Wednesday 11 May 2016

Black Tern flies through for Warwickshire Bird Race

 Black Tern (Flying right of island)
 Black Tern (Perched on island)
Dunlin watching Little Ringed Plover
Second Turnstone of spring with two Ringed Plover

My own visits to the pits have been either side of a weekend away in Mull so I will try and combine all the received sightings where possible.

Our first Dunlin of the year was seen on 5th May and stayed for the rest of the night before heading north. A Whimbrel was also recorded by Paul when it dropped into the main pit later in the evening.

Saturday 7th May was the date of the Warwickshire bird race however it was left to Jon to lead us to 76 species from his visit with highlights being two Avocets that stayed part of the morning on the long island on main pit before flying off calling at 10.15am, a Grasshopper Warbler reeling by the main pit, 36 singing Reed and ten singing Sedge Warblers around the pits, Cuckoo, Siskin, Kingfisher and the most surprising was perhaps hearing two Water Rails “sharming” in the big reed bed. 

Late in the afternoon Ann & Noel found a Black Tern which is another great record for the site. This is only the third sighting of the species at the pits. They were also recorded at Abbots Salford. The Bird Race finished with the site finishing joint second with Earlswood on 77 species, a great effort considering resources available to call upon. (Full details here

On my first day back from Scotland I visited the pits late morning and recorded two Ringed Plover, a Turnstone and a Common Sandpiper.

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