Wyver Lane Nature Reserve (DWT) (2 Viewers)

[Daniel Martin]

Visited last night during a brief sunny, still spell and was entertained by a family of local Kestrels. I thought Hobby was around to start with as the Martins started mobbing a falcon, but as it approached, 2 young Kestrels started screaching to attract the parents attention. They flew short distances from pylon to pylon, and the parent seemed to be encouraging them in to the air. However, they were reluctant and eventually were passed food whilst sat on the top of the pylons. Both male and female were attending the youngsters.
These are surely very locally bred birds. Buzzard briefly and female Sparrowhawk were other highlights.

 

[DaveN]

Not had much chance to get down for a couple of weeks so I went down for a few hours on Tuesday morning. Persistant rain meant I was confined to the hide all the time I was there. On the main pool of note was just 2 Teal and a female Gadwall. Lots of Geese around, 110 Canada and 29 Greylag.

Difficult to see most of the time but c150 Lapwings kept making an appearance as they flew up from around the top pool presumably spooked by something. Most of the action was confined to the hedgerows around the hide. There were Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats, Reed Buntings and Great Tits all feeding young. Also a family of Willow/Chiffs, I couldn't get enough on them to decide which. Also Dunnocks, Robins, Wrens and a female Bullfinch.

Just before I left a male Great Spotted Woodpecker with one juvenile appeared in a dead tree across the river.

 

[ColonelBlimp]

I got down to Wyver Lane yesterday, during the pouring rain. Pretty much nothing around. Dull.

However, why on earth is the hide, described as "public" on the noticeboard, actually locked??? What exactly are visiting birders unaware of it supposed to do, or those that can't afford to shell out £8 each time you go to another county for a permit? People that want to deck the hide would do it regardless of a padlock.

Anyway, I was able to pick two numbers on the combination lock, but the last two foxed me. Must be getting rusty in my old age...

 

[DaveN]

I got down to Wyver Lane yesterday, during the pouring rain. Pretty much nothing around. Dull.

However, why on earth is the hide, described as "public" on the noticeboard, actually locked??? What exactly are visiting birders unaware of it supposed to do, or those that can't afford to shell out £8 each time you go to another county for a permit? People that want to deck the hide would do it regardless of a padlock.

Anyway, I was able to pick two numbers on the combination lock, but the last two foxed me. Must be getting rusty in my old age...

I think you summed up Wyver Lane well in your first paragraph. It can be a hard place to bird and, 99% of the time you just sit there (or stand there in your case as you couldn't get in the hide) for hours without nothing much happening. Like anywhere, patience will often be rewarded with something or other.

I agree that the noticeboard should be updated and state that a permit is required to access the hide. Although, the majority of the reserve can be seen from the lane anyway and often gives better views than the actual hide itself.

Regarding people would 'deck' the hide regardless of a padlock.
When the hide was open to the public it was often full of crap including syringes, used nappies, empty beer cans and just general rubbish. Also it was often attacked by vandals. Since the hide was made permit only this has been nipped in the bud and we haven't seen any real problems.

You don't need to try and pick the lock if you go down there again. Just use these 4 numbers **** :t:

 

[DaveN]

Another few hours spent down Wyver Lane didn't produce anything too special. Sat in the hide for a while with nothing really happening, just a few Geese and Ducks, of note amongst them was one Teal. A little later on and three female/juvenile Goosander flew onto the main pool. Although females and juveniles are similar I was leaning towards them being young birds.

I counted 45 Black Headed Gulls on the main pool and 32 of them were a mixture of either juveniles or juveniles already moulting into first Winters.

As the sun was shining for once I went for a walk down the lane although it was eerily quiet down there today. An adult and a juvenile Kestrel the only thing that stuck out. A young Badger had recently been found dead on the lane and although I didn't see it, judging by the smell it wasn't far away.

Around the hide last week I had Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings all feeding young but today there was just one adult Reed Bunting and 2 Chiff Chaffs.Hirundines are now moving through in good numbers but not many young birds around.

Plenty of Butterflies about enjoying the morning sunshine, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods, Green-Veined Whites, Large Whites, Small Whites and 2 Commas.

Got talking to a chap down there who had 7 Kestrels in the air together last week, 5 and 2 and a Common Sandpiper yesterday.

 

[ColonelBlimp]

When the hide was open to the public it was often full of crap including syringes, used nappies, empty beer cans and just general rubbish. Also it was often attacked by vandals.

Surely that just adds to the atmosphere of the place! o

 

[DaveN]

Surely that just adds to the atmosphere of the place! o

Well the beer cans are all mine anyway so that doesn't bother me I recenlty had a bad experience with a used needle so I'm glad to see the back of them.

 

[DaveN]

One word...stunning. Got down Wyver around 09.30 to find some DWT volunteers on the reserve. If it had not been for the fact I had to write some bird notes down for July then I would probably have left.

Not a lot around for obvious reasons apart form some Hirundines moving through, 3 Stock Doves, Kestrel and some Greylags and Canadas.

Around 10.40 I looked out of the small hide window to the left and saw a Raptor heading straight towards me. Seeing a light colured head I initially thought Marsh Harrier. It then came closer and I realised It was an Osprey (my first in Derbyshire).

It then swooped down over the pool skimming the water but not really going for a fish. It then hovered several times over the pool and made several plunges into the pool without success. One attempt was made just in front of the hide giving me absolutely stunning views. After about 15 minutes it caught the attention of a Corvid who chased it around for a further 5 minutes before the Osprey drifted west.

Amazing to see and probably my best ever birding experience.
Attached are several not too good photos as it flew towards me and then one or two over the pool.

 

[Clive A]

Nah, that's a Buzzard!.....only kidding.
Great stuff,and brilliant that you got it on your patch, about time mind!

 

[DaveN]

Wyver Lane Bird Notes July 2009

Wildfowl this month include 2 Teal on 7th, 21st and 26th and 4
on 18th. A drake Gadwall on 9th, 15th and 18th and a female
on the 21st. 2 Tufted Ducks on 7th and 21st, 44 Mallards on 21st,
3 Female/juvenile Goosander on 28th. 110 Canada Geese on 21st
and 50+ Greylag Geese on 26th and 27th.

Raptors this month include a male Peregrine with prey on 8th,
7 Kestrels in the air on 17th including 5 together, a Sparrowhawk
on 27th. A Little Owl was heard calling on 7th.

Waders include c70 Lapwings on 7th rising to 300+on 27th, a Snipe
on 23rd and a Common Sandpiper on 27th.

A report of 300 Black-Headed Gulls on the 18th would probably be
a July record as these kind of figures are generally recorded in the
winter months. 42 was observed on 28th including 35 juveniles and
some already moulting into 1st winters. A single Lesser-Black Backed
Gull on 30th. 2 Common Terns made a brief stay on 30th.

Other records this month include 4 Grey Herons on 7th, 2 Linnet also
on 7th, 2 Stock Doves on 9th and 21st, 2 Sedge Warblers on 21st
and an adult feeding a youngster on 7th. A Kingfisher and a Green
Woodpecker on 7th and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker and a
juvenile on 21st.

 

[Daniel Martin]

Spent a few hours on the reserve yesterday morning, hoping the volunteers down there would mean we get another Osprey!
But no. The main pool was very quiet, with only a couple of Buzzards overhead as noteworthy (only!? - used to be really rare round here!)
Abandoned the hide due to limited viewing and walked to the far end of the lane - this turned up Green Woodpecker, a large post breeding Tit flock containing many young Coal Tits and a lovely Lesser Whitethroat fuelling up on blackberries - not a bird recorded often down here.
The fields beyond Lawn Cottage had been ploughed and attracted 6 Grey Herons, loads of LBB Gulls and a few GBB Gulls. Numerous attendant crows included 2 partial albinos.
Finally I stood and listened in the area where Sparrowhawks are known to be nesting. The young birds were calling incessantly at the adults, and when the adults returned they were encouraged off the nest. I had 4 together at one stage, and then saw a wonderful food pass as 2 females exchanged a fresh victim. There are at least 2 young females present - I saw adult male and female too.
An enjoyable few hours with only the odd dog to break the peace and quiet.

 

[DaveN]

Pity about the Osprey, Dan Great news about the Sprawks having young. I'm not sure exactly where the nest is so can you let me know please? Via a PM if you like, cheers.

 

[DaveN]

A brief visit to Wyver Lane as I had my lad with me. Nothing on the main pool except 2 Grey Herons, c30 Mallards and a few Coots and Moorhens. c250 Lapwings in field between the two pools. A couple of distant Buzzards, and a Sparrowhawk as we were leaving. A Kingfisher perched briefly on the water mark post in front of the hide and a Willow Warbler was calling near the hide. Also 2 Stock Doves flew into trees by the river.

 

[michael23]

Had a walk down today, fairly quiet, but included, kestrel, buzzard, sparrowhawk, c50 greylag geese, 20 mallard, 10 coot, 2 heron, 3 cormorant, a few pied wagtails, plenty of juvenile bluetits, a willow warbler or chiffchaff (not decided yet!) calling around the hide, brightish and lost its tail! Around about 250 lapwing flew in about 16:30 (ish) Pretty much it really,
Dragonflies were represented by a lovely mature male southern hawker-didnt stay still long enough for a decent pic, a darter sp which is on the id thread, im a little unshore of this one.(see pic below)
Butterflies, Speckeled Wood c10, Gatekeeper c10, Painted Lady c5, Plus plenty of small and large whites,

 

[Clive A]

Had a walk down today, fairly quiet, but included, kestrel, buzzard, sparrowhawk, c50 greylag geese, 20 mallard, 10 coot, 2 heron, 3 cormorant, a few pied wagtails, plenty of juvenile bluetits, a willow warbler or chiffchaff (not decided yet!) calling around the hide, brightish and lost its tail! Around about 250 lapwing flew in about 16:30 (ish) Pretty much it really,
Dragonflies were represented by a lovely mature male southern hawker-didnt stay still long enough for a decent pic, a darter sp which is on the id thread, im a little unshore of this one.(see pic below)
Butterflies, Speckeled Wood c10, Gatekeeper c10, Painted Lady c5, Plus plenty of small and large whites,

Female Common Darter for me Michael.

 

[michael23]

Hi clive, thanks for that, I have only ever seen the males,- as far as i can remember anyway.:-O

 

[DaveN]

Some half decent birds down Wyver Lane today. Around the main pool was 3 female/juvenile Mandarin which flew in just as I was leaving. c20 Teal, female Gadwall, Shoveler, 16 Greylag Geese, Little Grebe, 2 Grey Herons and a Cormorant.

A Sparrowhawk flew straight through upsetting 200+ Lapwings and 4 Buzzards were over the woods. A Kingfisher perched long enough on the watermark post for me to get some shots. 3 Stock Doves were on the wires near the river. Lots of Swallows and Housemartins moving down the valley and also 4 Swifts.

There were quite a few Warblers on the lane, mainly Chiff Chaffs and Willow Warblers but also a single Whitethroat. At the bottom of the lane a flock of 30+ Goldfinches were feeding on the thistles, many of them juveniles. In the distance a Kestrel was hunting over the fields and a flock of around 20 Starlings were also flying around.

A few photos attached. Apparently, the reason why the Kingfisher's bill is open is because it had just spat something out but I was adjusting the scope at the time and didn't see it do it.

 

[Mad_Sunday]

Were you able to take these photos from the hide and at what range were they taken?

Pete

 

[DaveN]

Were you able to take these photos from the hide and at what range were they taken?

Pete

All the photos were taken from the hide. The Kingfisher was on the post in front of the hide so I'd say that's about 12/13 yards. The other photos probably range between 20 and 30 yards.

 

[Mad_Sunday]

Thanks Dave, I'm going to join the Derbyshire WT so I'd like to visit this place occasionally.

Pete