22nd to 31st March 2008
The cold north-westerly wind continued until the 26th when the wind shifted towards the west or south-west and became milder with rain and showers. Snow showers occurred from the 22nd to the 25th.
There was little change in the variety or numbers of birds until the 26th, with the north-west wind hindering migration. Sand Martin passage faltered with 22, 16, six and a single from the 21st to the 24th. 15 Meadow Pipits on the 24th was the best count in March. Pied Wagtailcounts continued to impress with 37, also on the 24th, again the best of the month. ThreeChiffchaffs were present for most of the period. A Marsh Tit on the 24th was the first of the year. The Common and Green Sandpipers were seen occasionally and up to four each ofRinged Plover and Redshank and five Oystercatchers were intermittently seen.
The change to milder conditions on the 26th encouraged movement and the best bird of the next few days was an Avocet, on the 26th, brought down by heavy showers. It was present for about 1½ hours, on Railway Pool, but soon moved on. A Little Ringed Plover also appeared and remained until the 29th, none on the 30th and then two on the 31st.
Raptors were in evidence on the 27th and probably included some migrants. Best of the species was a Red Kite which flew north over Hampton in Arden, and was well picked up by watchers on the car park. Other species included three each of Kestrel and Sparrowhawk, a singlePeregrine and up to 20 Buzzards in the different thermals around the Reserve. 45 Stock Dove were counted in the crop field, a pair of Stonechats were seen and a Brambling was noted.
The following day saw flocks of 30 Fieldfare and 20 Redwing passing over but there was little of note on the 29th. The 30th and 31st generally were fine and sunny and new migrants included a Stonechat and Wheatear on the 30th and a Dunlin, two fine male Bramblings(by the car park feeder) and a Curlew on the 31st.
21st March 2008
– Very strong north-westerly overnight and during the day.
Two female Goldeneyes joined the male of the last few days. Five Chiffchaffs were spread across the Reserve and 22 Sand Martins flew through. Yesterday’s pair of R.L. Partridgeswere seen again and four Ravens flew over. The resident waders come and go and have yet to settle down.
20th March 2008
– Increasingly windy, light showers.
A steady passage of Sand Martins (6 plus a.m., 15 plus p.m.) and Pied Wagtails (20 plus a.m., 38 p.m.) continued. More unusual was a Willow Tit along the concrete road and threeR.L. Partridge (two crop field and one underpass).
19th March 2008
– A frosty but sunny start, with increasing cloud and a cold north-westerly wind. Not a great deal of change in the variety or number of species, with the exception of a flock of 35 Goldfinches moving through. Three Grey Wagtails were seen along with the drake Goldeneye and two Chiffchaffs on the Old Road. The Lapwing flock reached 62.
18th March 2008
– Similar to yesterday.
Sand Martin passage continued in dribs and drabs, with at least 10 different birds during the morning. Some additional Chiffchaffs appeared to arrive overnight, with up to four present (two in the copse by Railway Hide, one on the causeway and one on the Old Road). A second winter Yellow-legged Gull flew over.
Further passage included a Little Ringed Plover (it appears to have been present only a short time), 11 Common Gulls and at least 25 Pied Wagtails later in the day.
17th March 2008
– Light cool northerly occasional sunny intervals, mostly overcast.
Migrants included at least 20 Sand Martins in the morning and a further 12 in the afternoon, with a Swallow briefly at 3.30 p.m. A Chiffchaff was present on the Old Road andRedshanks were back up to five.
Other birds of note included 127 Wigeon, the drake Goldeneye, at least 20 Pied Wagtailsand at least 40 Yellowhammers still in the Field.
16th March 2008
– The wind and rain on the night before slowly subsided but the wind turned noticeably northerly and cooler. The Blythe Valley was flooded.
The inclement weather brought down the Sand Martin passage, with 23 in the morning and at least 15 in the afternoon. The Reserve’s earliest Swallow went through early in the morning. No sign of yesterday’s Wheatear, Chiffchaff or Little Ringed Plover but Redshanks were up to eight, two Ravens displayed over the Reserve and the Goldeneye remained. A femaleStonechat appeared briefly in the marsh during the morning.
15th March 2008
– Dry morning with a south-easterly wind. Rain starting at 2 p.m., and becoming increasingly persistent from 6.30 and all night on an increasing wind, the latter turning to the north.
The easterly element in the wind seems to have been the trigger to an excellent movement of early migrants. The first Chiffchaff sang by the entrance gate at first light and fourRedshanks were new in on Railway Pool. A fine male Wheatear dropped onto the islands on Railway Pool before showing superbly to an appreciative audience on the bank to the side of Oak Hide. A few minutes later, the year’s first Little Ringed Plover circled the same pool before carrying on.
Either the same Chiffchaff or another sang on the central stream line at 11 a.m., and twenty minutes later two Sand Martins flashed through.
In a noticeable, though small turnover of Pied Wagtails, two female-types caused a lot of discussion as to whether they were Whites. The most likely of the two seems to have had too much black on the back and the upper tail coverts to be White, though the clean flanks and brown in the coverts were nevertheless persuasive. The books are not as helpful as they might be!
Other birds of note included the male Goldeneye, Raven, three Grey Wagtails and 60 plusRedwings (north end of the Old Road). Plenty of bumblebees were on the wing, feeding on the willow tree flowers.
14th March 2008
– Overcast most of the day.
The Goldeneye remained and the Common Sandpipers put in an appearance, later in the day being joined by a Green Sandpiper. What was presumably yesterday’s Grey Wagtail was seen again. A Nuthatch seems to have taken up territory in the same location (south-west pond) as last year. Duck numbers have dropped off and only 60 Wigeon now appear to be present.
13th March 2008
– Cool, relatively calm and overcast start. Occasional sunny intervals later.
A little more evidence of movement with a smart drake Goldeneye on Railway Pool, a new arrival. Pied Wagtail passage increased with up to 20 earlier in the day but 33 in the afternoon, together with a Grey Wagtail. Common Gulls reached 13 and two Snipe were seen, the latter having been relatively scarce of late.
12th March 2008
– Very windy overnight and during the day (westerly) and squally showers.
Despite the weather, there was little new in. Two Tree Sparrows fed on the Oak Hide feeder.Shelducks reached three in number.
11th March 2008
– Squally showers and increasing westerly wind.
A Dunlin was a new arrival and a Water Rail called from the causeway, but otherwise birds were similar to proceeding days.
10th March 2008
– windy from the south-west, decreasing during the day, then turning west or north-west again in the evening and increasing again. Heavy showers.
Further evidence of Stonechat passage came in the shape of two males and a female in the set-aside field west of the Blythe, against Siden Hill Wood. They appear to be different from yesterday’s birds east of the underpass.
Teal had risen to 32, a pair of Ruddy Duck (the female new in) were seen, together with the one female Goldeneye and yesterday’s Dunlin, though the latter could not be found in the late afternoon.
23 Yellowhammers were in the crop field and 22 Pied Wagtails were spread across the Reserve. 11 Meadow Pipits fed in front of Oak Hide.
9th March 2008
– mostly sunny with slowly increasing westerly wind and then very windy overnight.
The Nordic Jackdaw which was re-found late yesterday was seen again today, on the flood meadows, north of the Reserve, but it is never settled and moves off quickly. Whilst on Corvids, a Raven was in display flight in the same area.
Two female Stonechats joined the pair east of the underpass.
The duck count yielded a single Shelduck, 10 Wigeon, four Gadwall, 12 Teal, 21 Mallard, 28 Shoveler, five Pochard, 22 Tufted, a female Goldeneye and a pair of Ruddy Ducks. TheLapwing flock reached 126, a Dunlin was new in and only the second for the year, and aGreen Sandpiper was present again with the Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers.
Six Herring Gulls flew over but there were no other notable gull sightings.
Pied Wagtail passage appeared to be occurring again, with 22 counted and a hint of Meadow Pipit passage – 1’s and 2’s only away from the gravel pits.
Treecreeper song by the south-west pond again suggest at least three pairs on or near the site, the other two along the Old Road. A Nuthatch called from the south-west pond as well and the first frog spawn of the year was found in it. A Tree Sparrow called regularly nearby.
8th March 2008
Birds of note included a juvenile Peregrine through south in the middle of the morning. Up to five Oystercatcher and four Ringed Plover, although the waders do come and go. Pied Wagtail passage continued, with an increase in birds during the day from approximately ten in the morning to nearer 20 in the late afternoon. Thrushes were also on the move, with at least 60 Redwing and 15 Fieldfares just north of the Reserve on the flood meadows, and at least 45 Yellowhammers fed on the newly seeded part of the crop field.
A productive work party topped up the existing gravel patches on the islands on Car Park Pool, and put in six more (two large and four small). Six people attended and thanks to them.
7th March 2008
A pair of Goosanders were a new arrival today. They were roosting on the bank opposite Car Park Hide at 2 pm. Waders included three Ringed Plover, two Oystercatcher and a Green Sandpiper, the latter in the small pool by Railway Hide.
A passage of Pied Wagtails seemed to be underway, with at least 17 spread across the two pools. There were still some Gull movement, though it did not seem to be as regular as yesterday. Totals included about 200 Black-headed Gulls and five Common Gulls.
On the crop field there were 45 Stock Doves and 25 Yellowhammers, with a few Reed Buntings and a single Tree Sparrow around the car park feeder.
Both Goldeneyes remain, with low double figure counts of Teal and Shoveler.
6th March 2008
– Increasing north-westerly wind, overcast but high cloud.
The highlight today was two adult Kittiwakes between mid-day and at least 1.15 p.m. There was also a steady turnover of Black-headed Gulls (maximum 250 at any one time), and a few Common Gulls.
There were still four Ringed Plovers, a female Goldeneye (a second appeared later), maleRuddy Duck, 143 Wigeon and on the newly seeded field, 25 Stock Doves, two Rooks and about 20 Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers. Later in the day both Redshank and Green Sandpiper were seen.
5th March 2008
– Fine.
The only birds recorded in the log were a Redshank (first of the year), six Meadow Pipitsand a female Stonechat near the Dragonfly Pond. With an arrival of Stonechats on the south coast, it is likely that the records over the last few days have mostly been of migrants, though the presence of the pair of birds east of the Kenilworth Road is complicating accurate assessment.
4th March 2008
– Sunny cold northerly wind.
20 Common Gulls were in with the Black-headed Gulls on Railway Pool and at least one female Goldeneye and the male Ruddy were present. Two Siskins flew over and there were still about 25 mixed Chaffinches, Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings in the field. A maleBrambling was with the Yellowhammers down by the farm. Four Ringed Plovers frequented the islands on Railway Pool, an Oystercatcher flew over and a Curlew was heard once.
3rd March 2008
– Sunny morning, more cloud in the afternoon, but dry.
Only one Ringed Plover could be found, but the two Goldeneyes remained.
2nd March 2008
– Sunny, west turning north-westerly wind, but less strong.
Most noteworthy bird of the day was a Dunlin, together with the four Ringed Plover were present. There were also three Oystercatchers, over 250 Black-headed Gulls and a Little Owl was seen on the Old Road. Later in the day a Green Sandpiper put in a brief appearance.
1st March 2008
– Sunny, very strong westerly.
The weekend Duck count included 100 Wigeon, 42 Mallard, 16 Teal, 21 Shoveler, twoGadwall, five Pochard, 25 Tufted, two female Goldeneyes and a male Ruddy. Five Great Crested Grebes was noteworthy. Other birds of note included 173 Lapwing, threeOystercatcher, four Ringed Plover, three Snipe, a female Stonechat by the car park gates and a Tree Sparrow.