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St Peter’s and Highfields:
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BuiltWithNOF
Birdlife of Swithland Reservoir

 

ISBN 1-871344-27-1   Price: UK £11.95     International £13.95

Category: Leicestershire Natural History

Key Subjects:
Leicestershire
Birdwatching
Ornithology
Reservoirs
Birds
Waterfowl

Ian Gamble
The Birdlife of Swithland Reservoir

Publication date September 22nd 2001
Size 236 pages 217 x 152mm
14 colour paintings, 70 colour photographs, 2 maps
Format paperback (Hardback bound version also available - see below)

There is a place near Leicester which attracts many thousands of visitors each year. These visitors come from all over the world, sometimes travelling thousands of miles under their own steam, in all weathers, and if anything winter is an even more popular time for visits than summer.

The visitors, of course, are not people but birds, and the place is Swithland Reservoir. All open water is popular with birds, but the secluded location, extensive and varied vegetation, and shallow, warmer water make Swithland Reservoir particularly attractive to a vast range of bird species. These are the subject The Birdlife of Swithland Reservoir by Ian Gamble. Ian Gamble is ideally qualified to write about this lovely site, having grown up in the shadow of Buddon Hill with the reservoir at its feet, and been nurtured in his love of birds by his father. Ian's early interest, awakened by bird books shown to him as an infant, has led him beyond the shore of Swithland Reservoir to each of the world's continents except Antarctica and his experiences, both at home and abroad, are related in the book with infectious enthusiasm.

The book has three introductory chapters. In the first, Ian recalls 'Seasons and Memories' of bird watching at the reservoir. 'Charnwood a thousand years of change' describes the changes that have fashioned our countryside and its wildlife and which will affect it in future years. The third is written by Ian's naturalist father, Peter Gamble, on the Physical Features, History and Vegetation of the area. These chapters are extensively illustrated in colour, with paintings by Ernest Leahy, and 70 colour photographs by Ian and Peter.

The largest section of the book is a systematic account of all the birds ever recorded at the reservoir. It describes their distributions world-wide and their migration patterns, giving a remarkable picture of how this secluded spot is part of a global network of bird movements. The British distribution and population trends; local and national status, breeding habits, appearance and identification habits are also well described, along with notable records and observations for each species at the reservoir.

This book is a welcome result of Ian's considerable experience and meticulous research. It is published by the Loughborough Naturalists' Club and Kairos Press



Price including UK Postage: £11.95


Price including International Postage: £13.95


Hardback Price including UK Postage: £18.00

Hardback Price including International Postage: £20.00


(If you are looking for more information on birding in Leicestershire and Rutland, have a look at the very excellent site run by The Leicestershire & Rutland Ornithological Society - LROS)

 

The Birdlife of Swithland Reservoir
Species featuring in Chapter Four:
(each species is given a full account of international, national and local distributions and migration patterns, along with in depth descriptions, breeding habits and details relating to its occurance at Swithland Reservoir)

Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata

Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica

Great Northern Diver Gavia immer

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena

Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus

Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis

Leachs Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa

Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis

Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia

Mute Swan Cygnus olor

Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus

Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus

Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus

Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons

Greylag Goose Anser anser

Snow Goose Anser caerulescens

Canada Goose Branta canadensis

Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis

Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus

Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea

Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

Wood Duck Aix sponsa

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata

Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope

Gadwall Anas strepera

Common Teal Anas crecca

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Northern Pintail Anas acuta

Garganey Anas querquedula

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata

Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina

Common Pochard Aythya ferina

Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula

Greater Scaup Aythya marila

Common Eider Somateria mollissima

Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis

Common Scoter Melanitta nigra

Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula

Smew Mergellus albellus

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

Goosander Mergus merganser

Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis

White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala

European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus

1 Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus

Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus

Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis

Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo

Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus

Merlin Falco columbarius

Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

Chukar Alectoris chukar

Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa

Grey Partridge Perdix perdix

Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus

Corncrake Crex crex

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

Eurasian Coot Fulica atra

Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus

Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius

Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus

European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola

Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

Red Knot Calidris canutus

Sanderling Calidris alba

Little Stint Calidris minuta

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea

Dunlin Calidris alpina

Ruff Philomachus pugnax

Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus

Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago

Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata

Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus

Common Redshank Tringa totanus

Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus

Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius

Great Skua Stercorarius skua

Parasitic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus

Little Gull Larus minutus

Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus

Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis

Common Gull Larus canus

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus

Herring Gull Larus argentatus

Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis

Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans

Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides

Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus

Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla

Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis

Common Tern Sterna hirundo

Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea

Little Tern Sterna albifrons

Black Tern Chlidonias niger

White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus

Little Auk Alle alle

Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica

Pallas's Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus

Stock Dove Columba oenas

Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus

Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto

European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur

Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus

Barn Owl Tyto alba

Little Owl Athene noctua

Tawny Owl Strix aluco

Long-eared Owl Asio otus

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus

European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus

Common Swift Apus apus

Alpine Swift Apus melba

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops

European Green Woodpecker Picus viridis

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor

Common Skylark Alauda arvensis

Sand Martin Riparia riparia

Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

Common House Martin Delichon urbica

Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis

Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis

Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus

Water/Rock Pipit

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea

Pied/ White Wagtail Motacilla alba

Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus

Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes

Dunnock Prunella modularis

European Robin Erithacus rubecula

Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Whinchat Saxicola rubetra

Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe

Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus

Common Blackbird Turdus merula

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos

Redwing Turdus iliacus

Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus

Common Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia

Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

European Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca

Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis

Garden Warbler Sylvia borin

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla

Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix

Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus

Goldcrest Regulus regulus

Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus

Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata

European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus

Marsh Tit Parus palustris

Willow Tit Parus montanus

Coal Tit Parus ater

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus

Great Tit Parus major

Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea

Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris

Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor

Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius

Common Magpie Pica pica

Western Jackdaw Corvus monedula

Rook Corvus frugilegus

Carrion Crow Corvus corone

Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix

Common Raven Corvus corax

Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus

Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

Brambling Fringilla montifringilla

European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus

Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina

Twite Carduelis flavirostris

Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea

Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra

Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella

Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus

Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra

Exotic escapes:-

Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor

Black Swan Cygnus atratus

South African Shelduck Tadorna cana

Ringed Teal Callonetta leucophrys

Chiloe Wigeon Anas sibilatrix

African Yellow-bill Anas undulata

Pintail Sp.

Blue-winged Teal Anas discors

Falcon Sp.

Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus

Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata

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