Information and photographs re/of Wharncliffe Heath | Wharncliffe Heath CBC results

Sunday 25th July 2004
Nightjar showing again at Wharncliffe Heath NR between 2145 and 2230h. Positive id on 2 males and a female.
Also present, Linnet, Tree Pipit and fleeting glimpse of one Woodcock. The ending of the latter's territorial behaviour correlates
with the beginning, or intensification, of territorial activity of Nightjar. Could these two observations be linked ?

Friday 16th July 2004
Two male Nightjars, display flights and churring, 2150-2230h. Also present: Raven, Linnet, Tree Pipit and Woodcock.

Thursday 17th June 2004 [R.Dale].
Two singing Wood warblers in Wharncliffe Wood this afternoon.

Wednesday 16th June 2004 [R.Dale].
Female Nightjar hawking for moths at 2225h. Also 1 roding Woodcock, and several Tawny Owls.

Monday 13th June 2004
No sight or sound of any Nightjars this evening from 2030 to 2310h, although it was a bit on the windy side [but even so, very disappointing]. Otherwise though: at least 4 Woodcock (all in the air at the same time), 7 singing Tree Pipit, Tawny Owl, Pheasant, Song Thrush, Wren, Robin, Dunnock, and 2 Willow Warbler.

Tuesday 8th June 2004 [S.Vickers].
From 2145h onwards: at least 2 "churring" Nightjars, 2 Woodcock and 2 Tawny Owls.

Friday 4th June 2004
No sign of any Nightjars at the site to date.

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Tuesday 24th June 2003
A Nature Reserve Committee meeting on site was followed by a session of Nightjar watching, which was rewarded by churring and good views of a male bird wing-clapping. Good numbers of Woodcock, with up to three visible in the air at once. There have been erratic reports of Nightjar on site since the beginning of June, but one male now seems to be reliably seen or heard.

Sunday 8th June 2003, from 2200h [S. Vickers]
Two Nightjars, 4 Woodcock, one Tawny Owl.

Sunday 1st June 2003, from 2130h [S. Vickers]
Possibly 3 churring Nightjars, 2 roding Woodcocks and 2 Tawny Owls.

Saturday 26th April 2003
On Wharncliffe Heath Nature Reserve, at least 6 singing Tree Pipits, Green Woodpecker and a pair of Linnets, with large numbers of Willow Warblers on the woodland edge. A male Cuckoo on the heath and adjacent Wharncliffe Chase. In the wooded part of the nature reserve, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap and a single Garden Warbler, along with residents including Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper and Nuthatch. A Raven over to the north.

Sunday 13th April 2003
Three Chiffchaffs in the woods and 5 Tree Pipits on the heath [though not all displaying males]; also 7 Willow Warblers scattered around the reserve. A Raven overhead for the 2nd week running.

Sunday 16th March
The heath was still very quiet, but a good winter list for the wood, of 19 species including Green Woodpecker and Nuthatch. The highlight was a mixed flock of tits, 25 Siskin, 6 Lesser Redpoll and 4 Common Crossbill (including one lovely orange male) feeding on larch cones at the southern edge of the wood next to the boundary wall with Wharncliffe Chase. Variable numbers of Crossbills have been feeding in these trees for a month now.

Sunday 2nd March 2003
A male and female Common Crossbill still feeding in the larch on the southern edge of the reserve, with 6 Siskins in amongst Blue, Great and Coal Tits. Further to the north 3 Lesser Redpoll quite mobile in deciduous trees. Sightings of raptors, particularly Sparrowhawk, on and in the vicinity of the reserve, have plummeted to virtually zero over the past couple of years. If anyone has any clues as to why this might be, please email John Buttle at d.j.buttle@sheffield.ac.uk.

Sunday 16th February 2003
Pick of a very cold day was a flock of 16 Common Crossbills, including 5 males in full attire, feeding in the Larch trees near the walled boundary with Wharncliffe Chase. Also 2 Brambling (at least) among a flock of Chaffinches feeding on the ground under Oak, 2 Treecreepers and a Nuthatch, all in the wood.

Sunday 5th January 2003
A Grey Partridge flew over the wall from Wharncliffe Chase into the woods at the Southern end of the reserve, and was later flushed in a marshy area, presumably feeding on the ground in the woods. This behaviour may be linked to the cover of ice and snow which probably makes feeding on the open rough grassland of the Chase quite difficult. Also on site, 2 Treecreeper, mixed flocks of Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrest, Coal, Great and Blue Tits, Robins and Blackbirds in the woods and half a dozen hardy Wrens still holding station on the heath.

Saturday 9th -  Sunday 10th November  2002
Work parties on site were pleased to see a Kingfisher at the pond on both days. This pond is supposed to be devoid of fish, and should also be free of amphibians at this time of year, so reasons why the bird is hanging around remain unclear. Flocks of c.40 Fieldfare overhead on a number of occasions, and 6 Redwing on the 10th. 50+ Siskin on site, also 6 Linnet and 6 Meadow Pipit on the heath.

Sunday 13th October 2002
A flock of 10+ Siskin in the woods, and mixed flocks of tits containing one a Nuthatch. Both Great Spotted Woodpecker and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the woods, and Green Woodpecker on the heath, all very active.

Friday 26th July 2002
The male Nightjar still present on the site near Wharncliffe Wood. At 2145h it was in the air, making a couple of flight calls before flying NE over the trees. Another flight call heard 5 minutes later; it was not clear if this was the same bird. No real territorial behaviour; no churring and no wing-clapping, so perhaps this bird will be departing soon.

Sunday 30th June / Mon 1st July 2002
A single churring male Nightjar still present on the same site [as below], churring between 2210 and 2240h

Tuesday 25th - Wednesday 26th June 2002
A churring Nightjar has finally turned up at Wharncliffe. Not on the heath but in the more westerly (lower) of the two clear-fell sites towards the southern (Oughtibridge and Grenoside) end of the woodland (see my "data by site" entry of 12th May). One bird heard on the nights of the 25th and 26th June. We all know that, given the choice between Calluna heathland and clear-fell areas in commercial coniferous woodland, nightjar prefer the latter. I understand that, as Wharncliffe Woods matures, the FC will be taking out areas of trees every couple of years or so. This hopefully will have a dramatic effect on the local Nightjar population!

Thursday 20th June 2002
An evening publicised event led to the discovery of a Kingfisher (or in this case a Kingnewter) trying to roost on the edge of the pond. Despite the disturbance due to 22 people the bird refused to fly off, and will hopefully have enjoyed a newtful breakfast the following morning before, presumably, flying back down to the Don at Deepcar. There has only previously been one report of Kingfisher at this site. Woodcock were also highly evident, with occasional and noisy mid-air territorial "battles" taking place. In addition, Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard, and Linnet were still very active on the heath at dusk.

Sunday 12th May 2002
Two clear-fell areas were created by the Forestry Commission in coniferous plantations towards the Southern end of Wharncliffe Wood, about 12 months ago. Part of one of these has now been replanted with oak, and a pond, or scrape, has also been created in the same area. This site has already been colonised by 4 singing Tree Pipits, the other by at least 2 Mistle Thrushes, Blackcap are utilising the new woodland edges, and both sites are being scoured by Cuckoo and Sparrowhawk.

Saturday 11th May 2002
Counts of 14 Tree Pipit, 9 Linnet, 2 Yellowhammer and a Cuckoo on the Heath, whilst 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warbler and 2 Lesser Whitethroat [a "first" for the reserve] all heard along the track to the Woodhead Road.

Wednesday 8th May 2002
Linnet, Yellowhammer and Tree Pipit very active on the heath during an evening public "event", with roding Woodcock providing entertainment around dusk.

Saturday 4th May 2002
An estimate of 5 Tree Pipit territories on the heath, along with at least one pair of Yellowhammer and several Linnet. Five Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap and 2 Garden Warblers singing along the track to Woodhead Road; also quite large numbers of Willow Warbler. Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker also heard, and 2 Treecreepers seen in the woodland. Evidence of a pair of Bullfinch nest-building on the northern edge of the reserve.

Saturday 13th April 2002
The first Tree Pipit now on the heath, to join the Linnets and Yellowhammers, Dunnock and myriad Wrens which are already setting up territories. Female Sparrowhawk using the thermals over the heath and a Green Woodpecker. In the woodland/woodland edge, the first Willow Warbler has joined 3 Chiffchaff, but no sign of Blackcap or Garden Warbler yet. Also one singing Song Thrush, 2 Blackbird, 5 Robin. Curlew heard calling from Wharncliffe Chase.

Saturday 30th March 2002
Three Raven on The Height overlooking the reserve; 6 Linnet and 4 Yellowhammer on the heath, and 3 Chiffchaff calling in the woodland.

Sunday 25th March 2002
Yellowhammer back on the heath, but no territorial behaviour yet. Unlike Wren, which now number at least 30 and are very vocal. Dunnock also back on the heath. The surrounding woodland alive with Chaffinch, Robin, and common Tit species; also Treecreeper.  At least 2 Curlew could be heard and seen over the adjoining Wharncliffe Chase.

Sunday 6th January 2002
A Raven calling from "The Height" then flew W over reserve. Treecreeper moving through the woodland with mixed party of Tits [Blue, Great, Coal, Long-tailed and Goldcrest]. A few Chaffinches in the woods, but little else other than Wrens still holding territories on the heath.

Saturday 15th December 2001
Three Bullfinch, including one male, feeding on old blackberries along the track to Woodhead Road. Mixed flocks of tits moving through the treetops, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew N across the heath.

Sunday 9th December 2001
Mixed flock of Long-tailed Tits, Goldcrest and Coal Tits (at least 12, 4 and 2 respectively) moving through the birch tops along the woodland edge. Signs of Wrens setting up territories on the heath already (in the freezing fog). Two Woodcock flushed from separate locations on the heath during conservation work.

Saturday 6th October 2001
Two Woodcock flushed together on the heath. Green woodpecker also on the heath being noisy.

Saturday 29th September 2001.
A Green Woodpecker calling on the heath, mixed flocks of tits (Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed), Treecreeper and Goldcrest moving through the woods. Flock of c.20 Siskin south along the woodland edge. Male and female Sparrowhawk hunting over the wood. Later, Kestrel hunting on the crag edge was mobbed by female Sparrowhawk which itself was then surprised by an attack from 2 Ravens. The aerial battle continued for some minutes when the Ravens were joined by other corvids (Carrion Crow and Jackdaw) forcing the Sparrowhawk down into the tree canopy.