Pit Tip Tick

A surprise year tick along the Grassland side of Miller's End Conservation Area this morning was a single Red-legged Partridge walking along path that runs along the hedgerow. It entered the conservation area before reaching Dunvegan Gate. Also on the Pit Top were about eight Skylark, with a further two seen by the Wet Flush in Farmer Fox's Cow Field. The pasture around the flush also held a flock of 11 Meadow Pipitwith two showy birds up on the perimeter fence.

Ringed Nuthatch

Nothing really that notable in a short walk this morning. Three Meadow Pipit were on the Warren side of the Pit Tip Grassland, and included male displaying. Two singing male Chiffchaff were heard - one at Hanging Heath and one at Three Ponds. A Nuthatch by the Gerard Close Entrance had a metal ring on its right leg - probably one the rangers have rung.

Spot the Difference

Highlight of the morning was undoubtedly relocating the leucistic Nuthatch around the Gerard Close entrance, and managing to photograph it. I had found this bird previously in the Wildlife Garden back at the end of November 2008. It lacks a black eyestripe, and has washed-out colouring (both blue and orange/buff) over the rest of its plumage.

Also of note were 3 singing male Chiffchaff, 2 Green Woodpecker prospecting a nest hole, and a brief sighting of a Sparrowhawk along the woodland border of Warrenhill Plantation. After the FoBCP meeting in the evening, I ticked my first Tawny Owl of the year with a singing male in Lodge Woods.

First Spring Arrivals

Today's highlights included a group of six Herring Gull high WNW over Dawson's Corner at dawn, whilst at Mill Lakes there were 3 Teal, 2 Little Grebe, 8+ Common Snipe, an adult Common Gull, and 2 Lesser Redpoll with 6 Siskin at Willow Pools. A Chiffchaff was heard in subsong nearby, and another (possibly the same bird) was seen later in full song at Leen Pastures Feeding Station.

Redwing were passing through, with 25 NNE over the Pit Tip Top at dawn, and at least 15 in trees on North Island before flying off north. A pair of Reed Bunting were along the railway line, and two Lapwing were in the field to the north of Broad Valley. A pair of Stock Dove were at Bestwood Quarry, where three to five Linnet were on Biffa Bank.

Duelling Green Woodpeckers

This morning's walk around the Pit Tip Top and nearby woodland allowed me to witness a fairly rare and secretive event - the display of two male Green Woodpecker. The pair of males were calling around the Small Conservation Area; the first male was perched on top of a fencepost calling, before the other male responded. The first male then proceeded to sway its head and body from side to side, and the other bird flew onto the other side of the post to join it, but in an apparently submissive position, lower down the post. The first bird then slowly lent over the top of the post to the far side, bringing its bill together with the other bird's and retracted it again. This bill movement was repeated several times and, if I recall correctly, was interspersed with the dominant bird calling. An event I feel privelidged to have witnessed.

Also on the Pit Top, several Skylark were singing, and a Song Thrush was singing from the Warren Woodland. Along the path behind Warren Hill were two or three singing Nuthatch, two drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a Magpie nest building near the Triangle. A pair of Stock Dove were sat in the dead oak at the top of Ted Heath, but flew off before I could get a decent photo. Other than the birds, a Red Fox was in the western edge of the Pit Tip Plantation, many Common Frog and spawn were in Shopping Trolley Pond, and Three Ponds, and a Brown Rat was amongst the builder's materials in Big Wood School Field.

Misty for Me

Greeted by a fine mist at Lamin's Lane this morning, I went in hope for Golden Plover. The usual field had now been ploughed, and there was no sign of them. A few Lapwing were there, and a pair of Grey Partridge too, which provided me with a year tick. Two Canada Goose flew over towards the reservoir, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew to Warrenhill Plantation from one of the oaks along the lane. A Skylark was singing from a lump of soil in Top Breck, and four Pied Wagtail were feeding together in Top Woods Ground. Also along the lane were plenty of Tree Sparrow - some paired up - and the odd Yellowhammer too. A single Bullfinch was seen near Sycamore Coppice, and at least six Song Thrush were singing along my entire route. Singles of Redwing and Mistle Thrush were near the Triangle, as were a singing Nuthatch, and a few Siskin.