Monday 11 April 2016

There was a bit of brightness about this morning, before cloud increased, bringing rain for the afternoon.

Very little was seen of note today during my 4 hour patch visit, only a couple of LESSER REDPOLLS that flew over Migrant Alley were added to yesterdays excellent daylist. A SPARROWHAWK was hunting in the Wet Woods and the KESTREL pair were around the Greenhouse Grounds, while overhead the local BUZZARD pair were aloft.

Just 4 BLACK HEADED GULLS remain at Migrant Alley of the hundreds that were visiting a month ago, a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL flew over, plus a few HERRING GULLS did likewise.

A few more LINNETS have arrived at the Greenhouse Grounds, 8 were there this morning, plus the nearby Greenhouse copse had a BLACKCAP singing from it, having arrived overnight.

No Willow Warbler was recorded today, despite spending a while over at the scrubby Woods, I wonder if I will record one here this spring, or will they go the way of the Nightingale, Garden Warbler, Cuckoo, Turtle Dove and Spotted Flycatcher ? All used to breed here years ago  :-(

At least the LONG TAILED TITS are breeding, two to three pairs are on my patch, hopefully they will be successful, I got few nice images of one - not at the nest site I hasten to add!


Long Tailed Tit




3 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

I had a Sedge Warbler yesterday and in this morning's beautiful early sunshine I had a male Yellow Wagtail and two Wheatears. Things are slowly trickling through.

Phil Barnett said...

Quite sad to read about your disappearing summer migrants Warren. My favourites are the upland migrants - wood Warbler, Redstart, Tree Pipit, Pied Flycatcher - ranges all shrinking round here. I get lots of Willow warblers on the patch though :)

Warren Baker said...

Phil,
The absence of their song is most noticeable at this time - especially the Cuckoo :-(