Spring Weekend

A lovely weekend, with lots to report!

Most excitingly, a female ring ouzel was at Swaddywell Pit on Sunday 25 April, the first I have seen here. The bird was flitting about in the pit itself, calling from time to time and seeming to favour the flat area at the top of the pit. And amazingly two nightingale were singing at the same time - a first for the reserve. There were also plenty of whitethroat and at least two lesser whitethroat, and a buzzard and yellow wagtail over head.

On Saturday, I found my first Common Tern of the year along the Maxey Cut, there were two at the Etton-Maxey Pits Reserve, and my first sedge warbler, calling from the reeds at the southern edge of the reserve, nearest the Cut. There was also a splendid male wheatear there on both Friday and Saturday, singing briefly on the Friday. On the reserve itself, there were displaying redshank (up to 6) and little ringed plover (4 here and 4 on Martin Pit, back on the Cut). Linnets seem to be everywhere and there is lots of activity at the sand martin colony.

My first house martin of the year, was seen from The Bluebell on Friday evening. I haven't seen swifts yet, but others report them at Ferry Meadows and at Etton-Maxey.

The picture of an ouzel is courtesy of http://www.northeastwildlife.co.uk/