Now that’s a lot better!!!! Seven, yes 7 additions to
my year list in just one week, and only one migrant in that 7.
The migrant was a Chiffchaff on Tuesday at Rutland Water, although for all I know he
could have spent winter here.. they are no longer a reliable sign of a spring
arrival as some now winter in the UK. Whereas the descending song of the Willow
Warbler WILL always be a sign of Spring.
Chris and I had a nice day at
Rutland on Tuesday March 19 and having brilliant views of 3 White Nuns and 4 females
(Smew, of course), it needed an off-site visit to Manton Bay to see Maya
sitting on a branch near the Osprey nest. Maya had returned the previous
Thursday (14th March) a good early return for a Rutland Osprey, and 6K, another female Osprey
returned (after 4 years absence) a few days later. Yet again keeping records and data is so
beneficial to be able to write about these birds in so much detail, and as I
have said many times, it brings birding alive.
It was only because of the Osprey
history and the background, that Maya qualified as BOD. In any other
circumstances, the White Nuns would have romped home as the top sighting.
Jumping forward to Friday March 22nd, a noteworthy day – not only did I go for a high-tide
spectacular on the Wirral, but Mary came too. Nice to have company, and a
navigator when I got lost near Heston. But with her help, we were on the cold sea
wall at Parkgate by 10.50, with a couple of hundred other birders, and in time
to watch the high tide at 12.00 noon.
An early tick was a Skylark, in fact
quite a few took off as the water level built up, and the continuous tide rise
revealed a goodly number of Pink Footed Geese. Then with the Egrets getting out of their depth and
driven closer to the car park beyond the Boathouse one Great White Egret was very
obvious alongside it’s small relatives.
But you could hear and feel the
buzz when a Short-Eared Owl came South over the marshes, and after a brief survey of the
wetland, settled down on a dry patch about 20 yards in front of us. He
meandered around a couple of times, giving excellent views, especially to the
many camera-toters.
Seeking for something warm nearby,
we found The Wheatsheaf at Puddington, a PH with an unusual menu. The offer was to buy a starter or a pudding
and get the main course for free!!! A new scheme on us, but we escaped after
both having 2 courses, a soft drink apiece and £4 change out of a £20 note. Had
there not been a local power failure, the PH would not have been so busy with loads
of locals having to eat out… ergo we would have not taken so long. But as a good
value venue I would go back there.
Back pedaling to Wednesday
morning, just happened to look out of my study at the bird life in the garden
and spotted 2 pairs of Dunnocks clearly demonstrating that it was THAT time of
the year. I have never been able to tell which is male and which is female, so
I don’t know who was orchestrating the passionate display. Thank goodness they know. Meanwhile, a very impassive female Blackbird
was in the middle of the hiatus watching the action.
Thursday a welcome surprise as I
walked back from my pm library duty at Allestree. I was in an urban housing
area when out of a gateway walked a Red Legged partridge. I stopped, he stopped, then he walked back towards me, before
hopping over a low wall into a garden, and then sat on another wall and
proceeded to scold me at length. Long enough for me to video him and record his
strong views about me, the weather and Brexit. Whatever, he’s another
statistic.
Saturday 23rd
March, I visited Willington Gravel Pits to see what was around,
and if any further migrants had arrived.
A couple of Buzzards were circling
each other when I arrived, and from the concrete blocks at the start of the reserve,
I picked up a Great White Egret standing erect in the middle of a field. Chiffchaffs were in good song along the
path, a Dunlin was evident on dead bird island, and a Kingfisher flashed down
the stream near the car park as I was leaving.
35 species, not bad for a short walk.
FYI YTD 119.
Also FYI, tomorrow is the 142nd anniversary of 1877 the only year when the Oxford and Cambridge boat race finished in a dead heat!!
Happy Birding
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