Despite the recent weather, spring does seem to be creeping into Langford slowly and one of the main events at this time of year is the start of the Breeding Bird Survey. So with a doable, but less than ideal weather forecast, myself and John E set off this morning at 06.00 to see what we could see and hear on site.
Resident species were the main feature of the morning, with highlights including a jay, pairs of long-tailed tits and Cetti’s warblers in full voice. My first Langford blackcap of the season was great to hear in the scrub alongside the Cromwell Trail, as were several willow warblers and two sedge warblers.
Yellow wagtails are now in and several have been seen since Sunday, along with little ringed plover, sand martin and swallow providing more migrant interest.
Sunday however proved to be one of the best days ever on site for a certain species group….gulls. Three scarce species put in brief appearances on site, one of them a reserve first when originally recorded two weeks ago. Mediterranean gull has been recorded on site before, last in 2017 but is less than annual. Little gull has only ever been recorded on site once before, during the flood of 2012 and last but not least, kittiwake – a first two weeks ago! Not bad for an inland site in the Midlands!
Kittiwake - more at home on the coast!