Thursday 15 April 2010

Why me…why now???

The Safari can’t believe how poor Patch 1 is compared to last spring, and it’s not as if there aren’t any summer migrants elsewhere; the nature reserve a mile or so away is thick with Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. As far as we can tell the habitat hasn’t changed that much, a few small to medium sized dead Elms have been felled but other than that all is as it was. The rough area has seen no human intervention at all, so what’s goin’ on? A male Sparrowhawk was the only noteworthy bird this morning.
A two minute stop at the Golden Triangle produced the following, 2 singing Wrens, 2 singing Dunnocks, a singing Robin, 2 singing Greenfinches + a female, singing Chaffinch, singing Great Tit and a silent Woodpigeon. No sign of the Long Tailed Tits this morning,
Patch 2 is just immensely frustrating, no access what-so-ever from this side of the road…just what are we missing???
At lunchtime we tried to get on to Patch 2 half a mile of so further down the road but all the convenient places we could dump the Land Rover were already filled with parked cars. This could turn in to an horrendous nightmare of dip the biggy proportions.
Later in the afternoon we had a site visit to the potential Grass Snake habitat. No snakes...as if...but a few Toads, first of the year and a single Frog, lots of Frog tadpoles though. Moving one of the 'snake' refugia we found a lively Short Tailed Field Vole. Plenty of big queen Bumble Bees, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies. best sighting at the site and most unexpected was two pairs of Grey Partridges.
This evening the Golden Triangle gave us a singing Blackbird and the LongTailed Tits were in residence. Also saw the first Meadow Foxtail grass in flower this morning but guess what...by this evening the field had been mown...dohhhh the tidy everything Victorian mentality still reigns supreme.
Where to next? The increasingly frustrating Patch 1 is all that is open at the moment.
In the meantime let us know if you have missed the biggy in your outback yet.


3 comments:

Warren Baker said...

the sound of spring -willow warblers, blackcaps, chiffchaffs and bloody lawnmowers !!!

Patch 1 isn't the only place with a migrant shortage dave - there's none here either!

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Ooohh you fibber Warren - I saw a couplew of tastey Wheatear pics on your post today!!!!!

Stuart Price said...

Patch 1 sounds OK, I yearn to hear singing Willow warblers and Blackcaps........