This morning two Arctic Terns were feeding over the Slurry Lagoon and stayed for most of the day. Good numbers of hirundines were seen flying through. In the afternoon a Cattle Egret flew over the site twice. MC.
Cattle Egret – Miles Cluff
Arctic Tern – Miles Cluff
Not just Brimstones, but today was a great day for butterflies. There were good numbers of Brimstones and Orange-tips about. Also seen were Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Holly Blue. Two Swallows were feeding briefly over the Slurry Lagoon. PS
This morning the Little Ringed Plover was on the Severn/Trent field, close to the Ecopark. A female Marsh Harrier was hunting over the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed until it drifted off to the south-west. A Snipe was on the Wader Scrape and a Willow Warbler was singing near the Reed-bed Walk. Briefly two Sand Martins were hawking insects over the Slurry Lagoon. PS.
This morning there were still around twenty Sand Martins and a Swallow by the railway bridge. A mixed flock of Starlings and about twenty-five Fieldfares were also present. The Willow Warbler was still in the Deep Pit and a male Red-crested Pochard was on the Large Gravel Pit. PS.
This morning, three Oystercatchers were flying over the Slurry Lagoon, piping as they went, four Swallows and two Sand Martins were also seen. Over the Deep Pit three House Martins were seen flying east and a Willow Warbler was singing on the railway side of the Slurry Lagoon. Also heard were six Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps and three Cetti’s Warblers. PS.
In the evening a Common Tern came in to circle the tern platforms before flying off. JMD
This morning there were three Wheatears in the ploughed field beyond the Wader Scrape. In the afternoon they were joined by two White Wagtails. JMD.
On the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon this afternoon there were two very tired looking Little Ringed Plovers. One or two Swallows were about as well as three Sand Martins and there were six Little Egrets on the Wader Scrape. PS.
There are now two pairs of Little ringed Plovers on the Wader Scrape. Spring is still giving little evidence of arriving although some Honey Bees were seen on the willow and Coltsfoot and a Small tortoiseshell was seen. About six Chiffchaffs were heard singing, but little other evidence of spring is stirring. PS.
This afternoon there were plenty of signs of summer migrants arriving as five Swallows were at their breeding site, under the railway bridge. There were three Common Terns on the tern platforms and several Whitethroats singing from the brambles. Two Sedge Warblers were heard, singing from deep cover and dozens of Sand Martins were feeding over the pits. Despite all these signs of the burgeoning spring the unmistakable trilling of Waxwings was heard and a flock of about forty flew across the river by the railway bridge.
