Warbler Wonderland

A Lack of decent photos (Not sure what has happened this week) and a lack of motivation to write this week has meant no blog posts even though I have been out every day this week, so far, so it’s another round up post, sorry.

Warbler Wonderland

One thing I’d like to shout from the rooftops before I start the post though is the stunning fact that I have reached the 100 mark on bird species for the year on the patch, and we are not out of April! Quite amazing in my opinion, maybe not if you have a wonderful coastal patch but on the edge of Milton Keynes and just about as far from the coast as you can get I think it’s pretty good (but more on that later I guess).

Monday 25th April

After the amazing finds of Sunday, I hit the patch after my night shift finished in search of better photos of the two black winged stilt, sadly after hours of searching the conclusion was they had moved on.

The best birds on the pits were 6 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Common Redshank and a stunning (if a little distant) summer plumage Dunlin, the resplendent orange and brown back setting off the jet black belly beautifully.

With summer now arriving quickly the air is alive with the screeches of Common Tern, and the bubbling of House Martin, Sand Martin and Swallow, but today also signaled the arrival of the Common Swift, as a few of the scimitar shaped birds dissected the skied in amazing feats of speed.

Warblers were also in evidence as a few Sedge Warbler were joined by a single singing Reed Warbler the first of the year, as well as several Whitethroat and more.

House Martin in Flight

Back of House Martin in Flight

House Martin in Flight

House Martin in Flight

Tuesday 26th April

The birds were not amazing on Tuesday. It was pretty much business as usual on the pits. The regular LRP and Redshank but little else.

However as I watched out of the main hide a Peregrine blasted through in front of me, followed by a second. This second bird then flew up, I assumed chasing pigeons but on closer inspection it was actually chasing off two more falcons! Sadly I didn’t manage to get a good enough look at these so was not sure if they were more Peregrine (seems unlikely) or a couple of early Hobby (would have been number 100!).

Wednesday 27th April Warbler Wonderland

If the warblers had been in in numbers on previous days it was nothing compared to today!

But first the waders, Arriving at the pits at first I thought it was going to be business as usual, with the regular 4 Redshank and at least 3 Little Ringed Plover (there may well be more), but while I sat and waited a brilliant Greenshank flew in and sat in front of the main hide, my 101st patch tick. Later on there were also 3 Common Sandpiper, add to the Lapwing and 2 Oystercatchers and the wader numbers were looking good.

Greenshank

Walking the patch I was amazed to count so many different warblers, including two new patch year ticks; a Lesser Whitethroat picking its way through the bushes and trees beside the river; and then as I was heading home a Cetti’s Warbler burst into song over the river, near the aqueduct (I assume along the camp site lakes). But there were plenty of others, here are the totals: 7 Willow Warblers; 11 Chiffchaff; 3 Sedge Warbler; 1 Reed Warbler; 10 Blackcap; and a stunning 12 Whitethroat (although there may well have been more).

Sedge Warbler

Reed Bunting

Pied Wagtail

Pied Wagtail

Lapwing coming in to land

 

Sand Martin in Flight

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