30th Apr 2016

The end of April continued in a similar way as previous days and eventually fizzled out. One of the highlights was a male Redstart this morning in the hedge through the cattle field. I actually only picked it out because it was singing! This is the fifth or sixth bird this spring, which is exceptional for here. John had a Wheatear on the morning of the 29th and there has been odd records of single White Wagtails and Little Ringed Plover and the odd one or two Swifts passing through.

The other highlight was the number of Common Sandpipers passing through. John had seven (possibly eight) on the 28th, definitely eight in the morning of the 29th and there was twelve by the evening (seven at the reservoir and five at the Borrow Pit pool). However, on the 30th there was only two on the reservoir.

The Long-tailed Tit nest is still active with a bird sitting and being fed by it's partner. Unfortunately it seems the Treecreeper nest failed before it really got going and there is now no activity or even evidence of the nest that was being constructed. In the wood I found some Badger latrines, which is not that unusual, but there were Rook feathers in/on the latrines. I couldn't quite figure out if this was coincidence or if the Badgers have been feasting on juveniles that have possibly fallen out of the nest too early. Otter spraints are occasionally along the river and canal but activity here seems to be very infrequent at the moment.