I set off to do a Breeding Bird Survey in bright sunshine and 11C this morning, albeit with a strong south westerly blowing! I was hopeful, since this was the warmest morning this spring and I wasn’t disappointed.
My first new migrants of the year were two arctic terns flying over the public footpath just as I left the office – a brilliant start to the morning and my first arctic terns on site since May 2010! Next was a singing willow warbler on the public footpath near the woodland – the first of 8 singing on site. This was accompanied by 2 chiffchaffs, whose numbers increased to 4 by the end of the survey.
Phases 1 and 2 were full of hirundines, with all three species well represented and my first house martins of 2013. And the flood damaged sand martin bank was repaired just in time, with the birds swarming around it and about 40 holes on the go already! Phase 2 also produced my first yellow wagtails of the year this morning too, with four individuals feeding with three white wagtails.
Little ringed plovers, lapwings and oystercatchers were all present on Phase 1 and the old silt lagoon, a pair of jays flew from the woodland towards the silt lagoons and 3 lesser redpolls feeding on larch cones in the woodland provided a taste of winter still lingering.
And….some insects! My first Bombylius major (bee fly) of 2013 was flying on the woodland edge and basking in sunshine giving a brilliant view – what a fantastic looking creature. A tawny mining bee too was enjoying this warm sheltered spot, basking on an old umbellifer stem. A peacock butterfly flew out from some emerging nettles and plenty of bumblebees were on the wing, including Bombus terrestris and Bombus lapidarius. And with one flying at 06.50 this morning, it must be spring – about time!