Nosterfield Bird and Natural History Review July 2025
Andrew (Andy) M Hanby
"If I had my way, I’d remove January from the calendar altogether and have an extra July instead."
Roald Dahl
Common Scoter Tim Jones
I suspect if one were to ask the casual birder to relate a month to a colour, ‘beige’ might figure largely with regard to July! However, at Nosterfield maybe ‘red’ would be more appropriate…. the reason is that nature, ‘red in tooth and claw’ is the business of many of the star performers throughout the month - raptors. On one notable day Osprey, three Marsh Harriers, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk recreated the ‘Battle of Britain’ over Flasks Lake. I’m not sure if Hobby joined in, but Hobby was certainly seen throughout July.
Osprey Mark Ashcroft
July is also a month for Larophiles (a Larophile is one who arguably spends too much of his or her time sifting through flocks of gulls, enjoying the challenge of identifying, ageing and just studying them credits’ BIRDINGDUDE’ online). Regular sightings of Mediterranean Gulls, including some smart juveniles, were great to see. Lesser Black-backed Gulls also started to build up and, inevitably, a Caspian Gull (on 21st) and several sightings of Yellow-legged Gull rewarded patient regulars. Several colour-ringed birds also provided the challenge of reading the rings and finding/contacting the institutions to ascertain from where they came.
Juvenile Mediterranean Gull Tim Scott
Caspian Gull Tim Jones
Yellow-legged Gull Tim Jones
“Wader Autumn” was certainly underway on the first day of the month, with 33 Black-tailed Godwits through, heading south. The next day, 23 went north, fuelling some confusion as to what might be going on. In addition, 23 Common Scoter were also present, with six Common Tern. Subsequently, smaller numbers of Black-tailed Godwits were seen.
A Common Redstart was seen down Flasks Lane on 6th and later in the month, one was caught/ringed in the Fen near the plant nursery. That area is very regular for early autumn Redstart and it is hard to shake off the feeling that they breed very close to the recording area – perhaps near the village of Well?
Up to three Whimbrel were seen on several days during the month, but less frequent was the single Bar-tailed Godwit on 11th. Unseasonal and unexpected was a Merlin on 14th.
I find Jackdaws with their blue eyes and chatty vocalisations rather endearing – so it was good to have a count of 848 in the area on 18th, a day when two Greenshank also dropped by. In the numbers game Curlew also scored well, with 420 on the reserve on 21st. One is not such a large number, but when it is a Spotted Redshank, it will certainly do, with a single flying over the reserve on 22nd.
Three Marsh Tit were seen on 25th, always a relief. Nationally they are declining, though not as dramatically as their close relative Willow Tit, which seems destined for extinction as far as the UK is concerned. A Spotted Flycatcher on the same day coincided with other observations in the UK of early migrants.
The last few days of the month produced a Curlew Sandpiper, four flyover Crossbills and another Common Scoter. Most impressive of all, however, was 17 Yellow Wagtails on 29th, our largest flock for a very long time and possibly ever.
The early morning starts during the month by members of East Dales Ringing Group were well rewarded – six visits resulted in just over 200 birds ringed, in the area known as The Fen (east side of Flasks Lake). Highlights included on 9th, a juvenile Pied Flycatcher, three Green Woodpeckers on 16th (male and two juveniles), and a ‘control’ Garden Warbler which had originally been ringed in Gwynedd, Wales in August 2024.
Osprey platform - night shift Simon Warwick