Sunday 8 June 2014

Summer Doldrums

Well another week has flown by  and it will soon be time for failed breeders and early migrants to start appearing on the patch and yes I know its only June ,but for next couple of weeks a few northbound stragglers may appear and the local birds will have youngsters with them .
The high lights from midweek were 2 Cuckoos on the patch together ,the second record of a Little Egret on the patch ,the first being only last week and a nearby Red Kite although it was just north of the patch it was still nice to see .
After large amounts of rain overnight Saturday dawned grey but very humid . It looked like November but felt like a humid August day .
On the pastures Skylarks were in good voice with at least 8 plus in good voice, it feels like a good season for them this year. Just a single Stock Dove and a solitary Pied Wagtail fed on the field margins.
Overhead there were 14 plus House Martins around the local colony and 13 Swallows kept them company. The conditions seemed ideal for Buzzards today with  at least 7 soaring overhead ,its easy to forget how much rarer they were just 30 years ago . A Raven flew towards Tirley Hill and a Grey Heron flew towards the river.
In the hedges 2 Blackcap 5 Whitethroat and just 2 Chiffchaff were seen , the amount of bird song is decreasing now as birds concentrate on raising their young. There was a brief view of a flyover Spotted Flycatcher , there are harder to see this year without a doubt .
Its nice to report that one of the Moorhen families have at least 4 young .The Greater Spotted Woodpecker nest in next doors garden is still very active .The Green Woodpecker called from some hidden location.
 Sunday was bright, warm and with a good dose of sunshine. Skylarks were still singing with 5 plus today , but a healthy 7 Stock Dove were around nesting areas . A good record for the summer were 2 Mistle Thrush ,not a bird I usually see in the summer around here normally.
A good number of Pied Wagtails were seen with 7 around ,some juveniles amongst them . A Cuckoo called from the direction of the river meadows.
In the hedges were a very healthy 9 plus Whitethroat ,6 plus Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaff, its been hard to find anything different in the hedges for awhile now.
Overhead there were 5 plus House Martin, with 5 plus Swallow all local birds by the look of them For the raptor fans again 6 plus Buzzards were overhead .A Sparrow hawk passed by being mobbed by a couple of Swallow and a male Kestrel was seen to take a small rodent .
The first Cormorants for awhile were seen when 3 passed over heading south west towards the estuary.
Woodpeckers were still about with the Green Woodpecker calling and the Greater Spotted still being seen carrying food towards the nest sight