More Migrants

I've been out birding quite regularly in the last two weeks, as well as just keeping an eye out on whats around while at my allotment and when walking the dogs. Here's a summary of some migrants that have been turning up finally.

Robin at the allotment

Last week I spent 4 days down at the allotment, where the birds are getting more and more vocal and are becoming more active. I've noticed Great Tits prospecting for nest sites and I'm hoping they'll use the nest box we've put up, and robins and long tailed tits seem to be pairing up too. I heard my second chiffchaff of the year down there last Tuesday while building the pond and since then they have been coming in all over the place and are now singing everywhere, so its nice they're finally here! I put up a seed feeder at the veg patch on Thursday too and within minutes it was being used by some Robins and by the next day I had seen 6 species using it, just hoping some finches start to come and take advantage too, though I have seen Chaffinches using it already.

While working up at Clifton last week there were lots of chiffchaff singing and a couple of Peacock Butterflies were noted. That evening I went on a bike ride down to the rowing lake at Holme Pierrepont and saw 60+ Sand Martins going over, the biggest influx so far this year, and they have now finally arrived at Lady Bay bridge too. I went to Clifton again at the weekend to try and catch up with some more migrants, but left without seeing any more. Obviously they hadn't quite got there yet. I did however see a stunning male Red-breasted Merganser, only my second for Notts and a great county scarcity.

Red-breasted Merganser, Clifton Grove

The very day after I went for a walk round Holme Pierrepont and was greeted by the sound of multiple Willow Warblers. It was great to hear the dulcet tones of these lovely little migrants and they really seemed to have come in in great numbers. I saw my first Common Terns on the rowing course too.

Blackcaps finally entered the scene on Wednesday when I eventually tuned into their song,and I suspect i'd probably heard some several days earlier without realising it as it sometimes takes a while to recognise that song after only a few months without it.

I went ringing on Sunday and really racked the tally up, with a singing Lesser Whitethroat (before any commons) and a Barn owl before I'd even got on site. While ringing the sound of Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff was everywhere and it suddenly felt like spring had sprung all at once. We caught some of each of these species as well as some Sedge Warblers and one Reed Warbler so the migrants really had come in in force. We caught a Snipe as well as a retrap Cetti too, maybe the same one i ringed last summer? Only time will tell.

Snipe, Holme Pierrepont