Quick update of recent sightings, starting with a pair of Oystercatchers seen on one of the pontoons on Dove Stone reservoir - thanks for the report Rachel from your WeBS count! One Oystercatcher was seen again this morning, and was heard calling as it flew - I really like the sound of it. If you want to hear it there’s a sound clip at this link on our bird identifier part of the website http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/o/oystercatcher/index.aspx . In real life it's really loud and carries far, so why not come down and have a listen instead! As well as sounding great, this Amber Listed bird is really stunning-looking, black and white with a long, orange-red bill and reddish-pink legs, so it’s easy to spot amongst the Black-Headed Gulls on the pontoon - in flight too, it shows a wide white wing-stripe, a black tail, and a white rump that extends as a 'V' between the wings. They mostly breed on the coast, but over the last 50 years more have started breeding inland, hopefully like these Dove Stone birds. Last year after the breeding season we did see 3 Oystercatchers flying together so fingers crossed for this year.
Also seen on Sunday – Mountain Hares! Two were seen through the telescope from the main car park, and one was seen along the Chew path during our mountain hare talk and walk – thanks to everyone who joined us, and to our volunteers: John who gave the talk and led the walk, and to Rich, George and Irene who helped out on the walk. Our Dove Stone vols are great!
Other sightings at Binn Green today – two Robins being all territorial and then one taking seed from the lone feeder that still had seed in it (before I filled them all up! Cue feeding frenzy....), a male Great Spotted Woodpecker having a long feed on the suet balls I’d just put up, plus a few Brambling (not as many as we’d seen previously), lots of Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, and quite a few Siskin which didn’t arrive until all the feeders were full again!
And also seen this week – an adult Peregrine stooping, and flying onto the Quarry – we’ll be keeping an eye out for more activity over the next few weeks!