SUNDAY 2nd May (Jon Lloyd ) 2nd May 2004 Jon Lloyd
Not bad for bank holiday weekend, especially when they promised rain and more rain and we had genuine sun, all day Saturday and Sunday. Sunday was a real scorcher and I spent the day pottering around in the garden. It was late afternoon before I got to the Wall and sun was beginning to drop in the west and produce just that touch of chill in the air. The wooded way over Poor Piece bridge produced several singing Blackcaps a pretty traditional area for this species and a few Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.
The Coots were still sitting too.
As I watched and photographed three small birds shot through my view and tried to settle on a back pool, they flew around the pool causing me to leave the hide so I could work out what they were. The returned and settled but found themselves knee deep in weed on the back pool to the left of the hide and soon took off flying high to the North west and I tracked them well into the into the distance. Thirty minutes later two more Dunlin did exactly the same thing came form the east, tried to find landing zone gave up fly high and disappeared over the high lands well to the north west, It the sort of thing that makes you wish that you could control the water level on some of these pools! Several groups of swallows passed through. Other birds seen: Goldcrest, Reed Bunting (3 males), Little Grebe carrying food, Canadian Geese, Whitethroat, Skylark, Tree Sparrow, Buzzard. Monday - 3rd May Bank Holiday - Jon Lloyd Good day - rain over night and it was also promised for the day but the weather cleared by mid morning and sun broke out by late afternoon. Ed Wilson kicked the day off with a new Species - Sandwich Tern. Later that afternoon - Swift - possibly the first for the Wall this year. A Peregrine passed by putting all pigeons into the air. The Little Grebe returned frequently to its nest carrying food or maybe nest material, but I think its carrying food perhaps for its mate. The Tawny Owl is back in the Horse Chestnut but not the one on the drive today. It hooted as I left and a Little Owl called from the field across the wall in response. A Willow Tit called from the hedge on the way down to the hide. Plenty of Swallows about. Also seen: Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Buzzard, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler. Chiffchaff, Blackcap Tuesday 4th May Swift, Swallow, House Martin and Sedge Warbler.. 10 Mute Swans, 1 Greylag Goose.flew over, and Long Tailed Tits.
Wednesday 5th May Willow Tit, Tree Sparrow and Cormorant. Little Egret (J Keeling) and Little Owl, Peregrine, 2 Oystercatchers flew over late evening. Saturday 8th May Cormorant over, Willow Tit, pair of Teal.
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The pools were busy lots of Black headed Gulls around and some sitting on nests co-inciding with a fall in water level after a few days good weather. 