This weekend there was a return to drier more summery
weather, but the birds we saw reflected the beginning of the turn in the
seasons, from full summer towards early autumn.
Usually on the moor I manage to see most of what is about,
there are other days though where I seem to contrive to be in the wrong place
at the wrong time and miss almost everything! Saturday was one such morning.
I did manage to see two swans arrive (c) Tom N-L
I
missed the three Black–tailed Godwits that arrived in front of the first screen,
while I was at Noke failing to find any Yellow Wagtails or Whinchats in the
sheep fields. Had I chosen to go a few hundred metres further along the bridle
way I would have seen a Wheatear feeding out on the cropped grass, but instead
chose to head back towards the Roman Road. I was in the hide when there were
several Bittern movements at the screens and so missed them.
Swallows feeding young. (c) JR
The only really
pleasing thing about my going along to Noke, apart of course from the company,
was being able to watch Swallows feeding newly fledged youngsters on the wires
beside the farm. The adults were sweeping low and fast over the grass hoovering
up flying insects to bring to their young. Not only were they feeding them whilst
the young birds perched unsteadily on the wire, but also at times in mid-air.
Seeing the young Swallows fluttering and flapping to keep their balance
confirmed my recent observations of other newly fledged juveniles. Namely that
young birds get good at flying quite quickly, but landing without crashing
takes longer to master.
Cuckoo on the bridleway (c) Tezzer
I also failed to find the young Cuckoo seen on Friday along
the Bridleway. The bird had probably moved on as when seen on the previous day
it was no longer being fed by its foster parents.
Waders are starting to come through steadily now and the low
water levels in front of the first screen offer extensive mud and feeding
opportunities for migrating birds. On Monday (yesterday) there were nine
Greenshanks through as well as Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper.
Greenshank in front of the first screen courtesy of Badger.
On Sunday, my birding was much more successful and I did
manage to see most of what was on offer. I heard one Greenshank and a Common
Sand at the first screen.
Common cranes over Greenaways (c) Tom N-L
I also spotted the Common Cranes flying back into
Greenaways from the MOD land to the east. The grass is still long out there but
with careful scoping they could be picked out to the edge of a clump of reeds.
They have favoured this, most distant, area of the field for the last six or
seven weeks. We do not expect them to stay around much longer. Last year they
left on the fifteenth of August and as far as we know wintered with the big
flock of Cranes on the Somerset levels. I spoke on Sunday to a friend who had
been out on the moor much nearer to dawn than I was. Just as the sun rose he
and his partner had been treated to the sight and sound of them as they flew
low over Greenaways, where a shallow mist was catching the first rays of the
sun. They were delighted to have seen them. It is a real privilege to have such
charismatic and beautiful birds on the reserve.
Turtle Dove drinking, also soon to be on its way. (c) JR
Juvenile Stonechat (c) Bark
Out at the Pill mid-morning, we found a family of
Stonechats, probably the same birds that were seen last weekend. There were
four very scruffy juveniles and two adults. There was a single Whinchat loosely
associated with them and several Common Whitethroats also seemed to be flocking
together with them. The Chats as always stood out, perching and flycatching
from the top of twigs and bushes, the warblers were more elusive diving in and
out of the hedgerows.
Carpark field Willow Warbler (c) Bark
I had to leave the moor earlier than I normally do this
Sunday, had I stayed for another twenty minutes I might very well have seen the
Osprey that circled over the Oddington side of the reserve. I missed it of
course Saturday’s jinx still had one last sting in its tail!
The pumphouse Grass Snakes are sloughing their skins (c) Derek Lane
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