The ‘Bird Walk – Migrants’ went well today with eight of us present. We saw Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and Cetti’s Warblers. There were Swallows and Sand Martins by the railway bridge. As the morning warmed up butterflies emerged with Brimstone, Orange-tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Green Hairstreak and Holly Blue all seen.
This morning the hepatic female Cuckoo was seen on the Slurry Lagoon. A Hobby was joined by a Red Kite as they both hawked for damselflies above the Pylon Path. All ten warbler species were heard singing, ( Cetti’s, Willow, Reed, Sedge, Garden, Grasshopper, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.) some in good numbers. Later two Hobbies were hawking damselflies over the Slurry Lagoon and a Water Rail was heard chipping from the reed bed. The damselflies included Red-eyed, Common Blue and Blue-tailed plus a Four-spotted Chaser was seen. PS.
This morning there were two Shelduck on the Deep Pit. There are now seven Sand Martins by the railway bridge, and there were two Blackcaps, six Chiffchaffs and eight Cetti’s Warblers singing. DM.
Later on an Osprey was seen flying over the site JDn.
An Orange-tip was seen and four Little Ringed Plovers were on the Eco-park. RW.
This morning, on the Slurry Lagoon, there was one Green Sandpiper, one Snipe, one Pintail, two Wigeon and seven Shoveler. Some Swallows flew through to the south in a very light passage, along with one Yellow Wagtail. There were up to six Cetti’s Warblers singing. PS.
This morning a cream-top Marsh Harrier was seen in the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed. It was present for a good part of the morning. A female Peregrine was seen on one of the pylons and there were a few Redwings and Fieldfares about. Several Water Rail were heard calling from the reed-beds and at least six Cetti’s Warblers were singing. PS.
This morning there were thirty Lesser Redpolls in the birches on the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon, twenty Greenfinches came out of the roost at Rossi’s, six Song Thrushes and three Cetti’s Warblers were singing and a Comma flew across the Wheelchair Ramp. PS.
This morning there were hundreds of Greylag and Canada Geese roosting on the Slurry Lagoon. They left en-mass as the morning lightened up. The new pylon had the two Peregrines on it for much of the morning, the female catching a gull and taking it up there to feed on. A Water Rail flew across in front of the Causeway bench and several Cetti’s were singing. PS.
This morning things were pretty quiet at the lagoons. There were a lot of gulls passing through that paused briefly on the Slurry Lagoon. Several Water Rail were heard and one flew across in front of the Causeway bench. Three Cetti’s Warblers were heard singing. Two Ravens flew along the river to the pylons to perch for a while. Later a single Raven flew low over the Deep Pit. PS.
This morning two Peregrines were on the pylons. Two Egyptian Geese and a Pink-footed Goose were amongst the Greylags and Canadas. Seven singing Cetti’s Warblers and five Water Rail were heard. PS
This morning at dawn a Barn Owl was seen hunting near the Gravel Pits and a Peregrine was on the new pylon. Up to eight Water Rail were heard (with one seen) and three Cetti’s Warblers were singing. One Snipe was seen in the Slurry Lagoon reed bed. PS.