A turtle is back

I did a partial survey of Collingham Pits this morning (partial in terms of coverage of the site, and the species I recorded). Best were my first Turtle Dove of the year at the Works Pits, where my first patch Garden Warbler of the year was also present; both were in an area I don't regularly check. There were few other notables (no passage waders), but I came away with the following totals for singing birds: 21 Whitethroats, 17 Sedge Warblers, 10 Willow Warblers, 8 Blackcaps, 5 Lesser Whitethroats, 5 Reed Warblers, and just 2 Chiffchaffs. I also saw my first Small Heath and Small Copper of the year.

Garden Warbler

This afternoon I went butterflying, looking for Grizzled Skippers in the area around Cotham Landfill. I located 6, which was slightly disappointing given the seemingly ideal weather - but it is still early in their flight season. 

Grizzled Skipper

Orange-tip

Grizzlies

It's that time of year again; Grizzled Skippers are back on the wing, with at least 8 in evidence at Staunton Quarry this afternoon. I always enjoy seeing these.

Grizzled Skipper

Back to this morning, I once again failed to see any Arctic Terns at Collingham, and in fact didn't see too much of note at all; water levels are up slightly at Mons Pool meaning much of the best wader habitat has gone, at least temporarily. Still, it was nice to hear at least 2 Cuckoos (one at Collingham/Mons Pool and one at Meering).

Up too late

The moral of today's story is drink less beer on Friday night and get up earlier on Saturday; by the time I got onto the patch it was evident that I'd already missed a good period of passage. However, I still bagged a 1st S Little Gull heading NE over Mons Pool with a party of Black-heads, and also got my first Common Terns of the year (no Arctic's though), as well as my first Reed Warblers of the year, with at least 3 suddenly 'in'. In addition, 2 Wheatears were in the ploughed field south of Ferry Lane Lake

At Girton, my first Garden Warbler of the year appeared (I couldn't find any at Collingham), but no Willow Tits, and no terns again; frustrating as Craig Brookes found both Black and Little Terns at Hoveringham today! I finally called it quits after seven and a half hours in the field. 

Orange-tip

Yellow Wag at Meering

Double dip

There were two patch yearticks waiting for me at Mons Pool this evening - a Garganey, and two Whimbrel. I'd already ticked these off in my head, and thought how nice it was that I wouldn't have to scour hundreds of Teal this autumn. However, despite being reported as present at 17:50, there was no sign of either at 18:40 when I arrived. Dammit! A nice summer plumaged islandica Black-wit dropped in for a while, before disappearing, and even the two Dunlin that John E had seen a short time earlier had vanished, so I guess things were on the move. I had a quick whip round the other pits before checking Meering Marsh. No Garganey (or waders) there either, but two Cuckoos were my first of the year.

Black-wit

No change

The Bar-wit was still on Mons Pool this morning, and there was nothing else new in. Shame I didn't manage any Arctic (or Black) Terns or Little Gulls at Collingham this weekend - I'm sure if I'd camped out there all day yesterday or today I would've got some fly-throughs, but birding can't always take priority, unfortunately... 

Arctics and Egyptians

After a fairly un-noteworthy visit to the patch yesterday, I was full of hope today. Mons Pool delivered my second Bar-tailed Godwit of the year, and a Ringed Plover (fairly thin on the ground thus far), but there wasn't a huge amount else - certainly no Arctic Terns! Mind you, rescuing stranded tadpoles wasn't exactly conducive to finding such things...

Bar-wit with a Lapwing

Girton Pits, on the other hand, held 5 Arctic Terns on the Sailing Lake just before midday; Carl had 15 there a little while after. Also present were 5 Egyptian Geese which, when added to the 2 at Collingham Pits, suggests something of a local influx.

Three more for the year

A patch visit this afternoon eventually yielded three yearticks after a quiet start; first party of four House Martins though the site, then a Common Sand on Mons Pool, followed by 2 Wheatears (m&f) on the soil stripped area at Northcroft Pond; the latter was reward for checking this area regularly for the last month.

Wheatear 1

Wheatear 2

Nothing else too unusual, but there were more Whitethroats in, plenty of Blackcaps around the site, and up to 3 Sedgies singing at the Silt Lagoon. Wildfowl numbers are now right down, as would be expected, although there were 2 pairs of Shoveler and 3 pairs of Teal still present, and a 1st S Goldeneye still present, but all the Wigeon seem now to have gone.

Wader habitat at Mons Pool