Wonderful Wheatear & century up

Stunning light allowed me to get some pleasing images of Wheatear

Pair on the gravel

These take some beating

Little Ringed Plover

Wheatear near South Lagoons

Small Tortoiseshell

And another

Sedge Warbler

Little Ringed Plover

Sedge Warbler

Adela Raamurella (Long horned Moth)

Shelduck

Barn Swallows

Five additions for us this week at the pits. We have a maximum of four Wheatears that were around the Old Workings and the south lagoons. The light on the morning I found them was exceptional enabling me to take some really pleasing photographs. The Wheatears were more over due for us. Additional year ticks came care of 2 Little Egrets (Mark Clarke), a Garden Warbler on Saturday & a Common Sandpiper on Sunday evening (Paul Hands).

My favourite moment of my visits was watching a Sedge Warbler, one of three males, singing at close quarters. This week was my first sighting of both Sand & House Martin, (Sand Martin seem to out number the House Martin by a considerate amount). The Barn Swallows are coming through in steady number also. We haven't had a Swift yet but they have been recorded by the team over Bidford who also had a Hobby.

Other sightings included a male Cuckoo now singing and covering a very large area, 2 Shelduck and there are notable more Reed Warblers singing.

Holly Blue on Lockdown week five

Holly Blue (Feckenham)

Holly Blue (Feckenham)

Jackdaw (Feckenham)

Goldcrest (Feckenham)

Goldcrest (Feckenham)

Speckled Wood (Feckenham)

Goldcrest - note the red (Feckenham)

Speckled Wood (Feckenham)

Robin (Feckenham)

Common Whitethroat

Red Admoral (Feckenham)

Collared Doves

Song Thrush - very stong beak

Feckenham Church from cricket ground

Garden Hedgehog

Sadly not additions to my lockdown list this week, it's going to be difficult now to add many more. I've been cycling out to Feckenham where the lads play cricket, there is a mix of habitats around there and I always find the church yard interesting.

I managed to get some improved photos of the Holly Blues that have emerged to date, still non with wings open though. Speckled Woods, Peacocks, Red Admiral, Orange-tips and Small Whites were also noted.

The best sighting of the week was a very confident Goldcrest in the middle of the church yard. I have included one image of the back of the bird as it shows the scarlet at the back of the crown indicating it was a male.

We did have some garden excitement when a Hedgehog appeared. Whilst initally concerned it had appeared during the day, all seemed fine and the meal worms I'm putting out each evening seem to be very popular.

Pedal power to the pits

Male Cuckoo but not calling

 Rest stop at Cookhill

 Reed Bunting

 Red Kite

 Gadwall

 Yellow Wagtail in the rape crop

 Great to see a Coot

 Bluebells

 Pophills - note where reeds are now with increased water levels

 Two Wigeon on Pophills

 Blossom in full bloom

After an absence of over three weeks due to lockdown, I headed back to the pits on Sunday. The mode of transport was bike, whilst I really enjoy my biking, you do get some scary moments from cars driving too close that has really put me off using it.

It was always going to be a tester on my legs so I broke the journey into parts which seemed to work. As I approached Hillers a Red Kite flew straight over me which was an excellent start.

Instead on heading down the hill at Dunnington I turned right and headed past the sewage works. That choice paid dividends as two Yellow Wagtails flew into the rape crop field.

It was actually great to see main pit again, water levels as still ridiously high, but it was good to see some of the birds you take for granted like Gadwall, Little Grebe & Tufted Duck.

There are only two very small islands currently one hosted an Oystercatcher whilst the other had 5 Cormorants sunning themselves. Overhead I saw my first Sand Martins of the year, another privlidge. There were over 70 during the period I was there along with 20+ Barn Swallow but no House Martins.

In terms of gulls there was up to 6 Lesser Black-backs & 4 Black-heads all looking for there favoured island to nest which appears to have gone forever since the new water system was introduced. 

Whilst scanning for Wheatear around the Old Workings, a male Cuckoo flew right past me and perched on the tree sleeves by the main pit. I managed to get a few distant shots but I was hardly disguised in my cycling attire.

Two late Wigeon were the only highlight on Pophills before heading home rather pleased. The pit year list was now up to 96 and I'd had three useful addition myself taking my own count to 169.

Week 4 Lockdown listing

 Common Whitethroat

  Common Whitethroat

 Common Whitethroat

Male Blackcap

 Common Whitethroat

Midweek sunset

Only two additions this week despite my best efforts. My first Lesser Whitethroat showed itself on Monday which was quickly followed up the following day with a Common Whitethroat.

By the end of the week I had a really showing Common Whitethroat on the perimeter on the old sewage works.

The lockdown list is now 61.

Week 3 of lockdown listing........

 Blackcap in the blossom

 Orange Tip

 Linnet

 Speckled Wood

 Orange Tip

 Goldfinch

 Speckled Wood

 Pink Moon

 Long-tailed Kit

 Green Woodpecker

Chiffchaff

Five new species added this week which were a Tawny Owl calling for two nights, a Rook, Cormorant flying over house, Willow Warblers and some Barn Swallows.

On Tuesday a White-taile Eagle was seen over Bidford then again over Malvern on Wednesday. I did head to the hill hoping on the small chance it might head over but no luck.

Monday - 1 Swallow, 4 Swallow, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Brimstone

Tuesday - 2 Willow Warbler & Tawny Owl.

Wednesday - Green Woodpecker, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Swallow, Orange-tip, Holly Blue, Painted Lady, Small White & Pink Moon.

Thursday -  Nothing of note

Friday - Blackcaps, Swallow, Red Kite over house, Cormorant & Rook

Saturday - Emmergance of Orange tips, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Larged White

Sunday - 2 Speckled Wood