Drop in Dunlin & Chiffchaff return

Follow the leader

 Yellowhammer

Dunlin on the main spit

Didn't fancy bumping into this young stag

Chiffchaff

Cold easterly winds over the weekend has certainly held up migrants arriving in the Midlands. Other than Chiffchaff numbers increasing to five at Salford Priors on Sunday migrant sightings were very limited. Sand Martins and Wheatears have been reported mainly in the south but a few have reached Wales and Cheshire.


Saturday  

Two Dunlin on the main pit were a welcome find. I know a couple of other birders later in the morning also saw them but they did move on during the afternoon. They were joined on the main spit by two Oystercatcher. There was very little to report on but I did manage to record three March patch ticks with Jay, Nuthatch and a single Lapwing. I got some brilliant views of a Green Woodpecker that I flushed as I almost tripped over him. The colours were simply stunning.


Sunday


Once again I started the morning stopping by to see the Little Owl who was present but was not in the mood to be digiscoped so I headed down to the Wheatear field but sadly the wind wasn't helping the new migrants arriving from the south. I then teamed up with Jon at Pophills pit before starting our circular walk. 


Our regular Common Sandpiper had been joined by a possible mate ahead of the breeding season. There was also pairs of Teal, Gadwall, Shelduck and Oystercatcher.


Tufted Duck numbers continue to grow whilst the normal flocks of Canada Geese and Greylag could be seen all around pits including some pairs who have moved on to the bunds. A Common Gull came through with a flock of Black-headed Gulls whilst 4 Herring & 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were present all morning.


Three Jack Snipe were flushed from the old works lagoon whilst the Snipe meadow contained a dozen Snipe, singing Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.


There were not any Peregrines around but we watched a Sparrowhawk being mobbed by a small number of corvids in the distance. We also picked up the call of Golden Plover but they didn't come into view.


As we returned to our cars a Raven flew over our heads to the plantation.