Early arrivals

The high pressure all week and the wind turning from North to South appears to have brought some early arrivals in.

The Sedge on the 4th was early, the Reed Warbler 7th was very early and then yesterday a Dunlin in front of Ron's hide wasn't so much early, but a welcome year tick for more than one of us.

And today was kind of cool, Alan IM'd news of a Whitethroat, then a Cuckoo, while the bird walk was seeing a Common Tern thru at BSL. We (the bird walk) caught up with the Cuckoo at Lea Farm G.P. where it showed well for a few moments on the big Alder on the NW corner.

Today's Cuckoo was the equal earliest ever, assuming the 1992 claim wasn't complete garbage! Then the Reed Warbler was also earliest ever, only by one day, but that is 3 years on the trot now that Reed Warbler has turned up earlier....I got mine from the Loddon path on the way back, heard only.

That's 3 year ticks today for me, one yesterday, so 105 from 110.

Overall the year is okay, we need some more passage bonus birds to stay close to recent years tracking. A Redstart, Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear and Black-tailed Godwit would all be nice.

Today's walk in the sun was very nice, very nearby and loud Cetti's at WSL, tons of Chiffchaff, Blackcap, a handful of Willow Warbler, a female Bullfinch showed well, a Little Owl back in the usual Oak tree and much later a pipit, which was most probably just a Meadow going over the landfill.

Mixed week

I've been out a few times this last week, Willow Warblers being seen by others from Friday, I caught up with mine on Saturday near the old Oak close to Teal hide. 6 Snipe still on LFGP that morning.

I was tied up and didn't get out again until Tuesday 4th April, picking up my first Swallow coming in over the gold course while chatting to Eddie. PBT had a Sedge call from the compound, which an early one by our standards...no sign since. I did get back later in the afternoon, but saw just 3 Swallow.

So that brings me to today, arriving just as the rising sun was hiding in a low cloud bank, then a Swallow over the landfill, 2 Willow Warbler on Sandford, Grey Wagtail heard nearby, 2 more Willow Warbler at BSl around the view point, tons of Blackcap and Chiffchaff everywhere, then a Mistle Thrush heading over low West, the first record in April I'm aware of.

 At the car park field landfill viewing spot, a Green Woodpecker offered a semi distant photo chance and 2 Oystercatcher were feeding happily nearby to the gap.

The wind has been a rather cool Northerly, but it is swinging around to the South any moment now, so I'm hoping for a big influx of migrants and passage bits n pieces.

BB Rarity Status

I am told Ferruginous Duck is to re-join the ranks of British Rarity Status, so how this affect the DP records?

I did a search of Berksbirds on February and last dates in the database and found the results rather interesting;

26th 2001 - Theale male
22nd 2002 - Burghfield GP's male
24th 2008 - Dorney Wetlands male
15th 2009 - Dorney Wetlands male

26th 2011 - Dorney Wetlands male

22nd 2012 - Bray male
12th 2012 - Rowneys/Woolhampton male
25th 2016 - Dinton Pastures male
26th 2017 - Dinton Pastures male

My point here is this, what is it about the DP bird that makes this more escapee? It leaves the same time as more or less all other males and arrived in 2016 at the same time as a female at Theale.

I trust the rarities committees will be looking at all the evidence when the sum up their conclusions about DP Ferruginous Ducks. Assumptions about having a ring on it's leg alone will not cut it as the only deciding factor, as far as I am concerned.

Warming up nicely

Monday I was out in a later dawn, a lone female Shelduck in the SW corner of LFGP, was all there, at Lavell's the Garganey was still present and happy. Trev reckons it's a first year bird based on BWP, so I'll run with that.

Wednesday morning, nowt at LFGP, the Shoveler are holding steady in the high 50's, just 8-9 Teal left and Garganey still happy.

Today, after a lie in, I felt compelled to go to the car park field at 11:20. Very good conditions for hirundines and raptors...I had both. 4 Sand Martins over LFGP weren't the half of it.

Countless Red Kite, 12+ Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, then luckily I got onto another raptor going away from me about 400+ feet over Lodge Wood, very elastic deep wing beats and a square tail...yep my first Marsh Harrier in 3 years.

It kept going then Lodge Wood blocked seeing it, then it appeared again right of and circling in much smaller circles than Red Kite do. As it turned I saw the golden forehead, broad primaries and straight tail. It stayed over the Twyford pits area for 5-7 minutes, gaining height and then drifted out of sight.

I got one shot out of 7 that showed what it was, but it was so far away the picture makes it look more like a male, but I could swear it was a female.

Which one to choose

A clear cold start for John and I at 05:45, the 3 Goldeneye were back in the NW corner of LFGP, Green Sandpiper along the East shore, a few Snipe, 1 Little Egret c30 Wigeon, a few small jobs over.

On to Lavell's and our lady Garganey showed very well, the question was which shot to post, so I'm going with lots;

Some nice shots of Shoveler are coming later.

Something's gonna happen

I was out early again this morning, after missing yesterday. Grey Wagtail calling near the Mill.

At Lea Farm and to my surprise 3 Goldeneye (1m,2f) were in the NW corner, a Little Grebe in NW corner, Redshank on East shore. No sign of the Med.

Two days ago I witnessed the Teal mating again, it would be amazing if they bred!

Lavell's, a lot less Shoveler than Wednesday's 58. 3-4 Blackcap singing despite the cold breeze.

I feel like something quite good is going to show up, might only be a Common Scoter, but can't stop myself thinking it's so long overdue we had a good pipit, Water has to be possible and if it happens it's likely it will only be early morning, so if it's tomorrow it will just be John and I.

7 days left to find the first Brambling, LRP, Ringed Plover, Wheatear, Willow Warbler and Swallow,

Post Script: Isn't she a beauty, female Garganey found by Steve Day, just after 13:00

back and closing in

Sunday I was out again, 4 Sand Martin, a distant Ring-necked Parakeet, the Jack Snipe were about all the highlights on a seemingly much quieter day. A handful of Redwing off West was it.

Today I was back from a trip North and it was pretty cold again, with colder and windier weather still to come over the next day or so.

2 Little Egret at LFGP, then flew toward DP, a Green Sandpiper in the mouth of the SE bay, diminishing numbers of Teal and Wigeon. The sun was already up despite my arrival at the hide at 06:20, so seeing anything in the NE corner was hard.

I walked fast up to Bittern hide, counting 52 Shoveler, nothing on or over the landfill. BSL nothing much either 2 Pied Wagtail would have pleased John.

On my last 100+ metres to the car, I could hear a Blackcap singing near the yellow gate in to Lavell's, so am now 2 off 100.