Let me know when that tide's coming in won't you

Let me know when that tide's coming in won't you
Showing posts with label Willow Warbler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Willow Warbler. Show all posts

Friday, 26 April 2024

Summer Migrants

It's that time again! I popped to one of my favourite places last week on the hunt for some of our Summer migrants, and I was delighted to be able to catch up with a few of them. The numbers are still a bit thin on the ground, but I'm hoping that it is still early in the season and that more will follow. Pied Flycatchers were the first to be located in their usual spot, but only two males around at the moment and no sign of the females. 

One or two Redstarts were singing and then finally located feeding along a wall. A Tree Pipit was also singing and parachuting down to it's favoured tree, and it's song echoed across the valley. Willow Warblers were singing everywhere and were by far the most common migrant in song. Lovely to have them all back and hopefully I will be catching up with them many more times before they once again depart our shores.

Pied Flycatcher





Common Redstart

Willow Warbler

Tree Pipit

Friday, 29 July 2022

Reasons to be Outside

Early Summer was great for welcoming back our migrant birds. Areas of the Peak District in particular for me are a great place to go and find them. On a warm June morning you should be able to pick out the calls of Common Redstart, Tree Pipit, Common Sandpiper and Pied Flycatcher. Of course, that does require you to be in the right area, and it's not always guaranteed. They can be there, and just not singing or calling. Or more commonly they're spending their time at the top of the canopy looking for insects. Add in the fact that the leaves are now out to make it even more difficult to spot. It does mean that I spend more time out looking than I would normally, especially if I've not been successful. Not that I'm complaining. Outdoors is when I like to be most.

Male Common Redstart


Tree Pipit


Willow Warbler with food for the young



Friday, 15 May 2020

The Camera is out

I ventured out with my camera on Wednesday evening. It was about seven o'clock and very quiet everywhere in terms of people, so I thought it safe and okay to take my second walk of the day. It felt exciting again to be able to look through the viewfinder of the camera after such a long time. To see the bird come into focus and press the shutter button. So strange for something quite meaningless, but something that gives me great joy. I don't plan on taking the camera on all my walks, as it means stopping and that is not always ideal in these times. So early mornings and evenings for me, when it is at its quietest.

Anyhow, I managed to see quite a few birds, including some lovely House Martins, Swallows and Great Crested Grebes over and on the water. I also got to see quite a number of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. Hard to tell apart in looks, but always helps when they sing for you.

A Willow Warbler




 And the very similar Chiffchaff


Great Crested Grebe

Saturday, 1 September 2018

Goyt Valley

This is a look back to the Spring when there was a lot of activity in the Goyt Valley. One of my favourite places to visit at this time. So much going on and so much to see. It is quite the opposite in the autumn and winter when it can be very bleak and devoid of anything. It's still a lovely place to walk though.
This particular evening there were a few bits and bobs around. The usual Canada Geese were calling from the bank side of Errwood Reservoir and the odd Red Grouse could be heard every so often.

Song Thrush on the dry stone wall.


A Tree Pipit in its usual lofty position.

A Willow Warbler in amongst the fresh new leaves


Saturday, 23 June 2018

Common Sand and Willow Warbler

Hunting for summer migrants was tiring work, and although I was looking for something a bit more exciting, I was still pleased to see my first Common Sandpiper of the year and a whole host of Willow Warblers. The walks are never quiet at this time of year, and Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs can usually be picked out of the chorus.
The light was not great as the sun set behind the Peaks, but this was my only decent shot as a Common Sandpiper flew across Errwood reservoir.


A poorly lit Willow Warbler


Wednesday, 14 September 2016

Spurn - Migration Festival

It has been a while since I've been out and about. School holidays and other commitments do get in the way some times, but I try to make the most of the time I have when I can get out with the binoculars and camera. Last weekend was one of those special days, when weather, company and birds all come together in one place to make it memorable.
A 4:30am start saw my friend Phil and I heading to Spurn on the East coast. Arriving just after 7am we found our first good bird within minutes. A Spotted Flycatcher, which was joined briefly by a Redstart in the hedge.
Overhead was a constant stream of hirundines and hundreds of Meadow Pipits. Warblers were in very good supply, with Reed, Willow, Whitethroat, and Sedge in various places.

Some good sea watching turned up a couple for the year list in Black Tern and Red-throated Diver.
A Mediterranean Gull in a field was nice to see and there were plenty of waders on the mud flats. One that got away though was a Wood Sandpiper that was taken by a Peregrine moments before I could get into the hide. With 70 different species seen in the day though, I couldn't really complain, but I did feel a bit gutted about that Wood Sand. :(

This Sedge Warbler was in hand after being ringed and soon after released.

A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was one of many seen on the day.

Starlings were starting to gather on the power lines. A sure sign that Autumn is just around the corner.

A small party of Northern Wheatear were in this ploughed field at Kilnsea.

Willow Warbler

A Yellow Wagtail spent a lot of its preening in the sunshine.

Thursday, 26 May 2016

Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve

Woolston is such a large reserve that you never really know what you might see. There could be literally anything lurking anywhere. There are the site usuals that you would expect to see at certain times of the year, and then you get something quite out of this world like the White-crowned Sparrow that turned up a few weeks back.
One of the highlights of the spring and summer are the Black-necked Grebes. Very small birds, but what they lack in size they make up for in colour. They tend to stay away from the shore line and therefore the hides, but with a scope, they are great to watch.
Here are some of the regulars and the not so common Black-necked Grebes.

Shelduck in front of the Morgan hide.


Willow Warbler in song.

Black-necked Grebe in it's fine breeding plumage.


A well hidden male Blackcap.


Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Where's that Warbler?

A visit to Astley Moss recently meant I got to see a lot of the usual farmland birds. There were Tree Sparrows and Yellowhammers aplenty, and some of the summer migrant warblers too. The song of the Willow Warbler is nice to hear, but they're not always that easy to see. I find that once I've located them I have to second guess where they are going to move to next. Which branch? Up or down? Left or right? Thankfully the trees were not in full leaf and made my life a little easier.

The Common Whitethroat is another bird that doesn't make life easy for you. You can hear it, but not always see it. Then just as you think you're about to lay eyes on it, there it goes, further away than before.

Common Whitethroat, this time playing nicely.


Willow Warbler, before moving off again.


Friday, 14 August 2015

Back in the Spring

An evening on the moors around Derbyshire is always nice. Red Grouse bubble away and frequently show themselves. Raptors will often put in an appearance as they quarter for prey.
These pictures were taken one late evening in Spring. The sun had almost set and so there was not a great deal of light.
I could hear the grouse bubbling away, but it took me a while to locate one. I was sat in my car so as not to disturb them. Then one popped it's head up and gave itself away.

You can see the long grass was in need of some rain and warmth.

I got all of a fluster when I could see a large winged bird heading towards me and the car. It was a Short Eared Owl!! I've see these many times before, but there is something a little magical about seeing an owl. These birds are fantastic, and just awesome to watch as they float across the moors.
Almost dark by this point, hence the grainy shots, and it was almost past me before I could blink.


An early returning Willow Warbler, with the trees still in bud.

Tuesday, 7 July 2015

Spring Warblers

With the majority of birds now hunkered up in hedges and bushes with their young, I thought I'd take a better look at the birds that are now in hiding. Some of our Spring migrants are easy to find when they are singing in leaf less trees, can be almost impossible to spot at this time of year.
I was lucky enough to get some decent shots of a few of them.

Blackcap. Not easy to see at the best of times.

Chiffchaff. I've heard a few of these singing again recently.

 Willow Warbler