Tuesday 16 April 2013

Migrants on 'the patch'

Tuesday 16th April 2013
The day began with a hike around the Caldecote Hall 'patch'. There was no sign of the flock of  Redwings and Fieldfare that had been hanging on in the sheep fields but they had been replaced by about 10 Swallows. It also great to see a pair of Yellow wagtails on the freshly ploughed field. My next stop was the distribution centre at Piccadilly. The old slag heaps sometimes attract Wheatears but today only Skylarks and a single Meadow pipit could be found although a few kids on BMXs didnt help. At Cliff pool there was an LRP and a Green Sandpiper and  moving round to the other lakes a pair of Raven flew overhead. At Bodymoor Heath water there was another pair of Yellow wagtails in the Hydroplane area and 8 terns over the water. They were mostly Common terns with I or 2 Arctic terns. There were yet more terns at Shustoke reservoir again mostly Common with a few Arctics. There were also 2 House Martins amongst the Swallows.
Yellow wagtail, Caldecote
Skylark, Piccadilly
Skylark
Little ringed Plover, Cliff pool, Kingsbury W.P.
Little ringed Plover
Common Tern, Bodymoor Heath Water, Kingsbury W.P.
Arctic tern, Bodymoor Heath Water - comparison of profiles of the two species, note the wings foward appearance of the Arctic tern because of the longer tail
Yellow wagtail at Bodymoor Heath Water

No comments:

Post a Comment