Early start.....but worth it....
I decided to investigate some of the areas I haven't been to since last summer as theres little point till the warblers arrive....
First though the Mistle Thrush was singing by the paddocks again.....
Warbler Avenue is still only accessible with wellies on....so I had to suffice semi circuiting the southern side of Far East....even the southern side is boggy by its usual standards....though actually the usual standards are quite damp to be honest so the flooding of late has not improved things. One good thing with the workmens return to site is that they have done a little clearing along the pipeline....im hoping they simply plan to pump water in this direction when they work at the quarry...
Anyway....a few Chiffchaff were found....
I tracked my usual route, over the double gates, across North Field....a few days ago when I went this way I noticed a couple of fishermen had set up camp, fair enough, no point in spending days at home whilst this Covid19 virus keeps people away form work...today 2 has turned to 4....they did have a big bag of rubbish, obviously to take off site (I hope)….and im hoping they clear up their mess...
...broken bottle in their fire....will they clear this away?....
...they seem to be on top of the pots n pans....
...though paraphernalia is hanging around....
….we shall see....
...............down to long straight where several Chiffs seem to be battling it out....there are at least 5 or so along this small section....amazing as there is lots of other habitat to choose from, all worthy of a Chiff….
Not a huge amount to report from the mounds by Island Pit.....not much happening out in the fields....a few Corvids....a few Greylag Geese....
I ventured across the bund between Island and Middle Pit to find a few more Chiffs….this is also the area where the Willow Warbler has been hanging out, but not today...they do have a tendency to move on from Whetsted, usually leaving a couple around...
A Cettis Warbler sang a couple of times from the northern side of Middle Pit....
A female Goldeneye was on Middle Pit...
I had already found one Fieldfare at the paddocks, but now I found another two plus 3 Redwings....it wont take them long to get to their breeding grounds.....
At West Pit the puddle on the south side that held the LRP on my last visit was again busy...its certainly the centre of attraction for birds at the moment...4 or 5 Pied Wagtails were present with a couple of Reed Buntings....around 12 Meadow Pipits were also here, having found 4 earlier by Middle Pit....2 Lapwings flew past and headed east....
I scanned the pit with my scope...
…...and came across about 30 Woodpigeon in the trees or standing on the edge of the pit....I waited to find out what they were doing.....they gradually took it in turns to edge down the bank to the waters edge to drink….it was certainly a patient line up....
I wandered round West Pit.....the only Yellowhammer I can find at the moment is at the south west corner here....on the west side of the pit, for the second visit in a row, I heard a Cettis Warbler....so now there are 2 on site....the west side of the pit really is ideal (although much of the pits is very much ideal for this species)….this is great news and must surely man this summer will see breeding birds on site....
The footpaths are mostly dry enough to get by now so I checked along them, just in case....
On my return journey I found the 2 Lapwings at the old puddles site near the quarry....I certainly hope they don't try to nest here as if the workmen return in the summer they will get no peace...
Totals...
38 Chiffchaff
4 Blackcap
2 Cettis Warbler
1 Mandarin Duck
3 Snipe
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