After several days of heavy rain and easterlies, the east coast of Britain has been reaping the rewards. Yellow-browed Warblers have been outnumbering Chiffchaffs at places like Spurn. So with the wind finally dropping and conditions set fair with a very light westerly this morning I was trying to figure out where a Yellow-browed Warbler might be if it made it as far as Morton Bagot.
It's a big if. I targeted Bannam's Wood first and then swung down into the scrub of the rest of the site. The result was 11 Chiffchaffs and three Blackcaps. Oh well, back to the drawing board.
At least birds were moving. I logged 44 Swallows, 52 House Martins and 30 Meadow Pipits over during the morning. Other small wins were a calling Yellowhammer flying high overhead, and a Peregrine being mobbed by a Sparrowhawk.
The flash field continues to hold the usual Teal (41), Snipe (six), Lapwings 16), and Green Sandpipers (three). The only hint of the unusual being a drake Shoveler on the back flash, and a female Wigeon on the nearest.
It was quite mild, so insects remain on the wing. The most noteworthy being a very dozy Small Copper which refused to open its wings for the camera.
Looking back at the weekend, the ringers claimed the biggest prize with a fly-over Great White Egret on Saturday. I tried Earlswood in the rain on Sunday, but apart from a flock forty distant hirundines moving when the rain briefly abated I saw nothing unremarkable.
Typical Midlands birding.
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