Monday 6 May 2013

Hat-trick!

29th April - on a tea break mid morning, I had my first Hobby of the year, when 2 birds circled up the valley where I live, briefly joining a couple of Ravens.  I hoped that a quick lunchtime walk around the lake might turn up Hobby there too, but not this time.  Highlight was a rattling Lesser Whitethroat in the eastern hedge and 5 smart Yellow Wagtails in the paddock.  The lingering Common Sand was still feeding around the lake edge rather than on the spit.

The female Whinchat was still in the top vine field at Pump Lane with a pair of Wheatear

30th April - a lovely sunny and warm day, but appeared very quiet on the ground.  A visit to the pit didn't bring anything new - still plenty of Garden Warblers singing - they seem to be in in good numbers this Spring, but no Cuckoo yet.

I decided to visit nearby Marlow Low Grounds, some flooded meadow the other side of Marlow, in the hope of some waders or possibly Garganey.  Walking along Lower Pound Lane, it was very pleasant, but little of note.  The floods themselves were also quiet, a single Snipe probably the best bird, so I began the walk back to the car.  As I passed the last house in the lane, I caught the distant sound of familiar trilling - surely not.  There it was again, the unmistakable song of yet another Wood Warbler.  Something odd is happening with this species this year, as it seems to be turning up in good numbers in the home counties, when it is normally scarce - I guess the cold Spring has had some effect here.  Anyway, this bird was singing fairly regularly and appeared to be doing a circuit between the river and my path, though was never particularly close to me and was always on private land.  In an attempt to actually see the bird rather than just hear it, I rang the bell of the house to see if they minded me standing on their land for a while - they didn't (for a short while anyway).  This didn't really help due to badly placed conifers, so I returned to the path and eventually had reasonable views of the now silent bird as it fed in the nearest trees to me about 50 yards away.  It went very quiet about midday and apart from 2 other observers, I don't know whether it was seen later or not.  My third in 11 days - pretty pleased with that!

Whilst there, 3 Hobbies appeared overhead, so I thought I'd try my luck back at the pit and sure enough a single Hobby flew over early afternoon.  A single Snipe was also still present here on the spit with a pair each of Shelduck and Teal.

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