March for me is always an exciting time for birding here at Blacktoft as you really just don't know what is going to turn up, what with birds leaving the UK for their breeding grounds, and new migrants arriving from their winter quarters further south it really does spice things up a little.
Curlews and Koniks - a great example of how well curlews blend in with the fields
Recently there has been a lot about the loss of breeding curlew in the UK - I would suggest that that the rise in silage and early hay mowing is one of the biggest factors contributing to this alongside over grazing, land drainage and increased predation of nests. All issues I saw 20 years ago looming large when I studied breeding waders including curlew in Orkney. Its a sad reflection on where we are with a species, here's whats happening in Ireland - https://wadertales.wordpress.com/2019/03/01/irelands-curlew-crisis/
A quick summary of the recent highlights from the last few days really go towards proving this with a nice mix of species seen despite the also unpredictable British weather which I suppose does go some way towards bringing some of the birds to us.
Good to see the first two chiffchaffs arriving on Thursday, more likely to be summer migrants especially in light of the early influx of migrants, although off course wintering birds returning to the continent cannot be fully discounted.
and having a preen
And about bang on time were the first two avocets at Blacktoft on Sunday, sightings should increase through March as they start to look for breeding sites. However, the majority of the Humbers avocets seem to be favouring our Reads Island refuge at the moment with an amazing 600 present alongside 318 black-tailed godwits and 6000 golden plover, plenty of dunlin and 8 ringed plover.
Here's a few pictures of the avocets and godwits at Reads, note one or two of the Black-tailed godwits are almost in full summer plumage!
Enlarge this photo for best effect
Black-tailed godwits including the summer plumage birds
Good to have the first kingfisher record of the new year too at Blacktoft no photo's though at the moment.
Birds of prey have as usual featured with a few marsh harriers halfheartedly displaying, I suspect because they are young birds and that the adult breeders have not yet fully returned from their wintering quarters. The male hen harrier was seen again on Friday while there are regular merlin and peregrine sightings and barn owls hunting at dusk. Good news of an injured Barnie that was found at Blacktoft with a dislocated wing - it went into rehab for two weeks and was then released back onto the reserve at the end of last week, there is sometimes a happy ending.
A curious young male marsh harrier from this morning at Ousefleet.
And just to prove he's a young male - look at the wings
Plenty of duck around site at the moment although not so many waders, highlights have been a single brent goose this morning which was on Singleton lagoon (not a common bird in this part of the estuary) but then flew out to join the greylags feeding in the arable field opposite, while the curlew continue to entertain out on Ousefleet.
Brent goose on Singleton this morning (I actually twitched this bird, all the way from Marshland hide! They are a difficult bird to see every year here on the Sands
The two whooper swans continue to favour Marshland lagoon while on Friday there was a herd of 14 or so out on the arable at Church land near Reedness, interesting to see them being bombed by the displaying lapwings!
Watch out bandits at 11 o'clock!
For a more detailed listing of the birds see my last blog but there is no two days alike in March things can change very quickly.
Green winged teal still on site at Ousefleet today
male hen harrier showed superbly this evening quartering the oilseed rape field next to reserve before going to roost
And to prove the point of March's unpredictability this morning there was Barn owl, Marsh harriers galore, the two whooper swans, 2 avocets on Ousefleet, chiffchaff, 8 siskin and then best of all a green-winged teal.