Before I get on to today's excellent birding, I need to mention that yesterday Janet from Earlswood paid a visit to Morton Bagot and made a recording on her phone of a bird she didn't recognise. It turned out to be the song of a Water Rail. Yes that's right song. I can only recall hearing its actual song once, at Upton Warren years ago. I would describe it as a gentle "poop poop poop purrrr" An extraordinary sound. The call was coming from exactly the same spot I'd heard one calling at the end of March, and could well mean that the species will become a new addition to the site's breeding list. Janet also saw a "Swan" flying over, presumably a Mute Swan, but only the second this year.
Anyway, back to this morning. I had decided on a quick pre-breakfast dash around the northern end of the site. Yesterday's warmth and sunshine had been replaced by cloud and a distinct chill. I started by heading for the Water Rail spot, but sadly there was only silence.
Of course the patch was anything but silent. At least two Willow Warblers, and four Blackcaps were singing amidst a chorus of resident species. The buzzing calls of Redpolls were heard as odd birds flew over. I thought for a second I heard a Whitethroat call, and some time later managed to see it, albeit distantly. This turned out to be my earliest ever, by one day.
The flash field contained the usual Avocets, though just four, plus 16 Teal, two Shelducks, and a Snipe. Then I detected the big one.
No, not the Coot, although I was pretty pleased to see it occupying the Kingfisher Pool, so presumably different from the one on the Dragonfly Pool. The big surprise was my earliest ever, by a long way, Cuckoo which called from somewhere a little beyond the pool occupied by the Coot. Although it sounded quite close, I had a hedge in the way and no further calls followed. My guess is it was just passing through.
Earlswood.
After breakfast I opted for Earlswood, in no small way because Matt had Whatsapp'd a juicy list of migrants headed by a Swift. It would have been great to see one so early in April, but although there was still about 80 Sand Martins and smaller numbers of Swallows and House Martins present, the Swift had disappeared by the time I arrived.
However I was just in time to see the Shelduck Matt had found just as it was flying off.
Surprisingly my second record for the site this year.
I then discovered a newly arrived Common Tern, Earlswood's first of the year.
I joined Matt on the causeway as a first-winter Common Gull flew in. We chatted for a while, Matt commiserating with me on my failure to see his Swift. He could however point me in the direction of a Common Sandpiper which I saw but couldn't photograph, and an Oystercatcher which proved more co-operative. But was also asleep.
I just love April. Every day brings new birds, and although nothing seen or heard today was rare, it's really great ticking them off as they return for the summer.
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