This morning I thought I would try to find as many species as I could in our recording area. The total was 34 different species. The only unusual species was a pair of Tufted Duck at Toad Holes Beck which have probably come from nearby Harold Park lake to try to bred. Additional species I perhaps should have found included Swallow, Coal Tit, Canada Goose and Common Whitethroat.
Tufted Duck the only unexpected sighting today………..
There was a heavy ground frost first thing this morning which quickly disappeared with the rising temperature creating a magical effect at Toad Holes Beck.
Visible migration only produced 6 LBB Gulls moving N, a single Swallow N and strangely 3 single Mute swans which flew at distance to the E.
Spring butterflies included a single male Orange Tip, 2 Small Whites and a single Peacock all at Caldene fields
Thought I would do a bit of visible migration this morning mainly looking for Swallow and Martins despite the unfavourable N/E winds. Only 9 Swallows flew to the N but what caught me out was a Redpoll Sp that flew again to the N giving a harsher call that the usual Lesser I pick up. Also of interest were 2 Sparrow Hawks seen displaying.
Not really in our recording area…..but fairly near… heard a Lesser Whitethroat in full song at Wyke Beck this afternoon.
Bird wise my records show that the first week of May is usually fairly good here with something of interest turning up. But I got off to a bad start today in the fog and a slight N/E wind with nothing new of note and even the local Willow Warbler were have heartedly singing…..
There was one bright note…..the Coots at Toad Holes Beck have successfully bred
I have been concerned basically from the beginning of the year that the sightings of Song Thrushes here were basically non existent…..
However today there was a single at Raw Nook NR and 2 males + a possible female at Toad Holes Beck. Mistle thrushes were also showing well with 3 noted at Toad Holes Beck including a fine male in full song. There was 3 singing Wrens at Raw Nook NR.
All the Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs are now established on their territories but I suspect I will have to wait a little longer for Whitethroats etc. to appear.
There were 5 House Martins over Raw Nook NR this morning and a Swallow was feeding over Toad holes beck. As yet no Common or Lesser Whitethroats have arrived in our recording area.
Spring flowers are well in bloom at the moment with excellent patches of Bluebells, Field Forget me-nots and Red Campion noted.
Bluebells at Raw Nook NR
In the afternoons sunshine 3 Small Whites, a single Green-veined Whites and 2 Small tortoiseshell were noted.
Field Forget me-nots at Toad holes Beck
No new migrants in today probably due to the cool northerly winds. Two Grey Herons were at the pond at Caldene Fields, two together is a bit unusual here. A pair of Blackcaps were observed in early courtship and 3 singing Willow warblers were at Raw Nook NR. Up to 5 Chiffchaffs were at Toad Hole Beck. One thing did brighten the morning was the early Bluebells bursting into life also at Toad hole beck.
One of the 2 Grey Heron at Caldene Fields
The Goldcrest is mainly a passage bird here due to lack of suitable habitat. However there is a developing patch of pines in our recording area and this morning a male Goldcrest was in full song at this location which is very interesting …… fingers crossed!
Also of interest today was two LBB Gulls which moved east over Caldene Fields one was very dark and possibly intermedius. Blackbirds in general sing from a fairly high vantage point but there was a male at Caldene Fields this morning singing from about four foot high….
For some reason there were a lot of carrion Crows observed this morning from the watch point. Eight were calling from nearby trees and a further 4 were feeding in the fields. In addition the species seemed to be the only birds flying on the cool N/W wind. It was poor at the watch point and no new migrants were noted however, 2 Swallows were at the Chain bar roundabout yesterday so they should be moving though any day now.
View from the watch point. Clear blue skies but no birds!
