same again

Still cold, but bright this morning around 06:10 when I arrived.

Cuckoo, probably 2 about, LFGP : 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 LRP, 3 Lapwing, a few House Martin over, 2-3 Teal, 2 Common Tern.

BSL : More or less nothing.

The upside is that I forgot to count Shelduck for April and we arrived at 106, making a new third best total for all Aprils'.

Not unusual but we are missing Coal Tit, which I think goes quiet and stays further West of the park, but I still suspect is never far away and perhaps should go down as 'Assumed Present'.

With the rainier weather heading in I am hopeful some of the those waders might come through from tonight thru to the bank holiday...fingers crossed.

A lunchtime visit today I spent most of the time looking up and was rewarded with 4 Hobby hunting to the immediate North East of the car park field and landfill. I last saw 4 in spring on 21st April & 24th 2013. There were 5 on 10th May 2006, but I have to go all the way back to 2002 to find bigger number - 5/6th May, 6/10th, 9/22nd, 11/23rd, 14/27th and these numbers have never been beaten.

Cold and quiet again

It was marginally less cool this morning, but there was little about over BSL, a few hirundines, 2 Oycs as usual.

A late lunchtime visit was a smidgen better, 4 Swift, 4-6 of Sand House Martin, 2-3 Swallow and a Hobby drifted thru North. Plenty of Buzzard up and a lone Linnet over.

Lesser Whitethroat

The wind was darn right chilly this morning, conditions didn't feel great for migration and they weren't, 4 Common Tern on BSL, 2 Oycs, 2 possible Common Sandpiper flying around distantly. I decided to go around the car park field to see if the Lesser Whitethroat was still about, it was singing but not visible. I had contemplated year ticking it on the call I heard on Saturday, but no I don't have to. 112 from 116.

Ideally another wader like a Greenshank and another tern like a Black Tern will show up, to keep me on track with last year's total so far.

I am checking every hirundine ever hopeful one will be a Red-rumped Swallow...and why not, who checks them all the time.

I forgot to mention that a Mistle Thrush was calling at the same time as the Lesser Whitethroat was on Saturday.

So what else can we hope for between now and 31st May?

Garganey - 8 May records
Marsh Harrier - 2 April, 2 May records
Ringed Plover - 8 late April and 17 May records
Black Tern - 4 late April and 20 May records
Grey Plover - 2 April, 4 May records
Sanderling - 4 May records, possibly the most overdue wader
Temminck's Stint -  2 May records
Curlew Sandpiper - No spring records, also long overdue
Bar-tailed Godwit - 2 April, 3 May records
Curlew - 4 late April and 2 May records
Turnstone - 4 May records
Little Gull - 6 late April records
Whinchat - 7 May records

Not much else on the radar, unless we want to include wild cards like Sandwich Tern, or that we get something very unexpected...I'm up for an early Red-footed Falcon at the end of May.

Not bad for a work party day

I don't often go out before a work party, but I was awake at 06:30 anyway and felt a bit of tern or wader passage was possible. I only managed time to wait and see at BSL and nothing happened, but I did think I heard Lesser Whitethroat call twice near the beach.

By the time the work party was about to start, Richard had texted saying 1 Dunlin on the shingle island at LFGP. As I drove the pickup along the track it had become 2, but my attention fell on the birds coming up in front of me...2 Yellow Wagtails and what looked like White too.

I Tweeted the news and it transpired to be 3 Yellow, 2 White, plus the 2 Dunlin, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Snipe, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Redshank, 3 LRP, not sure I saw any Lapwing, but darn good wader count by our standards.

During the work party we saw 2 Cuckoo, a Hobby and a good few hirundines, mostly Swallow, but Sand and House Martin too. Later on Marek phoned to say a Lesser Whitethroat was in the central compound f the car park field, so I guess I was right earlier.

Offsite yesterday afternoon and I took the family to see the Hudsonian Godwit and very nice it was, along with the Great White Egret, Bearded Tits, Water Rail and Greenshank.

All change

I looked out of my window and saw the rain and thought "hmmm, might be some tern or wader passage".

I had a quick cuppa and dashed out to BSL, but found nothing, so I waited and waited with nothing happening but an ever damp hat and coat, I wondered off to the car park field. As often happens I am not sure what made me look back, but with the naked eye I noticed a large group of birds, lifting my bins I could see they were terns.

Quickly up with the scope and I could instantly see long streamers of Arctic Terns...now how many I thought. Back to bins and two stab at counting in 5's, both were 65+, they were moving in tight circles and drifting quickly East with the wind, phoning Brian who was at LFGP, it was already too late, they continues on East.

This is by far the largest flock thru DP, nearly double the May 5th 2005 flock, that also didn't stop.

Fog again

Just when you think it is over fog appears again, so I waited at BSL even deciding to sit on the picnic table for a change and see what happened. Little in fact, an Oystercatcher, a Grey Wagtail, a Kingfisher suitably quiet as they always are in April.

Marek arrived and we discussed what might happen, but rarely does...and didn't. He was off to LFGP so I joined him, 4 LRP's double figures of Teal, then 2 terns came in, one stayed, the other left South, the latter appeared to have quite good streamers, but it was all too brief and I had to go home.

Later Alan texted to say our second Shelduck this year dropped in at LFGP, staying just 10 mins, before departing North.

One more day of okay weather then it all goes down hill and maybe it will make things more ideal for some more tern passage?

I told you so

Out at 06:10 I decided that with the cloud a wader might have dropped in on LFGP, so went there first. On arrival not much really, 2 LRP, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Oystercatcher over, 9 Lapwing and forgot to continue my search for Snipe. 10+ Teal, 2 Gadwall and I was getting a little bored when I picked up something dropping in quickly, landing on the East shore behind the shingle island, it was a Whimbrel 06:37.

It looked nervous, but for about 3 minutes then proceeded to have a wash and a drink, while I called Marek, who was at the green bridge, he arrived just in time as it flew off North about 6 seconds after he got to Ron's hide.

I managed to get 6 photos, 3 were reasonable.

Whimbrel are tricky things to see at DP, better since we had LFGP, but generally speaking they are flying over and mostly early morning only. I have had 9 records and 7 are spring and are as follows;

May 2nd 1986 - Over 07:57
May 5th 2000 - Over 07:00
May 14th 2004 - On BSL main island
April 30th 2007 - Over 06:45
May 3rd 2008 - On LFGP
April 23rd 2009 - 2 Over 08:15
April 23rd 2015 - Briefly LFGP 06:37

I'll detail the whole history another time.

Late afternoon I went back and did BSL and the car park field, little of note except a distant Hobby over the far landfill, oh and 1 Sand Martin thru.

Bits n pieces

Whilst early bright sunny mornings have been pleasant, the cold becomes annoying, undaunted I trod my usual path to BSL, scanning for Little Gulls in particular, but anything of interest, no sign, just 4 Common Tern.

I looped the car park field, nothing, Bittern hide, just quiet Reed & Sedge, same with Garden Warbler, an LRP on the bund showing aggression to crows and magpie was promising.

Little else going on, I looped back around to BSL once more, hearing then seeing a Common Sandpiper, then picking up my first Swift over the islands, which was joined by a House Martin just before I left.

Later this afternoon, I made it back to BSL, with cloud pushing in I felt something might be moving, lots of Buzzard and Kite up, now 3 Swift, 2 House Martin, 2's of Swallow going thru, then Brian texted to say Hobby over Lavell's 5 mins ago. Frustrated I called ans he said it was heading towards the car park. I checked several times from my position on the sailing club beach and got onto it for a few seconds drifting NNE, Hobby was my 108th species for 2015. The year is lagging behind last year, which funnily enough I thought 2014 had a quiet first 3 months, it doesn't look it now.

Just Lesser Whitethroat to go of the expected migrants, but we always hope for Arctic & Black Terns and over the next 2-3 weeks hopefully a good wader - Whimbrel now in fact!

Terns & Gulls

Geoff texted to say a possible Arctic on BSL yesterday afternoon, no sign when I got there and despite a clear blue quite still afternoon, no Swifts or other hirundines either.

I was out at 06:00 this morning and straight to BSL, 9 Common Tern were flying around acting like Arctic's, one may have been a candidate coming out of winter plumage, but I couldn't convince myself it was. 6 left North and there was nothing else going on, so I did my circuit around the car park field and Bittern hide, just a Garden Warbler by John's bench was worth mentioning.

It was frosty first thing and cold when I walked around, so left 07:15, only to have Marek call at 07:40 saying 8 Little Gull just dropped in at BSL, I jumped in the car, but they left North after just 2 minutes. The park is on 111, with 4 more expected migrants awaited.

Always worth visiting BSL several times a day at this time a year, just in case these Terns and Gulls are passing thru, they often are.

Dawn Chorus 'Brrrrr'

Colder than ever this weekend, with a strong Easterly wind all Saturday, but 4 LRP's were a nice sight at LFGP. Again Bittern hide was trashed by morons, this time we hope the wildlife cam has caught legally admissible pictures to convict them.

Today was our 'Dawn Chorus' starting at 04:15, the wind had dropped slightly, but not much so it was almost bitter for most of the walk. But focusing on the birds, Cetti's called from various locations, then at LFGP 1 then a 2nd Cuckoo called close by.

The chorus gathered pace quickly, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Whitethroat, all nearby and loud. A quick stop at Ron's hide didn't produce much, 1 LRP in fact, a few Teal.

Marching on to Sandford, Heron's Water, Chiffchaff and a tricky to see Treecreeper teased us, quickly on to BSL/WSL hedgerow where my first Garden Warbler of 2015 was singing well, but whilst not showing gave a good comparison of Blackcap.

On the viewpoint and our first Nightingale sang very well and then showed well too, for a good five minutes, allowing all to see it. The loop around the top was even more cold, so without lingering, we went on to WSL reeds, en route another Treecreeper showed well above our heads, at the reed bed Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler sang.

Another Sedge Warbler was singing on the North side of Sandford and we lingered at the sailing club beach where the sun appeared for the first time, warming our chilled bodies. Swallows perched on the wooden rail and a lone House Martin joined them.

Still cold, still quiet

It is not always exciting patching every morning and this morning was not at all, at LFGP around 06:20, 10 Teal, 1 Shoveler, 2 Common Tern over, 1 Cuckoo heard.

At Lavell's 1 Snipe, 1 Whitethroat in the distance, at BSL 2 Common Tern.....and that was it.

Richard told me at least we have 2 Nightingale at BSL.

Raptor frustration

I would never have been there anyway, but an Osprey being seen heading North about 3/4 Km beyond LFGP, would have course gone over there.

Late afternoon I thought a car park watch for 40 minutes might produce something, 1 House Martin, 2 Swallow, 1 Sand Martin, 2 Sparrowhawk and the usual Red Kite and Buzzard - the very pale one I saw a week or so ago, can cause some brief pause for clarity.

On to this morning and pretty quiet, 14 Teal LFGP, 2 more Tern Scrape + 1 Snipe, 2 Oycs LFGP, same warblers as yesterday, including a singing Whitethroat at the same place.

Then I went to BSL and finally found a Common Sandpiper just left of the sluice, dreadful record shot though

Amazing how few hirundines still, 3 Swallow over was all today.

Still cold and misty starts

As with yesterday I was out early, getting to LFGP by 06:00, hearing the Cuckoo as I passed Teal Scrape. The mist wasn't too bad, but I couldn't see the landfill, meaning I had no waders....well nothing of real interest in fact.

I quit early and headed for BSL, finding 4 Common Tern in the quickly receding mist, a loop to Bittern hide, 2 Sedge Warbler singing, 1 at the back of the scrape, the other from the main island. A pair of Oystercatcher appeared to be checking out the old Tern island. 1 pair of Teal was all else.

Off round the car park field and at the bottom I checked all the vents, then panned left and found a small passerine on one of the piles of stacked branches, it moved left, but I got onto it with the scope and it was the first Whitethroat of this year, a male sunning himself. My 103rd species this year.

Looking back on previous arrival dates, Whitethroat is one of the most consistent, since records began it has arrived on ;

14th 5 times
15th 3 times
16th 5 times

It has arrived earlier of course, 9th 2011, 10th 2009 & 2010, the 7th being earliest 1991, latest being 27th 1980 & 1998.

No bird shots today, just sunrise

Wheatear shows at last

Peter texted to say 2 Wheatear at LFGP, when I arrived they had gone into the SE corner and did not re-appear for over 30 minutes. A pair that did not like the company of Crows, so they kept away and were clearly resting from a presumably long leg of their journey.

Here are the best two shots I could get, which are both naff despite them being closer than most the Wheatears we get.

Over the landfill, 7 Sand Martin passed North, 1-2 Swallows doing the same.

The king of the dawn chorus has arrived

I went down to BSL viewpoint very early this morning, the noise of the other dawn chorus birds was so loud I struggled to hear the first Nightingale above it all.

But circling what we 'old boys' call the West bank, which is opposite the view point, one was singing quite well. It was way to dark to see it, but I just wanted to be sure one was in, I hope we get at least 2 more to match last year's singing male count, more would be even better and give us some hope our fencing has had a positive impact.

On to LFGP and it was very quiet,  Still 14 Teal present, just one pair of Oystercatcher, 5 Lapwing, 2 Snipe and 1 LRP the only waders on show, so the Common Sandpiper eludes me still, as does Reed Warbler.

100

I went out just before 07:00 and thought I'd try for a flyover Yellow Wagtail in the car park field, or BSL first. No luck with that, but an expected first for the year Common Tern was flying slowly around BSL.

It was actually pretty quiet, no hirundines at all, on to Bittern hide and was annoyed to find yet more vandalism and fire damage this time. 1 pair of Shoveler, was about it there.

I saw and heard 5 Willow Warbler around the park and went on to check for Nightingale at BSL, but no sign today. On the way back I checked the WSL reeds for Reed Warbler, failing on that I did get the first Sedge Warbler instead, my 100th species for 2015.

Just 1 Oyc on Sandford and on to LFGP, but a quick visit to Teal Hide to check for Reed Warbler there, again no luck.

At LFGP it was very quiet, 2 Snipe, 3-4 Lapwing, 4 Teal was all I saw. I passed Geoff on the way out, he texted 20 minutes after I left with news of the first Common Sandpiper, which I had no time to return to see.

Change in the weather

I was out by 06:00 at LFGP, but not much happened really, 1 LRP, 1 Green Sandpiper, but 4 Oystercatcher were having a good squabble on the island.

I waited a while longer and 1 Cuckoo went right to left calling, I heard another to the right after that and again at Lavell's later. No sign of Reed Warbler calling on this cold, windy morning.

I had 3 Willow Warbler, 1 near the ditch by Teal, 1 by the lay-by, 1 by John's bench, Cetti's calling of course. At BSL I immediately saw a male Shelduck coming in from the East, kept going sort of West, but could have gone on to LFGP?

A loop round the car park was fruitless except the Little Owl peering out, Bittern Hide didn't have much to offer, 1 pair of Shoveler, 5 Snipe, but back in the car park again I picked up 5 Swallow and 2 House Martin, the Swallow number grew to 13 by the time I left at 09:00 and with 3 new year ticks, bringing me to 98.

A later morning car park visit

I slept in til 07:15 and was not able to come out until 09:40, very little happened, the Kestrels appear to be hanging around the Barn Owl box, no hirundines, no pipits, but another Linnet went over at 10:25.

With luck I'll be back later to see what raptors are up.

A pleasant lunch in the car park

I was in the car park by 12:15, leaving 13:45 and while nothing mind blowing occurred, passage was visible, as of course were raptors again. Very hazy, horrible air though.

A Linnet went over North 12:57, 1 then 3 more Brambling North, 2 Meadow Pipit North, 1 then 3 Swallow over high up. A pair of Mandarin went over low right to left and dropped into the Emm Brook.

All four common raptors were seen, 7 Buzzard again in one group.

Sunrise start

I had a poor nights sleep and decided to go out very early, so was in Ron's hide by 05:40, yet again it was pretty misty and apart from a pair of Oystercatchers mating on the shingle island, they flew off into the mist and could be heard occasionally, 3 passed over North later, but I am not sure if these were an additional 3?

Sun up was nice in the mist

Marek arrived and as the mist finally started clearing an LRP flew in and was lost to the remaining mist on the far bank, a Green Sandpiper just visible.

Fitting in 20-30 mins here and there

I had a meeting at 13:00 and decided to spend 20 mins or so in the car park sky watching, nothing exciting to report, just more of the same from yesterday, lots of Buzzard, by far the most common raptor.

I got back early and did the same again, but moved my location to the sailing club beach, 2 Swallow appeared to be rejoicing in being over the lake, rather than migrating thru.

All the usual raptors were seen in a short space of time, before having to leave to do family pick up duties. As Arnie says "I'll be back".

Misty views

I nearly didn't come out this morning after seeing the mist, but it wasn't frozen today and I decided the car park field might be better.

Nothing was happening until I was about to head to Bittern Hide, the Oystercatchers came over my head and I looked back over my shoulder (East) to see a Black Tailed Godwit going over N to NNE, thinking it might head over to LFGP, I called Marek, he said the Oycs arrived, but annoyingly for him the Godwit didn't.

I went on to Bittern and saw nothing, as the mist was more like fog, on the way out I saw an egret going over the car park and it looked quite big. I landed in the tall trees above the balancing pool and I scoped it, thinking it still looked quite big, so took a shot...without adapter!

I ran round to the balancing pool and it was still there...it was Little and again proves mist and fog plays havoc with size appearance.

Lunchtime sun and skywatch

I spent 13:00 to 14:15 in the car park field, staring up at the clear blue skies.

It is hard to get an accurate count, but a minimum of 10, probably more like 15 Buzzard were up, 7 together at the end of my watch. Less Red Kites in fact, 3 different Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 5+ Meadow Pipit went thru almost unnoticed, then the year tick also just before I left was a solitary Linnet North at 14:08. Linnet is tough to get now, even more so as they are about to build on the nest site at the top of Sandford Lane, so if not over the summer, October is the best month to get them on passage.

Fog again

I woke at 06:30 and saw the fog, but went out anyway after texting Marek. I went to the car park field and saw nothing. Same for BSL, the pair of Oycs were on the golf course as usual.

At Bittern Hide, nothing to really say either. Marek texted to say the fog was lifting and 3 LRP and 2 Redshank were just visible....I'll go back later for the LRP's to hopefully put me on 94 for the year.

I did go back out yesterday afternoon, an hour in the car park field provided a handful of Meadow Pipit over, a Raven low East and tons of Buzzard, Kite and 2 Sparrowhawk. I did also have distant views of two others raptors which might just have been Buzzard, but might not.

I also forgot to mention the 3 Pochard on BSL in the morning.

Brian's records of Mistle Thrush on the edge of the golf course are worth an extra look, as they might be breeding somewhere along there.

And on my return around 09:50 there were 2 Little-ringed Plover and 2 Green Sandpiper in the SW corner, looking very happy.

The second shot is a bit wonky as my adapter wasn't on straight!

Also on the wader front, 2 Redshank, 4-5 Snipe and 3 Lapwing.

That's more like it

I got out fairly early this morning at 06:40, scraping ice off my car it was certainly chilly.

Heading straight down to LFGP, I was hopeful yesterday's LRP was still about, but despite some mist I could soon see it wasn't.

A Green Sandpiper dropped in front of the hide, so I took a shot or three and got this quite nice one

I kept on scanning for waders, just Snipe and Lapwing, no sign of any Wheatear, 1 Meadow Pipit went thru and I thought it seemed more quiet than I expected. 1 Common Gull went East over Lavell's and was now thinking it is too cold to sit around in the hide.

Just then at 07:17 a group of large waders came in with legs dangling, binning them I could see straight away it was 6 Black Tailed Godwit, they dropped onto the island, but got spooked and went towards the SW corner, then opting for the North spit instead. 3 were summer plumage and looked like Islandica, so I'll assume they all were.

This is only the second ever April record and the largest spring flock, the first shot is of them moving from the shingle island

Brian arrived at 07:38 but as soon as he opened the viewing flap, they suddenly left North.

Stop start

Out around 08:05 it was more quiet this morning, just Green Sandpiper, 1 Lapwing and 11 Snipe on the wader front. No hirundines, 1-2 Meadow Pipit over.

I went to the golf course and found the pair of Oystercatcher on one of the greens, then a Swallow on the telegraph wires, sunning itself.

5 Pied Wagtail were duly checked for White, but no luck, a Meadow Pipit over, On for a walk around the car park field, nothing. The cloud broke for a few minutes and I hoped for an Osprey without success. It was pleasant enough and felt like it had potential, but I had to go 09:30.

A trickle of this and that

Out at LFGP this morning around 07:25 and 3 Oystercatcher overhead, was no doubt a pair escorting an odd bird away from their patch. Small groups about 3-9 of LBJ's were steadily going North over the landfill, some may have been Chaffinch, but certainly others were Mipits.

At 07:40 my first 2 Sand Martin of the year went thru over the lake quickly, 08:00 a Swallow, then 2 more Sand Martin and 3 more Swallow.

9 Snipe were along the E lake edge, the pair of Goldenye still present, 12+ Teal, 2 Wigeon and nothing more to speak of.

At Bittern the idiots had been out overnight, smashing one of the fence panels facing the feeding area, the male Brambling was still about, another 2 Swallow over, plus one more over BSL. 2 Cetti's called nearby and Water Rail called next the feeding area.

A quick look at March and year totals by 31st of the month show 2015 was the lowest year total since 2005 and the lowest March total (84) since I began compiling monthly totals in 2003 (85).

We can take heart that come October/November we will all get to add Siskin and Lesser Redpoll then, that has never happened before.

So what are we missing that we might normally have?

Shelduck - There hasn't been a year since 2001 that we had to wait for one, normally they are Feb, or certainly March passage visitors, often lingering.

Pintail - The only year we have missed since 2003, is 2010. A bit random, but many Jan to March records over the last 15 years

Garganey - It's not over yet, often birds occur around April and May, we have had recent March ones and there are multiple birds in Oxon, so we could get one any day.

Red-Crested Pochard - Yes we had stayers last year, but not that frequent a visitor...never say never.

Smew - Very random, although most records are Jan to March.

Little-ringed Plover - Not that unusual we haven't had by now and we will get one any day now, I also feel it is highly likely they go thru very early am, so missed by most of us

Ringed Plover - Mid March birds do occur and like LRP, go thru early am, we may get another stab in late April, early May

Jack Snipe - It is rare for us to have a 2 year gap in records, so we are either due one any day, or November.

Curlew - Jan birds occur in frozen weather, which we haven't had much of, so April offers a good likelihood of getting one over

Med Gull - I expect we have overlooked a bird already, but April has become a good month for them to drop in...or over.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - I fear our recent run of records since 2010 is over, but December's record might mean they are just not on DP for now?

Water & Rock Pipit - I have said before I don't get why we haven't had one on LFGP

Wheatear - March birds are not guaranteed and this year was no exception, in the next 10-12 days if wind direction doesn't ruin it

Ring Ouzel - We had one 2 years running 1st April 1987, 15th April 1988, so surely we are overdue one?

Have fun looking folks, maybe we'll find something other than the above soon, like a Red-rumped Swallow...I'm up for that!

Dull as it gets until today

I even got out at 09:40 on the 1st April, no joking, but it was still very quiet, yes the Green Sandpiper was about, the Nuthatch were well underway with finishing up the entrance hole by the Sandford Mill's land, 2 Oystercatcher around, 2-3 Cetti's calling, plenty of Chiffchaff and one Blackcap near the yellow metal gate, but that was it for me.

So full of high hopes out I went at 07:40, quick drop in at Bittern Hide, 17 Shoveler + 4 more on Sandford was nice, one Little Egret over, 4-5 new Blackcap in shows some new passage.

At LFGP, finally 2 Wigeon appeared, 6+ Snipe, 1 adult Common Gull, 3 Lapwing and basically nothing else. Pitiful I said to Brian, then same to Marek near to Teal Scrape. Then Steve texted to say Brambling at Bittern feeders and off we went, before we got there Marek and I heard a Willow Warbler, but kept on for the Brambling, which was a nice male.

I went looking for the Willow Warbler, outside the hide, but got onto 2 Swallow with Brian instead, never did find the Willow Warbler, but came away with 3 year ticks in under 10 minutes, 91 out of 94 for the year!