Birdlife:
Chasewater is often at it’s best during the winter months when the huge gull roost represents one of the best opportunities in the Midlands for studying these birds. They are best viewed from the south shore adjacent to the car park. Both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls are annual while Caspian Gulls are becoming more regular. Yellow-legged Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls are frequent while Little Gulls and Kittiwakes are also occasionally present amongst the large numbers of commoner gull species. This site also attracts a good variety of wintering wildfowl with impressive numbers of Goldeneye, along with Goosander and occasional Red-breasted Merganser and Smew. Sea-ducks may also be present, including Greater Scaup and Long-tailed Duck, while Velvet Scoter has occurred but Common Scoter is more likely, particularly on passage. In 1987, Chasewater hit the headlines when it hosted Britain's first Lesser Scaup. It is also the most regular site in the region for divers, being very good for Great Northern and the scarcer grebes are recorded on a regular basis; Black-necked are often found on passage while Slavonian and Red-necked are more likely during winter.
The occurrence of waders will depend on water levels during the main passage periods with all the regular coastal species possible, including Sanderling, Knot and Turnstone while past rarities have included Kentish Plover, Purple, Least, Baird’s and Buff-breasted Sandpipers.
Arctic Terns are usually the most frequent terns during passage periods with smaller numbers of Common, while Black Terns are encountered during suitable weather conditions and Little and Sandwich Terns are recorded most years. There are also past records of both White-winged Black and Caspian Terns.
Chasewater also has an excellent track record for attracting seabirds with the most outstanding of all, being a Cory’s Shearwater in 1971. Other notables include Manx Shearwater, both Storm and Leach’s Petrels, Fulmar and Great, Arctic and Pomarine Skuas.
