Recent Sightings – Friday 8th April 'Downsizing for Spring and Summer' - thanks to volunteer Phil for his report and photos
I returned on Friday from a holiday on the beautiful Isle of Mull where I’d been watching the UK’s largest birds of prey, white tailed and golden eagles. What a contrast as I stepped out from the Visitor Centre to be greeted by lots of birdsong from our returning spring and summer songbird visitors.
Blackcaps were to be seen and heard everywhere.
A wren just a few feet away at Jupps View was belting out its song and I marvelled once again at how such a small bird can have such a loud voice.
Greenfinches could be heard with their characteristic “teez” call. Song thrushes were sticking out of sight in the treetops calling loudly with their repeated phrases. Chiffchaffs were duly chiffing and chaffing all over the place and willow warblers were in evidence too.
Several visitors reported seeing and hearing nightingales in the usual hotspot in Adder Alley. Apparently they had arrived early on 3rd April. I managed to miss them, maybe because by the time I arrived there the weather was looking threatening but my time will come and I attach one of last year’s photos from the same spot.
On reaching Winpenny Hide the rain was coming down hard but I couldn’t help noticing on the whiteboard that several butterfly species had been noted from 6th April including brimstone, peacock, small tortoiseshell and orange tip. The stretch from Winpenny through to Adder Alley had seemed particularly good for butterflies in 2015 so it was good to see evidence that this would continue.
West Mead was very quiet for waterbirds and it seemed likely they had been put off by the installation of the temporary anti-predator fence to help protect our breeding lapwings. However I managed to spot a pied wagtail having a mud bath – something I’d not seen before.
A number of visitors mentioned seeing nest building treecreepers in one of the oak trees behind the hide but all was quiet when I passed. I made a mental note to look out for these in the coming weeks.
While the emphasis was very much on small birds we haven’t lost our raptors. Several buzzards were circling in the morning near the Visitor Centre and one of my colleagues reported seeing a little owl flying past the centre window carrying a vole. At the Hanger the peregrine was in its usual perch in the willow and I then spotted a large patch of feathers in the grass about 20 yards from the tree with two crows picking over the remains of a woodpigeon. A number of visitors reported witnessing the peregrine making the kill.
Back at the visitor centre I sat outside the café enjoying cake and tea and was fascinated to watch a rook trying and succeeding to obtain seed from one of the feeders. The technique was to fly at the feeder, make it rock and spill seed on the ground and then land to pick it up.
Finally, while watching this I had a brief glimpse of a whitethroat perching on one of the nearby bushes.
Spring is definitely here now and small is beautiful.