An Early Return

At sunrise, a single singing male Skylark was over the Pit Tip Top, with another over Farmer Fox's Cow Field, and a Redwing and two Bullfinch at Dawson's Corner. Along the Sustrans path, a singing male Greenfinch was a surprisingly-late patch year tick, and a Dunnock was also singing along here. A Green Woodpecker was calling regularly near to the Reedbed at the Mill Lakes - possibly trying to attract a mate.

I bumped into Norman, who was about to start his WeBS count (BTO's wetland bird survey), and I tagged along. The usual suspects were around, along with two male and a female Pochard. Just a single Great Crested Grebe today, six Teal (the males now in summer plumage), and two Cormorant were on Tern Island. Three adult Grey Heron were in the trees, nothing out of the ordinary gull-wise, and eleven Common Snipe were in their usual locations. The regular Mistle Thrush was also on the grassland by the main entrance.

We decided to check out the quarry, but as we were leaving I caught a glimpse of a martin over the farmer's field. Two Sand Martin (patch tick!) were together flying around the field next to the footpath, and two Yellowhammer were feeding in the field too. In the field behind the Spinney, another two Sand Martin were doing the same, probably picking up flies from over the hedgerows.

Bestwood Quarry provided yet more excitement, with a single Grey Partridge (year tick) flushing from the valley, a Fieldfare 'chacking' near the entrance, a group of seven Redwing in trees at top of the hillside, and at least three Linnet (year tick) there too. At least two Mistle Thrush were on the hill, and a singing male Song Thrush was at the bend. A Stock Dove flew over, and a Skylark was singing away. A Meadow Pipit (year tick) flushed from the plateaux area at the top and a female Green Woodpecker did the same, but landed in a nearby tree.

In the main woodland a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming close to Dell's Gate, and Norman located a Treecreeper (by its call) along Main Drive. The, now regular, Siskin flock was at the Three Ponds, and another Treecreeper was near the Triangle. With four year ticks, including a relatively early Sand Martin, it was a great morning.