Steve's Birding,Wildlife & Walking Blog: Migrants At Last!......The Local Patch,13th,17th & 18th April 2022.

A compilation of three visits here to the local patch at East Halton and Goxhill,with summer migrants arriving proper at last,with a total of 15 new species added to the local patch list,putting me on 125 species for the year here now.

The following is what i recorded over the three visits.

Wednesday 13th April

I started as usual today at Winter's Pond with a fresh westerly breeze blowing,making me hope that some visible-migration might happen today.

An obvious increase in Chiffchaff at Winter's saw at least 5 singing males present and a non singing bird.

As i walked along the floodbank towards the chimney,3 Barnacle Geese flew by south,probably back to their home at Cleethorpes boating lake.

The area south of the chimney which is so often good for migrant Warbler species,certainly didn't disappoint today,with my first 2 Willow Warblers of the year,followed by 3 singing male Blackcap.

I have a soft spot for Willow Warblers it has to be said,really smart little birds and that lovely song,always brings a smile to my face.

As i returned to the car park area,a quick look on the grassland saw a Common Sandpiper feeding in amongst the Wildfowl,another new arrival from Africa and another new species for the year.

The good birds continued as i walked along the edge of the mitigation area,as the lovely sight of a smart male Wheatear was feeding from the fence posts along the edge of the site giving some nice views.

A little further along and a female was seen in relatively the same area and i wondered where these lovely migrants were heading,perhaps the Yorkshire Dales or the Peak District to raise their young.

Other species observed on the mitigation area included 36 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits,4 Roe Deer and 2 Brown Hare.

The Skitter area also was productive for migrants today,with another 5 Wheatear together on a newly tilled field and my first 2 House Martins of the year flew north overhead,along with 3 Sand Martin and a Swallow.

As i walked along the floodbank towards Goxhill Haven,a single Whimbrel called and i added another new species for the year in the form of this long range migrant.

Ruins Pond has always been relatively devoid of birds in the past,but just recently it has seen a flock of Tufted Ducks taking up residence and today,13 birds were present which included 7 males and 6 females.It would be really great if some stop to breed,as this species is a very rare breeding species on the local patch.

As i reached Dawson City,a few birds were noted here which included 3 male and a female Blackcap,2 Chiffchaff and the pair of Mute Swans are still nesting ok,so we should see some cygnets soon hopefully.

A few insects here included Dark-edged Bee Fly and a queen Tree Bumble Bee.

Sunday 17th April

Another visit today,starting as usual at Winter's Pond,firstly to carry out my monthly WEBS count,The wind has swung around to the south east now and i was hopefull of some passage on the Humber,but it was dead.

Around the bushes and edges of the water there had been another migrant arrival though,with my first Reed Warblers(2),Sedge Warbler and Whitethroats of the year,all singing away attempting to attract a mate,it really was beginning to feel like spring proper.

Also here were 4 singing male Chiffchaff,6 singing male Blackcap and 3 singing male Willow Warblers as well as the now 3 resident male Cetti's Warblers.

The mitigation area was our next destination,with highlights including another male Wheatear,2 more singing male Sedge Warblers,a Willow Warbler,and a nice surprise in the form of a single Short-eared Owl.

The Skitter area saw another singing male Whitethroat being logged along with a single Sand Martin heading south and also 5 Black-tailed Godwit were noted.

The area between the Skitter and Dawson City provided some great sightings.which included a proper scarce species for my local patch these days,a singing male Grasshopper Warbler.

This species used to be a regular feature of my summer birding along here,but sadly not as regular these days,so it was really nice to have one today.

Also along this section our first Yellow Wagtail of the year,flew overhead and on the wet field behind the pig farm,4 Ruff and 11 Black-tailed Godwit were seen.

Other bits included another singing male Willow Warbler,a Swallow,44 Curlew still and 4 Roe Deer.

As we approached Dawson City,the welcome rattle of a male Lesser Whitethroat was heard and became my 6th new species for the year today,things were going great.

Dawson City,held another singing male Willow Warbler,Lesser Whitethroat,2 Chiffchaff,2 Blackcap and my first Speckled Wood of the year.

A walk back along the seawall to Winter's,saw a lovely Whimbrel flyby and just as we reached the car a Little-ringed Plover provided me with my first sighting of the species for the year ending a cracking visit.

Monday 18th April

Another visit to the patch today in the quest for more additions to the year list.

With all the reports of Ring Ouzels around the country and along the coast,the continued effort to try and find one finally paid off when i flushed a female from the path bordering Winter's and the car storage area next door.

It was seen in flight on two occasions,giving that metallic,tacking call that gives them away,a great addition to the year list.

Other species at Winter's today included another surprise in the form of a single Jay as it was seen in the plantation and then flying west towards the village,making it the 149th species i have seen on the site.

The 3 Cetti's Warblers were still in good voice here along with singles of Whitethroat,Reed and Sedge Warblers,with 3 Chiffchaff,5 Blackcap and 2 Willow Warbler.

I then walked up to the village covering the horse paddocks along Station Road in the hope of possibly relocating the Rouzel or another,seeing a pair of Grey Partridge which is always a bonus and great to see.

2 Doe Roe Deer and 5 Brown Hare provided some nice distraction from our avian friends and a few Butterflies seen included my first male Orange Tip of the season.

As i returned along Marsh lane a nice female Wheatear was seen along with 2 more singing male Whitethroat.

The usual suspects were recorded today on the marshes and included a single Whimbrel,male Wheatear again and superb views of the regular Dog Fox.

The Skitter area was relatively quiet today,but was brightened by another pair of Grey Partridge,2 singing male Whitethroat and another Willow Warbler.

Two more singing male Whitethroat along Skitter Road,completed a decent patch visit today,particularly the Ring Ouzel.

Another productive series of visits to the patch and it is really great to have our summer visitors back.