The event itself actually started at midnight for some of us, and the first bird was a calling Rook in Lound village at around ten past. I soon met up with Stuart Davenport and his partner Maria who had just been to Doughty’s Lake. We all got into my car and from 12:30am we began to drive around the LBC recording area perimeter roads heading to Mattersey, where we heard Tawny Owl off Eel Pool Lane, to Drakeholes, Wiseton, Clayworth, having a brief stop on Chainbridge Lane where we recorded a few more birds including Sedge Warbler, Redshank and Lapwing by 1:25am. 

Heading to Hayton, then to Clarborough and then along Smeath Lane to turn off down Tiln Lane to Broom Wood having now amassed just ten species. Here we heard Tawny Owls, a single juvenile Long-eared Owl was heard calling three times, far off in the distance, and we heard a few more birds as we neared Bellmoor Lake, including Cetti’s Warblers, Great Crested Grebe and Lesser Black-backed Gull.  

We left here then headed back to Chainbridge Lane where we heard Oystercatcher, Reed Warber, Pheasant, Gadwall, Skylark and Cuckoo. We headed north towards The Willows driving along the river to park at Neatholme Bridge. We had Mute Swan, Tufted Duck and Little Grebe in the half-light at the Conservation Lake, then along the river Reed Bunting, Blackbird and Song Thrush were heard. Mallard and a single Teal flew up off the river and entering The Willows we had Garden Warbler, Wren, Whitethroat and Blackcap. Nothing much else in The Willows apart from Jackdaws so we headed back to Neatholme Bridge where we saw a group of Herring Gull moving north and we also heard a Moorhen. We saw two pair of Grey Partridge here and along the riverbank, as dawn was breaking, one pair showing very well before I saw a Hobby fly along the tree line at Neatholme Lane. Further birds including Grey Heron, Willow Warbler and Shoveler were added before we looked again at Tiln North which had five Red-crested Pochard, Cormorant, Linnet and a Common Tern flew north. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew along Chainbridge Lane, and we added both Chaffinch and Stock Dove from Chainbridge and Walter’s Lane.  

The list was now at 48 species as we headed to Lound Village where we saw Swift, Swallow, Goldfinch, Starling and Collared Dove. Leaving Lound village we headed over the hill at the southern end and at 5:50am I saw a Barn Owl off into the distance quartering the fields along the Lound Low Road. We got several views as it followed the hedge line around towards Sutton before flying off over the road towards Doughty’s Pond.  

A failed attempt to locate a Little Owl at a nest box in a known breeding tree we then headed through Sutton where we saw House Sparrow, a Greenfinch, but no House Martin this early yet. Arriving at Belmoor Lake we parked outside the gate then walked towards the lake, Stuart and Maria saw a quick fly through Sparrowhawk. The island here produced a single Little Ringed Plover and the first reports from other birders started to roll in on the WhatsApp group.  

A Common Sandpiper and three more Little Ringed Plover were noted by Richard Scott at Neatholme Fen. Ian Cowgill reported a Turtle Dove by Neatholme Fen minutes later and the list was now up to 63 species. Here at Belmoor Lake we had Sand Martin and lots of Swifts feeding along the sewage works side of the lake, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, two Common Tern and walking towards Bunker Wood via the riverside track we noted a few more common species, Goldcrest, Coal Tit and at least three Cuckoo, including a female calling. 

Paul Hobson saw two male Wigeon on Belmoor Lake and Richard Scott reported Grey Partridge calling at Wildgoose Farm. Ian Cowgill reported a Yellowhammer at The Willows where we had visited earlier, and a further half-dozen Yellowhammer were noted across Clayworth Common soon after. Paul Hobson reported Greenfinch at the Horse Paddocks east of Lound Crossroads. Ian Cowgill reported Yellow Wagtail feeding young on Clayworth Common and Wojtek Fiuk reported Oystercatcher, Common Tern and Pied Wagtail at Neatholme Fen.  

Paul Hobson then saw Little Egret (the only egret of the day) at Walters Farm and soon after located, initially ten Raven feeding on Lamb carcasses at the Lower Sheep Fields, and the number there rose to 17 birds which were still present by the time me, Stuart and Maria had arrived to look at them, having just seen House Martin at the pub in Sutton village.  

Richard Scott then reported Lesser Whitethroat, two Red-legged Partridge and a late male Goldeneye at Blaco Pits and the joint total was now at 79 species. Richard Scott reported Turtle Dove from Blaco Pits and Ian Cowgill had located a Corn Bunting on Clayworth Common. Paul Hobson heard Turtle Dove at Chainbridge Meadows and Richard Scott found a Yellow-legged Gull and two male Red-crested Pochard at Neatholme Fen. Ian Cowgill heard a calling Redshank at Tiln North, the same one we heard near there overnight no doubt.  

With Maria having to leave, both myself and Stuart Davenport then arrived at Chainbridge East viewpoint and set up the table and display boards, did a quick tot up of species and recorded all the Cettis Warbler sighting so far on our map. Up to now we had recorded 87 bird species and also reported 16 singing Cetti’s Warbler but lots more ground still to be covered for this survey today. 

Richards Scott reported Common Gull and Mistle Thrush at Neatholme Fen and shortly after he also reported a Marsh Harrier over Clayworth Common, presumably the same ‘cream-crowned’ female we had over the middle part of both Chainbridge Scrapes?  

Visitors were now gathering for the bird walk, Tim Carter arrived to help man the viewpoint base camp, Betty Merrick and Ruth Edwards arrived having been out birding Neatholme Lane and shortly Andy Merrick also arrived to man the viewpoint alongside Tim and Ruth.  

Tim Carter added a calling Water Rail near the viewpoint and, a little bit later than planned, we started the bird walk to the northern part of the reserve. Walk participants included myself, Stuart Davenport, Betty Merrick as leaders, Adrian Pickles and new to the walks and hopefully to Lound Bird Club were: Ged Widdison, Dave Nolan, Jenny Cox, Kevin Price, Kerry Driver, Ben Foster, Lee Foster, Matt Muir and John Mansfield.  

We headed off along to the southwest Corner of Chainbridge Scrape (East) where a second Water Rail was heard. Soon after I saw a Lesser Whitethroat in the hedge by Alan’s Meadow, a pair of Egyptian Geese flew off a distant fence but nothing much in the sheep field here. Richard Scott reported both Kestrel and Bullfinch at Parish Park and by this time we had reached 93 species, we were doing very well.  

We met up with local birder, Brian Hopkinson on Hawthorn Lane, who had been up in the Neatholme area and had seen Turtle Dove, and despite his years, now at 89 years of age, he was still mobile, which was great to see. We were also joined by a couple and their two young children that came up from Nottingham, their son had also been with his mum on the recent Dawn Chorus event, a very keen young birder in the making, and nice to see such enthusiasm.  

Our group were walking to Neatholme Scrape via the Water Ski Pit and just enjoying mainly bird song and both Stuart Davenport and I were talking about the reserve, its birds and its importance for birdlife. Back at base camp, Tim Carter, Ruth Edwards and Andy Merrick had seen a female ‘hepatic’ form Cuckoo, these are the scarce brown form females, which we also saw here last spring, maybe even the same individual?  

Paul Hobson reported two male Red-crested Pochard at Belmoor Lake and we arrived to overlook Neatholme Scrape, quickly heard Turtle Dove singing, Cuckoo calling, and Ged Widdison spotted a Jay flying low through the trees on the island.  

Richard Scott reported Green Woodpecker at Neatholme Fen, and plenty more singing Cetti’s Warbler reports were flooding in. Andrew Cliff reported two Spotted Flycatcher, one at Blaco and a second bird in The Willows, and a Kingfisher soon after, along the river by Neatholme Scrape and another Bittern was seen by Paul Hobson, this time at Belmoor Lake. 

We, as a group on the walk, then visited Neatholme Pit, then on to Neatholme Fen where we had half an hour watching various species including 11 Common Tern, a couple of Little Ringed Plover, an Oystercatcher back on a new nest, a pair of Egyptian Geese with two goslings, quite a few Swifts, a Grey Heron and a pair of Wigeon. We continued and overlooked the Cross Lane Fishery but saw little other than a nice male Reed Bunting. We walked on and as we passed the gate to the Water Ski Pit, Dave Nolan spotted a Red Kite quickly moving West towards Lound village, this put us on 99 species at midday, and in a good place for a 100+ result today.  

We ended an enjoyable walk back at the Chainbridge Scrape (East) viewpoint and chatted for a while, still enjoying the day, despite the fatigue both Stuart and I were now feeling.

Richard Scott was now at Tiln North and reported a Ringed Plover and two male Wigeon, maybe the birds Paul Hobson had earlier at Belmoor Lake? The Ringed Plover made the 100 species mark, and we had once again got to that significant number, proving the importance of this site for birds.  

New birds were slowing down now, most of the regulars and visitors were now leaving and we must give special thanks to our Lound Bird Club committee volunteers and thank everyone else for joining us in the walk. Stuart and I then took off to get some food and have a break, but that break soon ended when my brother Paul Hobson reported a ‘probable’ Pale-morph juvenile Booted Eagle flying west very rapidly over Neatholme Pit and headed towards Lound Village and out of sight, in a short window of around a minute and a half. A ‘mega’ bird and one that no one could have predicted. Yes, this is a very rare vagrant to the UK usually, but there have been two juveniles loafing in the Southwest, South and Southeast of England for several months now, the most recent being a pale morph juvenile in North Norfolk and Suffolk, a second in Kent and further South and West. Paul was sure of his sighting, put it out onto BirdGuides and so allow others to start looking for it.  

I dropped Stuart off at the Idle Valley Café to charge his phone and headed to higher ground along Mattersey Road just west of Lound village, but I saw nothing other than around three or four Buzzard and a male Yellowhammer. Two other locals were also looking in the Osberton, Worksop and Blyth areas but were also not lucky enough to relocate it. Paul said the eagle was moving fairly low and quickly but in the 15 minute window after his initial sighting it could have easily reached beyond Worksop or even as far as Doncaster. Maybe the bird will be re-found somewhere west of here, it could even re-locate to Norfolk, or may never be seen again, but it is down to Paul’s own notes, and the various committees to decide if it will be acceptable for publication and join the Nottinghamshire Bird List as the first county record.  

Anyway, that will have to wait, back to the ‘Big Bird Day’, and a couple of minutes after Paul’s eagle sighting Vic Giles then recorded a Peregrine flying over Clayworth Common and we now had 101 species! Paul Hobson then reported two Hobby at Linghurst Wood and back at the Chainbridge viewpoint Tim Carter and Amy MacCallum had been watching up to three Hobby there too. Paul Hobson then reported another Bittern this time over Neatholme Lane. By now the Cetti’s Warbler survey map was beginning to look very spotty, with nearly 40 pinned locations across the reserve.  

Stuart and I rejoined, and we headed to Chainbridge Scrape viewpoint and met Tim, Amy and Richard Scott, packed up the tables and boards and checked the day list. A total of 101 confirmed species (102 when the Eagle gets the nod) but a great day thus far.  

Richard Scott left and was heading out for some more birding, and sure enough he soon reported a Ringed Plover at Neatholme Fen, with Paul Hobson reporting a Yellow Legged Gull on Chainbridge Pit.  

Tim Carter, who had manned the viewpoint all day, then left and Stuart, Amy MacCallum and I then briefly visited the loos at the Belmoor Learning Centre Cafe before heading back to start a loop of the Sheep Fields, Tiln Pools and Tiln Wood. Here we saw a few bits, heard a Cuckoo, saw a Small Copper butterfly, a Burnet Companion moth and two pairs of Pochard. We briefly heard a ‘booming’ Bittern and later on we saw up to four Oystercatcher on the Lower Sheep Fields.  

Having headed around Tiln Wood and along the river we didn’t hear any Cetti’s Warbler, maybe the warmer air has stopped them singing, but knowing that several birds had been resident at various known location in the past couple of weeks I added these on the survey map, and we can confirm that singing Cetti’s Warbler were noted from 45 locations, confirming my own suspicions that they had indeed almost completely colonised the whole reserve.  

Other notable birds were up to five Great Spotted Woodpecker reported across the reserve, three Kestrel were reported, a Tawny Owl was seen in The Willows with an ‘odd’ white tail and maybe up to six different Cuckoo with two females including one ‘hepatic’ form noted across the reserve.  

My final bird was a Green Woodpecker over the main road at Belmoor on my way home into Retford. A fabulous day, and so inspiring to see so may participate in the event. I am hopeful that we can get increasingly active with this and other bird club activities going forward. 

Thanks to all the following: 

• Stuart Davenport, Betty Merrick, Ruth Edwards and Paul Hobson from Lound Bird Club committee for organising today.
• Tim Carter, Ruth Edwards and Andy Merrick for manning the viewpoint.
• Richard Scott, Ian Cowgill, Andrew Cliff, Tim Carter, Wojtek Fiuk, Vic Giles, Neil Braund and Paul Hobson for the regular updates on the What’s App group and finally to all those who visited to go on the walk.
• All those who joined up with the club mailing list, we hope to see you all again soon and be assured that you will soon be added to the What’s App group and you will start receiving copies of the regular monthly Idle Valley Nature Sightings Bulletin and all Lound Bird Club communications.  

Great result on a great day and enjoyed by so many people! 

Gary Hobson, Lound Bird Club Vice Chairman and Membership Officer