Blackcap and Yellowhammer singing
At last the sun came out today! Plenty of activity logged too with two new species for the year list. A Blackcap was singing near the Kingfisher Hide this morning. The status of Blackcap is confused w [...]
At last the sun came out today! Plenty of activity logged too with two new species for the year list. A Blackcap was singing near the Kingfisher Hide this morning. The status of Blackcap is confused with over wintering birds that normally breed in Germany. It may be one of these birds stretching it's vocal chords or a very early sub-saharan migrant. Click below for singing Blackcap, very nice!
http://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/uploaded/UVCHPWXJBN/XC-SYLATR1.mp3
A singing Yellowhammer along the hedge row on the Reed Bed Walk is far more exciting. Yellowhammer do breed nearby but reserve records are sparce. The Yellowhammer song is sometime transcribed as 'a-little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheese' which does require an active imagination if you listen to the link below..
http://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/uploaded/UZPPJBQXCQ/A Goldammer III.mp3
No accurate count but there appeared to be a depature of many Whoopers last night, leaving ~ 600 this morning. Counts included 500+ Wigeon, 530 Teal, 482 Shelduck, and 26 Tufted Duck.
More waders with 96 Avocet, 140 Ruff (a new high for 2012), 52 Common Snipe flushed by hunting harriers, 13 Redshank, 40 Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Curlew, 99 Oystercatcher, ~ 500 Lapwing, 6 Ringed Plover and 4 Dunlin.
Raptors saw 13 Common Buzzard on the wing, 4 Marsh Harrier, 3 Sparrowhawk and Kestrel.
Other noteworthy birds included Cetti's Warbler singing on the Reed Bed Walk, Willow Tit from the Janet Kear Hide, 4 Goldcrest and a Treecreeper aroung the Kingfisher Hide and a Grey Wagtail on the Mere.
AB
