Wednesday, May 01, 2024

Cromwell Bottom, Whiteholme Reservoir & Hardcastle Craggs

Cromwell Bottom

  A warbler fest this morning with singles of Garden Warbler and Reed Warbler singing, plus seven Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warbler.

  Over the Ski lake there were my first Swift of the year, with two blogging high up. Additionally there were good numbers of Hirundines present. 

  Perhaps the biggest surprise was a female Brambling that flew past calling, giving excellent views of the birds white rump.

Garden Warbler

In total managed 41 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S171258354


                                                       


Whiteholme Reservoir

   A late morning visit to the reservoir, in the hope of finding a Dunlin or Ringed Plover, but the only wading birds present were two Common Sandpiper

  Whilst watching I heard the distinctive three-note call of a Greenshank over the moor towards Warland. Despite scanning desperately I could not pick the bird up. It called around 6/7 times in total, eventually getting fainter as it appeared to move north. I tried to record the sound using the Merlin App and despite the windy conditions, you can make out the sound of the bird on a few occasions. The audio is included in the eBird list. 

  Additionally, the sites Grasshopper Warbler has returned and was reeling from the tree below the dam wall. 

Grasshopper Warbler

In total managed 18 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S171270555


                                                       


Hardcastle Craggs

A very pleasant afternoon in the Craggs for a couple of hours produced seven Pied Flycatchers; six males and a single female. Otherwise just common woodland species.

Pied Flycatcher

In total managed 29 species this afternoon, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S171303858

1 comment:

Peter Smith said...

What a day!