Hi all
Flying visit to the UK and one day of local birding, made a big effort to look for breeding waders....
Marston STW1 Curlew flew over fairly low from the direction of the village and off towards Jericho Wood.... presumably a local breeder...
2 Oystercatcher - song flights (sound-recorded) and presumably planning to breed again imminently...
Otherwise fairly quiet see:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29309510Denton Reservoir1 Nuthatch the highlight here!
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29309447Thurlby Pit1 Arctic Tern dip-feeding over the pit with Black-headed Gulls for ten minutes then headed off north. 1 pr Oystercatcher at the gravel workings nearby. Photos:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29308994Beckingham CampScoping up from the south end, one fly-by Curlew, likely multiple pairs on here....
Waterwell LaneAn amazing stony field had 4 pr Lapwing an Oystercatcher and 3 Curlew. 1 Whinchat and 8 Wheatears plus 2 White Wagtails and 7 Yellow Wagtails foraging in the same field. 3 pairs of Corn Bunting and a Grey Partridge mean that this is about the last decent field in the region.... Wonder what becomes of them? Photos & sound-recording:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29305907Barkestone Heath AirfieldAt least 1 Curlew on territory here.
Hougham Lane1 Curlew foraging in a field here, plus Yellow & White (1) Wagtails and 2 Tree Sparrow
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29305694Dry DoddingtonThought I heard a Curlew for a second here, but just the once and Starling mimicry not ruled out, pr Lapwing might just be breeding and 2 high flyover Little Egrets was new for here.
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29305654Despite much effort not a squeak out of a Cuckoo or a Turtle Dove all day #extinction
cheers
Alex
_________________
Dr Alexander C. Lees
Lecturer in tropical ecologyManchester Metropolitan University
Lab Associate
Cornell Lab of Ornithology,
Cornell University
http://www.freewebs.com/alexlees/index.htm@Alexander_Lees