3rd – Woodpecker in Cote Close, 1 male Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed
6th – 4 Cormorant seen on pylon SE of Marina wildlife pond, 1 Coal Tit seen in Findern churchyard
19th – 1 Sparrowhawk seen flying S over Nadee, 1 Buzzard seen perched on a pylon NE of Hicklin’s Bridge, 2 Water Rail seen in the reed bed at the treatment works
28th – 1 Water Rail, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Treecreeper seen at the treatment works, 1 Jay seen in the horse paddock N of Crow Park Way 1 Cormorant seen over Stanhope Wood, 1 Kestrel and 1 Skylark seen flying NE over Hicklin’s Bridge, 2 Peregrine seen perched on the rim of the cooling towers
29th – 1 Kingfisher seen fishing canalside E of the white footbridge, 5+ Redwing seen feeding on Hawthorn canalside E of the white footbridge, 1 Jay seen canalside E of Nadee and 1 Buzzard seen NE of Hicklin’s Bridge
Ocober 2019
2nd – 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker seen adjacent to the cattery on Willington Road, 4 Meadow Pipit seen opposite the cattery, 1 adult and 4 juvenile Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed
8th – 1 Swallow seen over Porter’s Lane, 1 Grey Wagtail seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works
19th – 1 Sparrowhawk flew straight through the garage and into the kitchen Aults Close! Released safely and flew off to fight another day
21st – 1 Sparrowhawk seen flying over Hillside garden, 1 Coal Tit seen in Hillside garden
28th – 1 Cormorant seen over Stanhope Wood, 1 Kestrel and 1 Skylark seen flying NE over Hicklin’s Bridge, 2 Peregrine seen perched on the rim of the cooling towers
29th – 1 Kingfisher seen fishing canalside E of the white footbridge, 5+ Redwing seen feeding on Hawthorn canalside E of the white footbridge, 1 Jay seen canalside E of Nadee and 1 Buzzard seen NE of Hicklin’s Bridge
September 2019
1st – 1 Sparrowhawk seen from Hillside garden
2nd – 1 Grey Heron seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, 1 male Blackcap seen N of the treatment works, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Spotted Flycatcher (the first sighting in Findern of this species) seen at the treatment works
4th – 1 Peregrine seen on the cooling towers Willington Power Station, 1 Grey Wagtail seen at the treatment works, c50 Pied Wagtail seen at the treatment works and in the adjacent field, 2 Common Whitethroat seen Stanhope Wood reed bed
14th – 1 Kestrel seen flying over fields Doles Lane
19th – 1 Kestrel seen perched on a bale in a field NE of Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 Kingfisher seen flying E along the canal SW of the treatment works, 1 Jay seen at the bottom of Cardale’s Meadow and 1 male Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed
30th – 3 Skylark seen near Watson’s Bridge
August 2019
1st – 1 Grey Heron seen at Mercia Marina, 1 Green Woodpecker heard S of the Ballast Hole Pond, 2 juvenile Common Whitethroat see adjacent to the railway bridge SE of Stanhope Wood, 1 Essex Skipper butterfly seen at the bottom of Cardales Meadow (the first sighting this year)
11th – Dead Hedgehog seen Heath Lane
19th – 1 Brown Argus butterfly, 2 Small Copper Butterfly seen in Cote Close, 2 Red Admiral Butterfly seen near Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 Bullfinch seen near King George V playing field
20th – 1 Sparrowhawk seen Willington Road near the level crossing
21st – 1 Common Sandpiper seen feeding in the cattle field SW of the treatment works (this is the first sighting of this species in Findern, it’s probably on its migration South and stopped to feed in the flooded field)
July 2019
2nd – 3 Grey Wagtail (a pair and a juvenile) seen at the treatment works
8th – 2 Lapwing seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works
13th – 3 Lapwing (a pair and a juvenile) and several groups of juvenile Long-Tailed Tit seen in the cattle field W of the treatment works, 1 male Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed
16th – 1 Grey Heron seen in the cattle field W of the treatment works, 1 Green Woodpecker seen in Stanhope Wood, 1 Gatekeeper butterfly seen in Common Piece Lane and several more seen around the circuit, 1 Six Spot Burnet Moth seen in Cardales Meadow
30th – 1 Brown Hawker Dragonfly seen in Cote Close
June 2019
5th – 1 Cormorant seen flying W over Mercia Marina, 1 Sparrowhawk hunting SW on Watson’s Bridge, 1 Lapwing seen over Stanhope Wood reed bed and another in field SW of Watson’s Bridge, 1 Swift seen flying over Willington Road (the first sighting in Findern this year), 1 Yellowhammer seen N of Hicklin’s Bridge and another on Willington Road opposite the cattery, 1 Reed Bunting and 1 Reed Warbler (the first sighting in Findern this year) seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed
15th – 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker seen on bird feeder in back garden Aults Close
28th – 2 White Letter Hairstreak butterflies seen near the bird hide in Cote Close Bird Sanctuary
29th – 1 dead Hedgehog seen Longlands Lane, 1 live Hedgehog and 1 live Mole seen on an allotment on Common Piece Lane
May 2019
6th – Pair of Mute Swan with 5 Cygnets and a Canada Goose with 5 Goslings seen on Mercia Marina Pond. Mute Swan on a nest near the Nadee but no sign of any Cygnets yet.
11th – Seen or heard on our Dawn Chorus walk around the canal circuit this morning:
Blackbird, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, House Sparrow, Song Thrush, Magpie, Wren, Robin, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Pheasant, Willow Warbler, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Common Whitethroat, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Cormorant, Blackcap, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Moorhen, Heron, Lapwing, Black Headed Gull, Bullfinch, Mallard, Blue Tit, Mute Swan, Garden Warbler, Jackdaw and Swallow
April 2019
3rd – 1 Little Grebe, 3 Tufted Duck and 1 male Reed Bunting collecting nesting material seen at Mercia Marina Pond, 1 Grey Heron seen flying South over the pond. 1 Blackcap singing near Watson’s Bridge, pair of Long-Tailed Tit seen nest building canalside E of Nadee, 1 Jay seen flying over Stanhope Wood, pair of Bullfinch seen near Hicklin’s Bridge and 1 male Yellowhammer singing North of Hicklin’s Bridge
7th – Treecreeper seen at the Ballast Hole Pond
8th – Pair of Grey Wagtail, 1 Willow Warbler (first in this area this spring) and a pair of Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works, 1 female Bullfinch seen east of the treatment works, 1 male Yellowhammer seen adjacent to the railway line east of Stanhope Wood
11th – Hawthorn in flower adjacent to the entrance to Stanhope Hole Conservation Area
14th – 2 Swallows seen on wires by Heath Farm, Heath Lane
15th – 1 female Mallard with 5 ducklings seen on the canal S of the treatment works, 4 Lapwing, 83 Black Headed Gull, 1 Stock Dove and 110 Fieldfare (a late sighting) seen on the freshly cultivated field NE of Hicklin’s Bridge, 2 Swallow seen flying over Heath Farm, 3 Mistle Thrush seen in the horse paddock N of Crow Park Way.
21st – 1 Lesser Whitethroat singing at the top of Cardales Meadow, 1 Jay seen at the bottom of Cote Close
25th – 1 Sparrowhawk seen chasing a Collared Dove at the top of Heath Lane, 1 Common Whitethroat seen gathering nesting material beside the railway line SE of Stanhope Wood
30th – 1 Grey Heron and 8 Stock Dove seen SE of Hicklin’s bridge, 2 Lapwing and 6 Stock Dove seen SW of Hicklin’s Bridge
March 2019
1st – 1 Grey Heron seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, 60+ Pied Wagtail seen at the treatment works, 3 Song Thrush heard singing around the canal circuit, 5 Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works
6th – 1 male Reed Bunting singing in Stanhope Wood reed bed, 1 Little Grebe and 8 Tufted Duck seen on Mercia Marina Pond, 2 Lapwing seen flying west over Common Piece Lane, 1 Green Woodpecker heard calling S of Mercia Marina Pond, 25+ Redwing seen at the treatment works, 1 Yellowhammer seen N of Hicklin’s Bridge and a pair of Yellowhammer seen Willington Road opposite the cattery
Tawny owls have been heard calling in the All Saints Churchyard
A Sparrowhawk seen in Cote Close
A possible sighting of a Peregrine Falcon on Common Piece Lane
8th – 2 Stock Doves Cultivated field SW of Common Piece Lane, Chiffchaff A50 embankment near underpass
18th – 3 x Chiffchaff around canal
23rd – Small Tortoiseshell butterfly and Brimstone butterfly Hillside garden
23rd – Male Kestrel Horse paddock N of Crow Park Way, 7 x Chiffchaff around canal, Skylark Over field NE of Hicklin’s Bridge, Yellowhammers (2 pairs) fields E of Lower Heath Lane
29th – Red Kite seen over Aults Close and Hillside playing fields
February 2019
6th – Grey Heron Flying NE over Porter’s Lane, Black Swan Mercia Marina (Non-native species), 5 Tufted Duck on Mercia Marina, Buzzard N. of Willington Road, opposite Cattery Feeding on worms in ploughed field. Male Kestrel N. of Cardale’s Meadow, Stock Dove N. of Willington Road, opposite Cattery, Green Woodpecker South of STW (Heard only), Song Thrush singing at the bottom of Common Piece Lane. 2x Mistle Thrush in the Churchyard. Chiffchaff at Sewage Treatment Works. Male Bullfinch A50 embankment, near underpass. 7 Yellowhammers N. of Hicklin’s Bridge and 3 Reed Bunting at Sewage Treatment Works.
9th – Barn owl seen at 10-45 in the field off Doles Lane and next to the A38.
11th – 3 Skylarks over field NE of Hicklings Bridge. 9 Reed Buntings at the Sewage Treatment Works.
14th – 1 Sparrowhawk seen chasing a blackbird north of Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 Grey Wagtail seen at the treatment works, 40+ Pied Wagtail seen in field adjacent to the treatment works, c10 Fieldfare seen at the cemetery off Common Piece Lane, 30+ Redwing seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, 1 Treecreeper seen at the treatment works
25th – 1 Grey Heron seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Chiffchaff heard singing and several Reed Bunting also seen at the treatment works
January 2019
2nd – 1 Mistle Thrush seen eating sultanas on the back lawn of a garden on Aults Close. 2 Water Rail, 40+ Pied Wagtail and 2 Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works. About 30+ Redwing seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, 1 Goldcrest seen adjacent to the A50 underpass feeding with Long-tailed tits. 1 Coal Tit seen on the village green feeding with a Tit flock.
7th – 1 Grey Wagtail near sewage treatment works. 5 Fieldfare feeding with a large flock of Redwing in field north of Hiilside. 1 Chiffchaff near Sewage Treatment works. Pair of Goosanders on canal east of Hicklins Bridge ( first sightings for several years).
9th – Pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, near Ballast Hole, 1 Bullfinch, embankment near A50 underpass
15th – On Bakeacre lane, 1 Kestrel; 2 Stock Doves and about 20 Meadow Pipets
21st – Pair of Goosander On canal, S of STW, 60+ Redwing on Cattle field SW of STW Cormorant
30th – Cormorant Over Nadee, flying north, Little Egret flying over the canal near Hicklin’s Bridge flying south, Buzzard Corner of St George’s Playing Field perched in tree. Water Rail, Grey Wagtailand 40+ Pied Wagtail in the Sewage Treatment Works and 30+ in adjacent field. 5 Fieldfare in the Cemetary off Common Piece Lane Feeding with 20+ Redwing, 2 Song Thrush in the Sewage Treatment Works, Treecreeper near Hicklin’s Bridge and 1 male Bullfinch on the A50 embankment, near the underpass.
December 2018
4th – 1 Water Rail seen in the reed bed at the treatment works, 1 Willow Tit seen canal side east of the treatment works (the first sighting in this area for several years), and 1 Fieldfare seen with Redwings and Blackbirds feeding on yew berries in Findern Churchyard
12th – 7 Stock Dove seen in a stubble field at Blakemere Farm on Bakeacre Lane
13th – about 40 Pink Footed Geese seen flying NW over Common Piece Lane, 4 Meadow Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 male Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works. About 20 Meadow Pipit seen in a stubble field SE of Stanhope Wood, a pair of Yellowhammer seen N of Hicklin’s Bridge
17th – 2 Water Rail and 30+ Pied Wagtail seen at the treatment works
28th – 2 Goldcrest seen at the treatment works
November 2018
3rd – 1 Kingfisher seen to catch and eat a fish Mercia Marina Pond
8th – 1 Goldcrest seen feeding with a flock of Long Tailed tits canal side SE of the treatment works
12th – 1 Water Rail seen preening itself in the central channel of the reed bed at the treatment works. Several Redwing also seen around the treatment works
22nd – 1 Meadow Pipit seen in the reed beds at the treatment works, 1 Song Thrush seen at Mercia Marina Pond, the first sighting since early July, 1 female Bullfinch seen North of the treatment works, the first sighting since May
