It's Attenborough Gravel Pits for Warblers........ Again

Oh, that’s sad!!    Sunday 17.05 and I’ve just seen a Magpie burst out of our clematis bush, drop on the lawn, and start eating an egg. Shortly after a Blackbird (male) lands nearby and starts scolding the Magpie.  Undeterred, the Magpie shouts back, and then goes back into the bush and reappears shortly with another egg, which it sits in the pear tree and digests.

And such is bird life.. the survival of the fittest.  Sad but necessary.

Let’s change the subject – quickly. 

28^th April 1789 (230 years ago to-day) the day of THE Mutiny on the Bounty, with Captain Bligh getting his comeuppance.  And how many of you at one time or another has done your pirate act of walking around with one eye closed, one hand on your wallet and muttered the immortal words “Argh, Jim lad!”

I don’t know where this week has gone… (Ed: Do you want a reminder??)  On reflection, there was a solicitor meeting and quite a lot of legal stuff, and I did do a volunteering shift at Allestree library.     

In fact, now I think about it, the Gastroscopy did involve most of Wednesday. But it was reassuring to hear that I have no matters of concern in my oesophagus. I must say it is not one of my favourite experiences.  After the 30-minute recovery it was reminiscent of Hancock and the Blood donor -    “Eh up nurse, you’ve had me blood,  where’s my tea and biscuits?”

To-day, Sunday April 28^th, I decided to spend the morning at Attenborough, which is always my top spot for migrants in the Spring.

There had been regular reports of Savi’s Warbler in the reed bed by the Tower hide, and the number of scope toters indicated it was being well searched for. Word was that the bird was singing until about 8.00am and then was quiet until c5.30pm, so my arrival at 10.15am was not the right time.

I sat in the Tower hide for an hour, and a fellow birder said he could hear the bird calling (a quite distinctive reeling call, I gather), but my hearing was not up to it. I did think I saw a movement in the reeds near where he was pointing, but I could not say that I recognised my bird as a Savi. In fact, Reed Warblers were very prevalent, and Reed Buntings very visible lending to my confusion.

So that was one for another day  but whilst in the hide I ticked off a singing Sedge Warbler, and further along the path, finally spotted a Reed Warbler that decided to emerge from hiding.

I bumped into a couple of birding colleagues, Mike Walsh and Anne, 2 of the DWT volunteers who are experts in Osprey nest building and make-overs. They have done a number of these tasks at Carsington and make an excellent job of it too. They have recently done refabs on 2 Carsington nests ready for 2019. I was telling them about my experiences last week on the Poole Harbour birding trip, and the commentator telling us all about the Poole harbour Osprey project.

Walking back alongside the Wheatear Field, a pair of Little Egrets were visible, and the Greylags appeared to have started there families early.  Broods of 3,10,4 and 3 were being defended by the Greylags from aggression from various enemies, other Greylags, Crows etc.

Back on the path to the car park, a dedicated photographer was still looking for Common Whitethroat and both of us saw one dive into the bushes.

So that nicely rolls me on to a YTD of 136, and next week I have 72 hours in Lincs and Norfolk, so I should have something to write about next Sunday.

Over the years that I have been writing this blog, I have often referred to Brian Woods, a fellow Carsington volunteer. Brian retired at Xmas 2017 at which time we had both done 20 years’ service, and I used to remind him that I had 4 months longer than him due to my earlier start date.

It was very sad to hear that he died on Easter Monday, and I know all the volunteers send sincere condolences to his widow Elaine.  I know he thought the world of her, and they did  so much together. A sad loss, and I will be at his funeral in early May.

I thought you would like the following Attenborough selfie (with one of the horses in Wheatear field).  Feel free to add a comment on my blog by way of a caption for the picture!!)

Happy Birding