Another 2 visits to the local patch in search of new additions to the growing year list and to survey breeding/singing males of species such as the summer migrants and also to carry out my monthly WEBS count on the 22nd.
22nd May
It was high tide at the start of today's visit and i had to complete my monthly WEBS count so i was hoping there would be an interesting passage wader for me to find somewhere.
Coverage of Winter's Pond from dawn,saw a Common Sandpiper and surprisingly 19 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits feeding on the grassland near the car park,so a nice start to proceedings i thought.The Black-tails showing very nicely and allowing me to take some video as they fed and sparred.All the birds present were 2nd calendar years and after some research i have learnt that this species does not migrate back to the natal breeding area until they are in their 3rd calendar,thus explaining why they are still present here at this time of year,interesting stuff.
A scan of the river and exposed mud as the tide began to drop off saw a Spoonbill flying south along the estuary distantly and 11 Ringed Plover and a single Dunlin fed along the shore near to the old seaplane jetty towards Killingholme.
The mitigation area held a single Icelandic Black-tail,as on my previous visit,with a single male Teal and a Little Egret were added to the notes.
A NFY Green Sandpiper along the beck at the Skitter was a welcome addition to the days sightings.
A diversion away from birds at Red House Wood,saw me finding two new species for the patch,the very common Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner and a nationally local species,a Least-black Arches,the latter i have only ever seen once before at Messingham Sand Quarries.
After walking the square and arriving back at Winter's there was a mixed flock of at least 50 Swallows,18 House Martin and 40 Sand Martin,along with 17 Swift,making for a great sight and the most I have seen concentrated in one area on the patch this year.
Also at Winter's before i left for home was a stunning female Cuckoo.
28th May
Another early morning start and a walk up to Dawson City and back,was pretty quiet regarding anything out of the ordinary bird wise,but some pleasing numbers of singing male Warblers,particularly Reed Warblers,was really encouraging,with a minimum of 38 singing males.
Some great news also on the breeding front,was the superb sight of 6 newly fledged juvenile Bearded Tits,the second time I have confirmed breeding in the last 3 years.
Some interesting Insect and Mammal sightings today,saw my first ever Wasp Beetle being found on Dawson City and also at Dawson a female Muntjac was seen,one of only a handfull of sightings i have recorded on my local patch to date.
Not a bad couple of visits,but i'm hoping for a Bee Eater or Rosy Starling to liven things up!.
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| Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner - Red House Wood,22nd. |
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| Least Black Arches,Red House Wood,22nd. |
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| Male Common-blue Butterfly,Goxhill Marsh,28th. |
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| Click Beetle Sp.,Athous haemorrhoidalis,Dawson City,28th. |
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| Wasp Beetle,Dawson City,28th. |
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