Stonechat
Sparrowhawk Photo: Tim Jones
“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” Leo Tolstoy
The Birdy Bit
Well Leo, in March it seems that you can reliably plan to see Whoopers Swans, but more of that later…
As with last month, there were a number of continuing threads, of which the most welcome was the on-going presence of the Flasks Lane Tawny Owl, but also included on and off sightings of Water Rail and Cetti’s Warbler. Another perennial thread was provided by Black-tailed Godwits, with birds documented on 13 days and a peak of 21 on 28th.
The first day of the month saw the highest count of Dunlin of the year so far, with a flock of 18 on the Reserve.
Dunlins Photo: Tim Jones
The following day, 106 Oystercatchers were counted in the area, down from the spring peak of 164 in February.
Whooper Swan Bonanza Photos: Tim Jones
Also regaling the area were 19 Whooper Swans, the start of an impressive month for this species, for which a dedicated paragraph is more than justified. In total, 516 were seen, with the only flock staying for more than one day, being the 19 on 2nd, which were seen also on the next day. A grounded count of 85 on 18th seemed impressive at the time, but a count of 199 across three of the lakes on 27th was phenomenal! To add to fun, three of the swans were colour ringed; two having been ringed in Northern Iceland on 15/08/20 (as adults), with the third at Martin Mere ringed on 24/11/17 (as a cygnet). All the Whooper Swans had gone by evening and it is reasonable to assume that all those recorded eventually headed north. Considering no systematic visible migration counts occurred during the month, these figures will represent only a fraction of the birds moving through our area. To back this opinion up, it is worth noting that 217 swans moved north through Whit Hill, Tadcaster on 23rd March (per Paul Doherty – Trektellen) and 563 north, in ten flocks, from Broadway in the Barnsley area on 26th March (per Graham Speight - Twitter).
Interest was sustained on 3rd by the first Avocet of the year on the Reserve. Counts for this species slowly built up during the month to four by 30th. On the same day, the year’s record count of 61 Shoveler was documented, but fell short of last year’s peak of 80 in early April 2022.
On 4th, the first Mediterranean Gull of the year, a first calendar year bird, was on the Reserve. In all, there were 13 bird days of this species during the month, with a peak count of four.
Mediterranean Gull Photo: Tim Scott
After much chat about where to find Dipper locally, our first recording area sighting was by Sleningford on 7th.
The nomadic Barnacles Credit: Jill Warwick
The 8th was a day of interest, particularly amongst the colour-ring enthusiasts when 17 Barnacle Geese arrived. Those so marked were all ringed at Scorton GP on 9 July 2022 and spent much of Oct/Nov around Teesside before heading to Sussex (Jan/Feb), then via Norfolk (Feb) before being re-found at Ladybridge. They were last seen on 16th, but where they are now?
Barnacle Geese Photo: Tim Jones
On 10th 14 Snipe, a Brambling and 452 Golden Plover topped the bill. Not to be outdone, the following day, two Knot were briefly present, with a Marsh Harrier over and two Stonechat. On 12th, a Grey Plover flew north and there were a remarkable 13 Stonechat in the area, easily the most ever documented in the NNR recording area on any single day and part of a national influx, with many other large counts around the land.
After Helen Hayes won the non-existent ‘Sand Martin Cup’ in 2022, this year’s new winner was Martin Bland, with the first Sand Martin of the year on 16th, four days later than last year’s. Numbers of these escalated through the month, with a peak of 228 on 31st. An Egyptian Goose made a brief appearance on 17th, whilst remarkably the first Swallow occurred the next day, possibly a record early date for our area. Also on 18th, the first Little Ringed Plover appeared and 220 Redwing.
Another Brambling sighting occurred on 19th, this time down Green Lane, whilst 21st was another great day, but for only two observers, with one un-named, reliable observer watching an Osprey flying up river and the other having a male Garganey on the Reserve.
Six Red Kites in the recording area on 23rd was the equal highest count for this species and a similar number of Little Egrets on 25th was the highest for some while. The latter day also brought our first Wheatear of the year, a splendid male in the vicinity of the Silt Lagoons. New in the next day was a Blackcap and on the last day of the month, a very early Common Tern.
Bits and Bobs
14 Hares courting in the field behind Well church Photo: Phillipa Starr
Our old friends the Bloody-Nosed beetles were out and about on the 19th Photos: Helen Hays
Several Toads were noted in the dipping pond on the 22nd Photo: Christine Seaman
Andrew Hanby on behalf of the Nosterfield Naturalists, 14th April 2023