Winter 2002 - 2003
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Divers to ducks Red-throated Divers increased markedly in February with totals including an impressive 125 at Walney; 41 at Workington; 21 off Skinburness and 20 off Silecroft. Black-throated Diver sightings comprised singles off Campfield on 7th December and Parton on February; two off Skinburness on 4th February and an inland bird on Derwent Water on 5th February. Great Northern Divers were logged at Walney on 6th December and 20th February, with one off Silecroft on 11th January. A Red-necked Grebe off Skinburness on 4th February was followed by another at Walney on 11th and 12th. Slavonian Grebes were rather more widespread – one remained at Cavendish Dock to 4th December, one or two were seen at nearby Walney to mid-February; one or two were noted in the Silloth area in December and January and singles appeared at Hodbarrow on 20th January and Bowness-on-Solway on 2nd February. An early Fulmar was recorded at Bowness-on-Solway on 19th January. A late Gannet was logged at Walney on 1st December with a returning bird at the same site on 9th February. Up to three Shags were to be seen at Walney throughout, while singles were also seen at Sellafield in December, Ramsden Dock on 13th December, Parton on 31st December and Whitehaven on several dates in January. Bitterns showed themselves in January at Mere Tarn near Ulverston on 26th and Lantern Moss near Egremont also on 26th, the latter remaining into March. In February, another was found dead on the banks of the River Eden at Carlisle. Whooper Swans included 144 at Carr Beds where a single Bewick’s was also seen on 5th January. Two Tundra Bean Geese were found on Newton Marsh on 28th December with three birds reported at the same site on 23rd January. Four Greenland White-fronted Geese on Newton Marsh on 28th December were followed by a European White-fronted Goose among the Greylags in the Eden Valley near Langwathby on 31st January. One of undetermined race was at Anthorn on 16th February. The adult Ross’s Goose (formerly at Caerlaverock) consorted with the large numbers of Barnacle Geese that roamed the Cumbrian side of the Solway and was seen intermittently at several sites throughout the period. The regular Brent Goose flock at Foulney Island peaked at 55 birds and included 10 pale-bellied individuals (some of these birds strayed on occasions to nearby Walney) Elsewhere, two pale-bellied birds passed both Bowness-on-Solway and Skinburness on 1st December and two dark-bellieds were on Rockcliffe on 31st December. The drake Green-winged Teal reappeared at Campfield on 12th December, as did the drake on the Esk Estuary near Ravenglass on 19th January, the latter being seen intermittently into March. Scaup included 1152 off Rockcliffe Marsh in January and 413 at Bowness-on-Solway in February while, inland, in January there was a flock of 13 on the lagoon at Hodbarrow and a female on the River Eden at Holmwrangle. Cumbria’s first Lesser Scaup, a first-winter drake, was found on the River Eden near Holmwrangle on 12th to 14th January before moving to Castle Carrock Reservoir on 16th and then Talkin Tarn on 18th, 19th and 31st. After a spell unobserved, it then reappeared at Talkin Tarn from 14th to 20th February. A drake Long-tailed Duck was seen irregularly at Walney throughout the period, with female/immatures at Bowness-on-Solway on 5th January, Hodbarrow on 9th January and Silloth on 3rd February. A drake Common Scoter appeared inland at Haweswater on 17th February. Velvet Scoters consisted of two off Silecroft on 31st December and three offshore at Hodbarrow on 15th February. A redhead Smew at Old Sandsfield on 9th December was followed by two drakes at Talkin Tarn from 13th to 15th. Then, in January, up to five mobile individuals frequented Talkin Tarn and Castle Carrock Reservoir, with redheads found at Hodbarrow and Derwent Water. In February, up to three, including a drake, commuted between Talkin Tarn and Castle Carrock Reservoir, and two redheads were at Tindale Tarn; the redheads remained at Hodbarrow and Derwent Water and a drake was on Whinfell Tarn. Other waterfowl maxima in the period included 6,000 Pink-footed Geese on Newton Marsh; 30 Gadwall at Askam-in-Furness; 200 Goldeneye on the Eden at Rockcliffe; 120 Goosander at Talkin Tarn and five Ruddy Ducks at Hodbarrow (no double figure flocks in the county these days – is the cull having an effect?). Raptors to waders A good scattering of Hen Harriers and Merlins were noted countywide. An unseasonable Little Stint was on the Kent Estuary on 8th January and a Ruff was seen at Bowness-on-Solway on 1st December. Black-tailed Godwits included 11 at North Plain, four at Cavendish Dock and two at Hodbarrow while a flock of 1200 Bar-tailed Godwits at Roosebeck on 25th January was the largest recorded there for many years. Apart from the regular bird wintering at Cavendish Dock, Spotted Redshanks were restricted to one at Grune in December. Wintering Greenshank were noted at Walney (max. seven), Cavendish Dock and the Inner Solway. Green Sandpipers were seen at Carr Beds, Old Sandsfield, Easton Marsh and Newton Marsh. Skuas to auks The only skua in the period was a Bonxie off Skinburness on 3rd February. Wintering Mediterranean Gulls consisted of three, two adults and a second-winter, in the Cavendish Dock/Walney area; two adults, including the Dutch-ringed bird back for the fourth successive winter, at Flimby and an adult at Borwick Rails. Fresh birds in February were restricted to an adult at Harrington Harbour on 23rd. Four Little Gulls were logged at Walney in January (max three on 26th), with singles there on 8th February and at Silloth on 2nd February. A first-winter Yellow-legged Gull was seen at Beckfoot on 15th February. In a poor winter for white-winged gulls, records were restricted to a first-winter Glaucous Gull on the beach at Beckfoot, near Silloth from 31st January to at least 15th February and, much more unusually, a first-winter Iceland Gull showing the characteristics of Kumlien’s Gull at Walney on 8th February. Kittiwakes included 180 at Walney on 1st December and 160 at Bowness-on-Solway on 2nd February. Black Guillemots appeared occasionally at Walney, usually singly but with two on 1st December. Little Auks continued to be seen during December with six at Walney, including five on 1st; four at Bowness-on-Solway on 1st; one at Silecroft on 8th and an exceptional flock of 20 (perhaps the largest single flock ever recorded in Cumbria) flying south at Silecroft on 31st. Numbers then declined with just singles at Walney on 12th January and Skinburness on 4th February. Owls to Buntings Short-eared Owls remained numerous and widespread and included seven or eight at Burgh Marsh and up to six hunting over Skinburness Marsh. At least one Lesser Spotted Woodpecker visited bird-tables in Grange-over-Sands throughout the period. The first Waxwing of the winter appeared at Shap on 5th December and was followed, in January, by six at Bowness-on-Windermere and Penrith, four at both Ulverston and Kendal and singles at Port Carlisle, Mardale Common, Askam-in-Furness and Allithwaite. February brought further sightings with up to 30 at Keswick, five at Grange-over-Sands and one at Gosforth. A Black Redstart was at Goldmire from 5th to 7th December. Wintering Blackcaps were widely reported but the only Chiffchaff reported was at Cavendish Dock. The Firecrest remained at Sandscale Haws to 12th December. A Hooded Crow frequented Workington on occasions, while the long-stayer remained at Otter Bank near Kendal. An exceptional flock of 220 Tree Sparrows was between Easton and Fingland in December. An impressive 1,880 Bramblings were counted at Matson Ground, Windermere in December, while numbers at Talkin Tarn increased steadily to reach estimates of up to 2,000 in January and 1,000-1,500 frequented Applethwaite Ghyll. Flocks of a few hundred were reported from several other sites. Twite flocks included 210 at Walney; 100 at Borwick Rails, 50 at Skinburness and 30 at Foulney Island. Crossbill reports included 100 at Broughton Mills, 50 at Dent Wood near Egremont; 45 at Matson Ground, Windermere; 45 at Helsington Barrows; 20 at Moor Top, Grizedale and 14 at Killington Reservoir. A few Hawfinches were seen at Grizedale, Rusland and Haybridge in January and, in February, at least 12 graced the grounds of Sizergh Castle. Intrepid observers found some good flocks of Snow Buntings on the tops including 80 at Lingy Hut on the Caldbeck Fells, 75 on Cross Fell and 23 at Long Grain, Haweswater. Coastal records were restricted to six at Walney on 10th December followed by singles at Walney, Whitehaven and Workington in January and Silloth and Whitehaven in February. As ever, I’m indebted to all the contributors, too numerous to list individually. Feel free to send records by e-mail to ian.kinley@btinternet.com Ian Kinley
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