June 2024 News

Sunday 30th June

I had a walk around the village recording birds and other wildlife at lunchtime today. At this difficult time of year when passerines are moulting and keeping a low profile the list was rather meagre at 24 species, with no real surprises. Later, I spent 45 minutes at the lake in the evening. It was good to see a Moorhen Gallinula chloropus, they are very difficult in spring/summer with high water, 5 returning Black-headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus, a Pochard Aythya ferina, a Great White Egret Ardea alba, a Hobby Falco subbuteo, and heard four each of Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla and Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita.

Friday 28th June

I didn't get to the lake until quite late this evening, but managed a list of 33 bird species during a walk from the Lodge to Holt Copse and back. I saw a late brood of 12 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos ducklings, the only Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus youngster (1st brood at the lake this year) I've seen so far this year, on the back of a parent in Holt Bay, 2 Lapwings Vanellus vanellus, a Hobby Falco subbuteo, and heard a Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti still singing.

Thursday 27th June

Just for once, I spent the afternoon at the lake instead of the evening. I birded on foot from the Lodge to Top End gate and back, although I felt tired from yesterday's run (a rep. session). I saw 5 Common Sandpipers Actitis hypoleucos, a Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus, a Little Egret Egretta garzetta, a female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, a Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis, and counted 6 Black-tailed Skimmers Orthetrum cancellatum along the way.

Monday 24th June

I birded on foot from the Lodge to Long Bay bridge and back this evening, and saw 6 Gadwall Mareca strepera, 2 Spotted Flycatchers Muscicapa striata, and a Hobby Falco subbuteo of note, and heard a Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti and 2 Garden Warblers Sylvia borin singing. Mark reported seeing a Barn Owl Tyto alba while working this evening too.

Sunday 23rd June

I didn't get down to the lake today, but did walk around the village recording what I saw bird-wise. My biggest surprise was seeing a Kestrel Falco tiunnunculus perched on a wire down the hill near Menlea, while compiling a list of 23 bird and 2 butterfly species.

Saturday 22nd June

I spent an hour at the lake this evening, heard 2 Cetti's Warblers Cettia cetti and 2 Garden Warblers Sylvia borin, and saw a female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus while putting together a list of 31 bird species.

Friday 21st June

I birded on foot from the Lodge to Flower Corner and back in light rain this evening. I counted 245 moulting Canada Geese Branta canadensis, just 16 Tufted Ducks Aythya fuligula, and heard a singing Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti. Given the hour, and the conditions, a list of 24 bird species wasn't too bad in the circumstances.

Thursday 20th June

I walked from the Lodge to Flower Corner and back this evening, and was pleased to see the first brood of 4 cygnets are being kept safe and growing under the watchful eyes of the doting parents, and while on the subject of young birds I also heard Tawny Owls Strix aluco food-begging. Other notable birds included a Hobby Falco subbuteo, 2 singing Cetti's Warblers Cettia cettti, a Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, and one of those elusive Moorhens Gallinula chloropus that have been keeping out of sight during the breeding season.

Wednesday 19th June

I spent nearly two hours at the lake late this afternoon birding on foot from the Lodge to Top End gate and back. I saw the female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus and 2 Hobbies Falco subbuteo, and counted 1 Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti, 10 Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla, 4 Garden Warblers S. borin, 2 Spotted Flycatchers Muscicapa striata, 3 Emperor Dragonflies Anax imperator, 4 Black-tailed Skimmers Orthetrum cancellatum, a Marbled White Melanargia galathea, 6 Meadow Browns Maniola jurtina, and saw flowering Pyramidal Orchids Anacamptis pyramidalis.

Tuesday 18th June

Two and a half hours at the lake this evening enabled me to log 43 bird species during a walk from the Lodge to Top End gate and back. We appear to be down to just 7 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula at the moment, and there were 2 Black-headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus, 27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus, a Little Egret Egretta garzetta, the female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, 3 Hobbies Falco subbuteo, 2 singing Cetti's Warblers Cettia cetti, 4 singing Garden Warblers Sylvia borin, and a Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata of note.

Monday 17th June

I had two hour birding walk from the Lodge to Top End gate and back this evening during which I saw just 10 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, and singles of Swift Apus apus, Hobby Falco subbuteo, and Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata of note. I was, however, very pleased to see a Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (they don't seem to have reached us in numbers this year). A third brood of Canada Goose Branta canadensis has appeared on the lake as well, comprising 5 juveniles, I think. It was good to be back out in the field again after a short infection had grounded me for a few days.

Wednesday 12th June

I met up with friend and fellow naturalist John M. at Priddy Mineries today. We spent 3 hours looking around together, before I had to leave as I felt unwell. We saw plenty of nice things, including Coot, Raven, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Tree Pipit and Reed Bunting, plus Downy Emerald Dragonfly, Small Pearl-bordered and Small Heath butterflies, and a few specialist plants that grow on the mining spoil tips.

Tuesday 11th June

I birded on foot from the Lodge to Bell's Bush barrier and back this evening. Three Shoveler Spatula clypeata and a Gadwall Mareca strepera took me by surprise, and I counted 18 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula on a lake that is pretty empty of waterfowl by normal standards. I heard recently fledged Tawny Owls Strix aluco calling, 2 singing Cetti's Warblers Cettia cetti, a single Garden Warbler Sylvia borin, and saw a Hobby Falco subbuteo, in putting together a list of 38 bird species.

Monday 10th June

Rob. Skip and I carried out the WeBS count today from 0940-1314 hrs. The water level was approx. 78%. Details as follows: 111 Canada Geese, 24 Mute Swans (4 juvs), 67 Mallards, 12 Tufted Duck, 113 Coots, 14 Great Crested Grebes, 47 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Herring Gulls, 4 Buzzards, a Kestrel, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Garden Warblers, 8 Grey Wagtails and a Reed Bunting.

Friday 7th June

Another evening, another visit to the lake. There were more than 500 Swifts Apus apus over the lake during my hour and a half birding on foot from the Lodge to Bell's Bush and back. Three Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, 3 Green Woodpeckers Picus viridis, a Hobby Falco subbuteo, 2 singing Cetti's Warblers Cettia cetti, a singing Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus, at Burmah Road, and 2 Garden Warblers Sylvia borin were the pick of the bunch.

Thursday 6th June

I picked up Martin K. and drove down to visit Noah's Lake hide on the Somerset Levels this morning, hoping to see the Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica which had been present for a few days. We had good views of it, a Hobby, 5 Marsh Harriers, a Red Kite and the usual wetland species there. On the way home at lunchtime, we drove over to Tealham Moor, to go and see the very attractive American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica that was there in its breeding plumage. Two Marsh Harriers and Yellow Wagtails were among the bonus birds we enjoyed while we were there too.

I was back on 'patch' in the evening, birding on foot from the Lodge to Top End and back. I heard a Cuckoo Cuculus canorus singing along the North Shore, noted just 2 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, a Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus singing at Burmah Road, plus a good selection of other birds in a list of 39 species.

Wednesday 5th June

I birded on foot from the Lodge to Top End gate and back this evening. I spotted a brood 5 Mute Swan Cygnus olor cygnets with their parents in Long Bay, counted a paltry 7 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, reckoned on there being at least 400 Swifts Apus apus over the lake, saw a Hobby Falco subbuteo, and heard a Cuckoo Cuculus canorus singing along the North Shore, plus one Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti and 3 Garden Warblers Sylvia borin along the south side.

Tuesday 4th June

This evening I birded on foot from the dam to Hellfire Corner and back. I counted 149 Canada Geese Branta canadensis, as numbers build to moult at the lake, 5 Tufted Ducks Aythya fuligula, heard a Cuckoo Cuculus canorus on the north side of the lake, saw a Hobby Falco subbuteo, and heard one Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti singing. Pyramidal Orchids Anacamptis pyramidalis are flowering on Green Lawn.

Monday 3rd June

I took a 3 hour stroll this morning, birding my way from the Lodge to Top End and back. I counted 83 Canada Geese Branta canadensis, saw a female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, at least 9 Buzzards Buteo buteo, 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers Dendrocopos major, a Hobby Falco subbuteo, heard 2 Cetti's Warblers Cettia cetti and 7 Garden Warblers Sylvia borin, saw a Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, a Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria, and the second site record (to my knowledge) of Reeve's Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi. In the evening I tried for the Gull-billed Tern at Noah's Lake on the Somerset Levels, but missed it by a few minutes. Doh!

Sunday 2nd June

I birded on foot this evening from the Lodge to Flower Corner and back. I saw 2 Gadwall Mareca strepera, 9 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, 2 Hobbies Falco subbuteo, a Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, and heard 2 Cetti's Warblers Cettia cetti, a Willow Warbler Phylloscopus collybita, a Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus, and 2 Garden Warblers Sylvia borin, of note.

Saturday 1st June

I birded from the Lodge to Top End and back this evening hoping to see if there were a few Hobbies Falco subbuteo feeding around sunset at Top End. I only saw one. I saw a Barn Owl Tyto alba and heard 4 Tawny Owls Strix aluco on my way back to the Lodge though. On my way there I'd seen a Siskin Spinus spinus on the Lodge feeder, counted 4 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, and heard 3 Cetti's Warblers Cettia cetti singing.