^rd) and two Brambling. Scaup were reported at Shustoke and Coton. Up to two Merlins were recorded around Wishaw and Kingsbury. Shustoke also held Red-crested Pochard, ten Goosander, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper and a Peregrine. Wishaw recorded 11 Grey Partridge, 1000 Golden Plover, 41 Skylark and 5 Corn Bunting. Kingsbury hosted 310 Wigeon, Red-crested Pochard, 12 Goldeneye, seven Goosander and Yellow-Legged Gull, while a Water Rail was present at Coton.

Other sites: Earlswood Lakes hosted 20 Goosander, a Woodcock and two Gadwall. Lighthorne Quarry had Water Rail, Jack Snipe, 30 Common Snipe and Green Sandpiper.

Napton Res had Goldeneye, three Water Rail and 1400 Common Gulls, while three White-fronted Geese were at Alvecote Pools. A Merlin was at Radway, with overwintering Stonechats at Charlecote, Morton Bagot (two) and Tysoe. A Brambling was at Combrook.