Birdwatcher’s Diary No.160

Published on: 1 May, 2018
Updated on: 1 May, 2018

By Malcolm Fincham

An explosive blast of warm air pushed up into the southern regions of the UK as we moved into the second half of April, raising daytime temperatures into the mid to high 20s centigrade.

With reports of the arrival of a few nightingales at Pulborough Brooks RSPB, I was keen to take up an invite from friends, Bob and Dougal on April 16 in the hope seeing one for the first time this year at the West Sussex reserve.

Nightingale at Pulborough Brooks.

An early start allowed us the best opportunity to capture the tail end of the dawn chorus. At the area there known as “Fattengates”, sure enough, a nightingale was gracing us with its distinctive melody, in full view as it did so.

Glancing into one of the ponds there, we spotted several newts. Judging by the previous weeks of cool weather, they were probably not long out of hibernation.

Great crested newt at Pulborough Brooks.

On closer inspection we counted at least seven, and to my surprise, most of them being of the great crested variety.

Willow warbler.

Close by, and much later in the year than usual for us, we heard a willow warbler singing, locating it as it sang from a silver birch.

Primroses at Pulborough Brooks.

Along the trail, leading to the hides, primroses had burst into flower.

Comma butterfly at Pulborough Brooks.

A few brimstone butterflies fluttered past and even a comma settled long enough for a photo.

Blackcap.

Blackcaps could be heard singing above the cacophony of other birds in song.

Female blackcap at Pulborough Brooks.

Even managing to get a second picture for the year of a female blackcap.

Lesser whitethroat at Pulborough Brooks.

At least three lesser whitethroats could be heard singing as we walked the reserve, catching a picture of one as it perched in some blackthorn. Though still no sound of any common whitethoats?

Avocet at Pulborough Brooks.

From the hides, looking out across the scrapes, a few wintering wigeon and teal still lingered, though most had now migrated north. Much of what remained was too distant to photograph, although I felt a pair of avocets were worth a record shot.

Greylag goose at Pulborough Brooks.

As well as an in-flight shot of a greylag goose.

Sedge warbler. This one pictured at Farlington, see report further on.

We also added our first sighting of a sedge warbler for the year as it poked its head out of some brambles it had been singing from.

Water vole at Pulborough Brooks.

My best sighting of the day was viewed just below us from one of the hides. A water vole, the first I had seen this year. Snatching a few shots of it as it disappeared out of sight on the far bank.

Water vole at Pulborough Brooks.

As a bonus, within a few minutes it reappeared, swimming toward us, allowing some better photos.

On April 19 at the Riverside Nature Reserve near Burpham, I was able to continue my quest in the way of new sightings for the year.

Reed warbler at Stoke Lake.

My first reed warbler of the year, showing surprisingly well in a section of old reed beds, that hadn’t yet regrown, at the outlet end of Stoke Lake.

Reed warbler with identity ring on its left leg.

Although not realising at the time, a few of the pictures even showed an identity ring on its left leg.

Hilly blue butterfly.

I also sighted my first holly blue as well as my first batch of male orange tip butterflies, that day. It wasn’t until my return the following day that I was able to get them to settle long enough to photo.

The holly blue, typically, eventually settled on some ivy.

Male orange tip.

While the orange tip chose some lady’s smock, still in flower.

Female orange tip butterfly.

I also added a female orange tip, not seen the previous day.

Small white butterfly.

As well as two new butterfly sightings for this year. A small white, I eventually caught up with as it flew, close by, across the meadow. Though having to settle for some in-flight shots as it wasn’t prepared to settle for me.

Speckled wood butterfly.

Several speckled wood, danced around in unison for a while, along a shaded footpath, before going their separate ways with one settling long enough for a photograph.

Common whitethroat.

I also, at long last, got my first sighting and pictures, by the boardwalk, of a common whitethroat, perched and singing in a bush.

Sedge warbler by Stoke Lock.

Completing my day by getting some rather pleasing pictures by Stoke Lock of an especially trusting sedge warbler, one of at least four heard there that day.

A trip to Farlington Marshes in Hampshire, although an enjoyable one, failed to add any more new species to my list. The sunshine did help, however, in the way of photos.

Avocets at Farlington.

A pair of avocets were closer to view than the ones at Pulborough.

Linnet at Farlington.

Also getting some close views of linnets.

Mediterranean gull at Farlington.

Getting pictures of Mediterranean gulls as they flew overhead, was a little easier than my attempts on my previous visit there.

Oystercatchers at Farlington.

Adding to my “in flight” shots was a group of oystercatchers.

Shellducks at Farlington.

As well as a small flock of shelducks.

A common whitethoat, lesser whitethroat, sedge warbler could also be heard and spotted singing.

Reed bunting at Farlington.

Also unable to get any decent shots of the few bearded tits I glimpsed, a reed bunting, however, showed well near the visitor hut.

Wheatear at Farlington.

Along the concrete of the seawall a lone wheatear perched ahead of me, keeping its distance, eventually flying a little way out to sea, relocating itself behind me.

Common Redstart singing from the top of a tree near the Moat car park on Thursley Common.

Several trips before the month was out to Thursley Common saw the arrival of several more male redstarts, although still no sign of females. One male could be seen, perched singing its heart out from the top of a pine, by the Moat car park.

Woodlark on Thursley Common.

Out on the heathland the woodlarks could be seen, occasionally perched, singing, sometimes literally, from the treetops.

Tree pipit at Thursley Common.

A few tree pipits had at last arrived and could be heard joining them in song.

Curlew flying over Thursley Common.

While from time to time, disturbed by the haunting sound of curlews.

Buzzards kettling over Thursley Common.

Higher up over the heathland, on one of my visits, I counted at least nine kettling common buzzards gracefully gliding high in the thermals.

Three red kites over Thursley Common.

On another occasion seeing three red kites overhead.

Common lizard on Thursley Common.

Warm weather had also tempted common lizards out to bask on the boardwalk.

Raft spider on Thursley Common.

On a log in one of the pools by the boardwalk was a raft spider.

The raft spider is one of the two largest spiders in the UK. It hunts by running on the surface of water, and can submerge altogether to hide from predators. This particular one, on close inspection, unfortunately, appears to have lost one of its rear legs.

Dartford warbler on Thursley Common.

Dartford warblers and stonechats could be picked out as usual flitting around the heather.

Male stonechat on Thursley Common.

It wasn’t until April 22 that news came through that “Colin” the confiding cuckoo had made his return to Thursley. Having given so much pleasure to so many photographers in the past two years.

Colin the confiding cuckoo back on Thursley Common.

It wasn’t until the following day that I had the chance to get what could possibly be called, just record shots, compared to some of the ones taken in previous years.

The warm spell of sunshine was short lived and had cooled back down into the low teens by the last week of April.

Swift at Riverside Nature Reserve.

It didn’t seem to hold back an early arrival of at least 30 swifts, that had stopped off on April 26 to hawk on flying insects over the sewage works by Stoke Lock.

A low pressure weather system, bringing showers of rain was pushing the flies down low enough for me to optimistically attempt a few photos of them as they whizzed overhead.

Swallow over the sewage works by Stoke Lock.

House martins over the sewage works by Stoke Lock.

Along with the 100 or more swallows and house martins that had joined in on the banquet.

Double rainbow viewed from Stoke Lock.

Dodging another shower of rain and looking east, I also noticed a double rainbow had formed, arching over one of the pylons on the reserve.

Drake mandarin duck.

While in the river that ran before me, I added a sighting of a drake mandarin duck.

Egyptian geese with six goslings at Riverside Nature Reserve.

Looking out toward the nearby scrape, was another non-native species. A pair of Egyptian geese. On closer inspection, along side them were six goslings.

Adult male grey wagtail at the Riverside Nature Reserve.

As the evening sun began to fade, an adult male grey wagtail, perched on a bridge, looking proud in its yellow outfit and black bib, while the female raised its young nearby.