Stonechat, Terns and Golden Plovers over Wanlip, Watermead and Swithland

October 13, 2001

Last few days were warm and sunny. This Saturday started with some fog. It was mild, later warm and sunny. Somewhat cloudy.

The river Soar was remarkable clear. Swithland water had trouble with algae, yet the cormorants, grebes and shovelers seemed to like the water. The Wanlip scrape contained some shallow water surrounded by good, low vegetation.

  1. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis: 8 along Grand Union Canal between Watermead and Canoe-center.
  2. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus: > 40 at Swithland, Watermead
  3. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo: 1 ex at Wanlip, > 30 at Swithland, Watermead
  4. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
    5. : 2 ex at Wanlip; Swithland, Watermead
  5. Mute Swan Cygnus olor
    6. 1 ex at Wanlip; Watermead
  6. Greylag Goose Anser anser
    7. : Watermead
  7. Canada Goose Branta canadensis
    8. : Watermead
  8. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
    9. : 47 ex Wanlip; Swithland, Watermead
  9. Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
    10. : 20 ex Wanlip
  10. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
    11. : 30 ex Wanlip; Swithland, Watermead
  11. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
    12. : > 30 at Swithland
  12. Common Pochard Aythya ferina
    13. : Swithland, Watermead
  13. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
    14. : Swithland, Watermead
  14. Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo
    15. : 1 ex Wanlip
  15. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
    16. : 1 ex Wanlip
  16. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
    17. : Wanlip
  17. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
    18. : Swithland, Watermead
  18. Common Coot Fulica atra
    19. : Swithland, Watermead
  19. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
    20. : 180 ex Wanlip
  20. European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria
    21. : 45 ex Wanlip
  21. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
    22. : 11 ex Wanlip
  22. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
    23. : 3 ex Wanlip
  23. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
    24. : Wanlip, Swithland, Watermead
  24. Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
    25. : Wanlip, Swithland, Watermead
  25. Mew Gull Larus canus
    26. : 2 ex Wanlip; Swithland, Watermead
  26. Herring Gull Larus argentatus
    27. : Swithland, Watermead
  27. Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
    28. : 1 ex Watermead at the Geese feeding lake opposite Thurmaston
  28. Black Tern Chlidonias niger
    29. : 1 juv ex Swithland, 1 juv ex Watermead at the Geese feeding lake opposite Thurmaston.
  29. Stock Pigeon Columba oenas
    30. : Wanlip
  30. Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus
    31. : Wanlip
  31. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis : 2 along Grand Union Canal between Watermead and Canoe-center.
  32. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
    33. : 1 ex Wanlip
  33. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
    34. : 2 along Grand Union Canal
  34. White / Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba
    35. Swithland, Watermead
  35. Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
    36. Wanlip, Swithland, Watermead
  36. European Robin Erithacus rubecula
    37. Wanlip, Swithland, Watermead
  37. Stonechat Saxicola torquata
    38. 1 male Wanlip at field south of scrape.
  38. Common Blackbird Turdus merula
    39. Wanlip, Swithland, Watermead
  39. Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus
    40. Wanlip, Swithland, Watermead
  40. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
    41. Wanlip, Swithland, Watermead
  41. Blue Tit Parus caeruleus
    42. Wanlip, Swithland, Watermead
  42. Great Tit Parus major
    43. Wanlip, Swithland, Watermead
  43. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
    44. Swithland
  44. Black-billed Magpie Pica pica
    45. Wanlip, Swithland, Watermead
  45. Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula
    46. Swithland
  46. Rook Corvus frugilegus
    47. Rhotley
  47. Carrion / Hooded Crow Corvus corone
    48. Wanlip
  48. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
    49. Wanlip, Watermead
  49. Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
    50. Wanlip, Swithland
  50. European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
    51. Wanlip
  51. European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
    52. Wanlip
  52. Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina
    53. Wanlip
Back to Birds of Leicestershire and Britain

Nomenclature follows Voous’s List of Recent Holarctic Bird Species (BOU 1977, revised edition). English names are as in BOU Checklist of Birds of Britain and Ireland (6th Edition, 1992)