It has been a somewhat frustrating week of birding at the patch. The weather has remained chilly with the wind stuck in the north. As a consequence insect numbers remain depressed, so I haven't had those to fall back on.
Meanwhile the flash pools continue to tantalise, producing just enough of a muddy corner to give hope of a wader arriving while the area in question is mainly hidden behind tall rushes.
On Tuesday a wader did arrive, but it was just a third Avocet, while the Little Ringed Plover continued to play hide and seek all week. Passerine migration is largely over, so it's just a case of trying to work out which summer visitors may be breeding. Today I thought there were three singing Willow Warblers which is the best for several years.
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| Willow Warbler wearing one of Tony's rings (probably) |
Both Sedge Warbler and Cetti's Warbler were singing at the flash field on Tuesday, but I could hear neither today.
A couple of Starlings flew over on Tuesday. This species is very scarce here in spring and had not been recorded on the alldayer. Likewise a Grey Heron, another big day absentee, proved ridiculously obvious today.
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| Grey Heron in the Dragonfly Pond surveying the Water Crowfoot |
The biggest frustration of all came today, when I glanced across the fields at what I initially thought would be one of the resident Kestrels only to find it was actually a Parakeet. Surprisingly it was silent and I had to watch it flying away to the north before I had a clear idea of what species it was. Obviously it should have been a Ring-necked Parakeet, but annoyingly there are known to be two Alexandrine Parakeets in the Alcester area (as well as a Ring-necked Parakeet) and it did give a very long-tailed impression when I first saw it.
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| The one that got away. Parakeet sp |
I reluctantly decided to leave it unidentified. Ring-necked Parakeets are becoming common in the Earlswood and Wythall area, and it only seems a matter of time before they arrive in Redditch.
Red-legged Partridges, on the other hand are fairly easy to see here, but are gold dust at Earlswood.
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| Red-legged Partridge posing |
I did manage to see one or two non-birds here today.
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| Roe Deer buck |
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| Green-veined White |
It's been very tempting to try Earlswood, but from what I can tell they have also had a rather steady week.
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