Sunshine, snow & showers

Snow and flooding greeted me on Saturday morning at Salford Priors making it a most forgetful morning. Sessions like this make you consider why you really do it. Everything seemed to be taking cover except for a large flock of all three hirundines. With very little passage of birds over head I retreated home with a morning grump on. 

Not to be beaten I headed for Abbots Salford where thankfully I found our first Reed Warbler of the year and then four Sedge Warblers. The morning rain looked to have brought down large numbers of Blackcaps as I found 20+ all within the same area. A number of Swallows were sat up on the wires between the pools which was great to see. Wildfowl numbers are generally the same except for the dropping number of Teal. 

Hopefully next week will bring something different. 

The February Patch Challenge resulted in a drop of four places to 11th and I will be surprised if I don't get another drop in March. After a brilliant trip to Gambia its been tough to keep motivated with habitat being destroyed daily and a lack of birds. 

Please note I have added the Warwickshire March sightings complied with Jon. You may note a Firecrest is included at Salford Priors. Regular pit birder Mark Islip found this bird on 28th March but given the habitat, access arrangements in addition to me being away on holiday it was decided that the information could not be shared along normal channels. A first for site and reward for Mark for plodding round in difficult conditions. Great work.

A walk in the Wyre

 Dipper

 Tree Pipet Bench

 Knowles Mill

Wyre

Moors Pool (Upton Warren)

Swallows at Arrow Valley Lake

It was off to the Wye Forest on Sunday morning for a spring walk despite there being a sharp cold breeze. Parking at the end of Dry Mill Lane I headed down the railway line where Willow Warblers and Chiffchafs were calling. 

The usual Pipet field on the left of the patch delivered instantly as I observed a Tree Pipit land and then call. Tree Pipit are always difficult birds to find so it was good to get a good view even if it was fleeting. 

Dropping down towards Knowles Mill I picked up a pair of Wood Warbler calling and clearing enjoying themselves. 

When reaching Knowles Mill I noticed a Dipper feeding only to be flushed by a loose dog ! Some people have no idea. Once the carless dog owners had moved on I got treated by a flyover by the same Dipper and some views of Grey Wagtail. Further along the river I re-located the Dipper and managed to get some video footage.

After a quick coffee at Webbs I spent a few hours at the Moors, Upton Warren. Two Arctic Tern had passed through earlier in the morning but no more appeared. A good selection of Warblers were busy on the East path whilst other sighting included Teal, Shelduck 10, Gadwall, Tufties, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Sedge & Reed Warbler and good numbers of Swallows & Sand martins.  

As the weather worsened during afternoon I dropped down to Arrow Valley in case a Tern or Little Gull had dropped in. Whilst there was no superstars 30+ Swallows were feeding joined by my first Sand martins and House martins.