LOCKDOWN - Week Five

21^st April

                Sunny and warm again but with a blustery easterly breeze; the Benthall loop was quiet again with presumably the same male Redstart at Benthall Pools giving a little burst of song and a single Peregrine distantly over Benthall Edge.   My first Comma (overdue?) and Green-veined Whites were on the wing along the lanes.

22^nd April

                Sunny and warm (almost hot at some points!) again with a much lighter breeze, I completely changed my routine and walked the Benthall loop at first light today (pros and cons of doing it this way – more singing passerines and fewer people but less soaring raptors and it doesn’t break the day up as well!).   There was a corresponding increase in singing warblers as totals comprised 19 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, 2 Willow Warblers and 8 Chiffchaffs along with the Redstart again singing in the same spot, a Siskin at Benthall, a late Redwing at Benthall Farm, a single Meadow Pipit (scarce now) and two Mute Swans which flew into land on the pools – the first time there’s been any there this year – they usually breed there but perhaps the pool is too overgrown now?   Wyke was quite productive in the afternoon with presumably the same Grasshopper Warbler singing again, this time from a Rape field close to Whitehouse Farm, the first Yellow Wagtail over to the north, two Sand Martins and a House Martin with Swallows overhead and a noticeable influx of Whitethroats with lots more singing males in the hedgerows.   The first few Speckled Woods were also on the wing.

23^rd April

                Warm and dry again but with a bit more scattered, high cloud; the Benthall loop was quiet with the pair of Peregrines again over Benthall Edge with a small, dark 2cy male zooming past Benthall Farm along with migrant totals consisting of 13 Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats, 2 Willow Warblers, 8 Chiffchaffs and the Redstart again singing from the same Oak tree at Benthall Pools.   My first Red Admiral of the year was seen down the lane – unusually there didn’t seem to have been any emerging from hibernation earlier in the spring when the Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells started to appear.

24^th April

                Fine, sunny and warm yet again; there was another little influx of Whitethroats into the area with six round the loop (including one male who was singing constantly, even as he was collecting nesting material) and many more in the hedgerows around Wyke, associated with these was a singing Lesser Whitethroat at Watery Lane.   There wasn’t too much else with two Cormorants over, the first Canada Goose goslings on the pools and a single Wheatear on the same bare field to the SE of Wyke.

25^th April

                Nothing to report!

26^th April

                Still warm, dry and calm but it clouded over by the afternoon with some light drizzle; not too much to mention through the day with the exception of a group of three Cormorants north over Benthall Farm (a peak count for the site), the singing Lesser Whitethroat still at Watery Lane and a nice group of 4 Wheatears on the now favoured bare field to the SE of Wyke.

27^th April

                Warm, dry and calm still but completely overcast right through the day; the change in conditions didn’t do a lot but the overdue first Swift of the year flew west over Wyke.

Green Woodpecker

Pied Wagtail

Greylag Geese

Comma

LOCKDOWN - Week Four

14^th April

                Cloudless and warm again although the very light easterly breeze still had a chill to it; the Benthall loop was quiet with no passage or much of anything noted apart from a Peregrine unsuccessfully chasing a little group of Racing Pigeons over The Vineyards.

15^th April

                Yet another gorgeous day, cloudless, sunny and warm with the easterly airflow gradually losing its chilling effect; the loop round Benthall was again uneventful with a Heron heading north super-high up the only passage noted while other birds included two singing Whitethroats among plenty of singing Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, a couple of Red Kites and a single Rook.   The highlight came later on though with a singing Grasshopper Warbler in a great looking set-aside field just down the lane in front of Manor Farm – I remember there being one singing in almost the exact spot when I was at school many years ago, I can’t say if its therefore a regular site as I would never check that area in April if it wasn’t for this lockdown!   It was a great area through with numerous singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs around the edge and a group of 4 Wheatears on a bare field up the stream to the east.

16^th April

                Similar weather again but it clouded over by mid-afternoon; the highlight of the Benthall loop was definitely a gorgeous male Redstart giving little bursts of song from an isolated tree at the main Benthall Pools.   There was limited other things to mention but the Grasshopper Warbler sang again briefly in the afternoon from the same field while there was a new Whitethroat back on territory in that area as well.

17^th + 18^th April

                Nothing at all to mention, even though effort remained constant.

19^th April

                Bright and sunny, warm with a moderate easterly breeze; nothing to mention on the Benthall loop but the first Lesser Whitethroat of the year was giving little bursts of song in a hedge to the east of Wyke and a Sand Martin flew through.   Also of note were the first Red-tailed Bumblebee queens on the wing that I’ve seen this spring.

20^th April

                Sunny and breezy through the day; birds of note round the Benthall loop comprised a group of three House Martins north along Benthall Edge and three Peregrines, also over Benthall Edge which I think were the local pair seeing off an immature male – they were a long way away when I saw them.

Redstart

Jay

Blackcap

Whitethroat

LOCKDOWN - Week Three

7^th April

                A gorgeous day with barely a cloud in the sky or breath of wind; it was quiet though round Benthall – probably the old adage that the weather was too nice, with only a Sand Martin, 2 Swallows and 2 Meadow Pipits seemingly moving.   There were still at least 9 Willow Warblers round the pools with good numbers of Chiffchaffs and a couple of new singing Blackcaps while plenty of soaring raptors over Benthall Edge included 4 Red Kites, several Sparrowhawks and countless Buzzards – many of which were acrobatically displaying in pairs.

8^th April

                Another gorgeous day, warm, sunny and calm; it was quiet again with only a handful of Linnets which appeared to be half-heartedly moving NW.   Other birds included 5 Willow Warblers, 5 singing Blackcaps, plenty of Chiffchaffs still, a pair of Grey Wagtails acting suspiciously just below Wyke, distant Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, two Red Kites and the usual stacks of Buzzards over Benthall Edge and a lingering Fieldfare at Watery Lane.   It was also good to finally see some Butterflies other than Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock (which seemed to be moving across the fields) with a couple of Orange Tips and a Large White at Wyke.

9^th April

                Another fine, sunny day with a bit more hazy cloud and an easterly breeze; a few more things were moving with a House Martin going north, a high flock of 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls also heading north and 16 Meadow Pipits and a few Linnets heading NW.   Other birds included 4 Willow Warblers, 12 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, a group of 4 Fieldfares still at Benthall, a Sparrowhawk, a Red Kite and a Kestrel at Benthall which caught a Slow Worm.   The first Holly Blue was on the wing up the Cart-track.

10^th April

                Nice and warm again but again with more hazy cloud and a light easterly breeze; the highlight was a Tree Pipit heard going north over Benthall Edge – my first record for this area.   There was no other real passage although 4 Greenfinches and a couple of Linnets may have been moving but other birds included 4 Swallows, 2 Sparrowhawks, a 2cy male Peregrine over Benthall Pools, 6 Willow Warblers and 5 Blackcaps.   There was a female Wheatear in the traditional field up the Cart-track and it was good to see a really noticeable increase in Orange Tips all over the area, especially at Benthall.

11^th April

                Lovely and warm again with hardly any clouds or wind; quiet out and about as it felt more like a late summers day rather than early spring but two Peregrines flew over The Vineyards (an adult male and a 2cy female) where there was also a Green Woodpecker (first one here this year) and a Red Kite which went south, 2 Lapwings went west and 4 Swallows were at Benthall.   The first returning Whitethroat of the year was singing back on territory up the Cart-track and my first Brimstone of the year was at Benthall.

12^th April

                Still very pleasant but with a bit more cloud and slightly cooler conditions; birds round the loop included 2 Cormorants (one over to the west and one to the south), a Heron really high up over to the west, an epic flock of 38 Carrion Crows in a stubble field, a Swallow, 3 Willow Warblers, at least 7 Blackcaps and two singing Whitethroats (at Benthall Hall and along the Cart-track).   A distant Peregrine was perched on a pylon over towards Benthall in the afternoon as seen from Wyke.

13^th April

                After a wild night – windy with a spell of heavy rain, thunder and lightning, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky all day but the keen, brisk, easterly wind certainly gave the day an edge.   My enthusiasm waned through the day so I didn’t all the way round the loop but birds seen included a Red Kite, a flyover Rook, a group of four Lesser Black-backed Gulls over to the east and singing Whitethroat, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.   The fun Ashy Mining Bee colony along the Cart-track was particularly busy at lunchtime with an estimated 320 individuals in less than a 10m stretch.

The last Fieldfares of the spring

Blackcap

Buzzard

Hare

Fallow Deer

LOCKDOWN - More Insects

Dark-edged Bee Fly

Ashy Mining Bee

Tawny Mining Bee

Purple Thorn

White-marked

Spruce Carpet

Oak-tree Pug

LOCKDOWN - Moths (April 2nd - 7th)

Water Carpet

Brindled Beauty

Engrailed

Chestnut (maybe)

Shoulder Stripe

Brindled Pug

Early Thorn

Red-green Carpet

Streamer

LOCKDOWN - Week Two

31^st March

                Nice and dry again with a light but chilly northerly airflow still; presumably the same Blackcap was singing near Benthall Farm (with two still singing near Wyke), 3 Snipe, a Heron, 6 Chiffchaffs and quite a few Redwings still with 19 at The Vineyards and 18 at Benthall Hall – 42 species.

 1^st April

                Overcast and still a bit chilly but not bad really; the highlight of today’s visit to Benthall was a pair of Peregrines on pylons just to the north of Benthall Hall (both adults which really should be on eggs now…).   Other birds included two singing Blackcaps now on site (plus a couple of new singing birds at Wyke and along Benthall Edge), a good count of 42 Meadow Pipits – a migrant flock of 20+ at Benthall Hall and several groups purposefully heading NW, still a few Redwings around with odd ones along Benthall Edge (which were giving little bursts of sub-song) and a flock of 14 high over Benthall Farm, a Snipe, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel and 6 Chiffchaffs.   A Red Kite flew west over Wyke at lunchtime and two hirundines seen heading high north over The Vineyards were probably Swallows but were too far away to be sure – 41 species.

2^nd April

                Fairly quiet on patch with a Red Kite over Benthall Edge finally making the list and a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits heading NW finally totalling 40+ in small flocks regularly moving through; three flocks of Woodpigeons totalling 25 birds were also seemingly heading in the same direction.   The real excitement came after dark though with a flock of Common Scoters heard heading north at 22:05 (just luck that I was outside at that time) – part of a big overland movement recorded right across the country, these at the best guess, would have been moving up country from the Severn Estuary to the North Wales coast before heading eastwards across the Pennines to Yorkshire (where most of the records came from) and back out towards Scandinavia – 39 species.

3^rd April

                A nice day, plenty of sunshine but still a bit of a chilly SW wind; birds seen on the daily rove to Benthall included 2 Peregrines again but this time it was an adult male seriously seeing off a 2cy male over Benthall Edge, 3 soaring Sparrowhawks, endless Buzzards, still a handful of Redwings and Fieldfares, still a trickle of Meadow Pipits going NW (although today they were higher up and most of them were only heard), one singing Blackcap, three Little Grebes and 11 Snipe (first double figure count for a while).   There was a single male Wheatear in the traditional field up the Cart-track and three Red Kites were over Wyke – two messing around low and another very high up, purposefully heading SW – 41 species.

4^th April

                A nice day but still a chilly wind; birds on the walk included the first 2 Sand Martins of the year west across the fields, still a trickle of Meadow Pipits heading NW and 11 Redwing.   There was then a good flock of 46 Fieldfares at Wyke while a Red Kite went over – 40 species.

5^th April

                Partly sunny but with a brisk southerly wind; there seemed to be a bit of movement across the area but there was no pattern to it with my first 3 Swallows heading west (a one and a two), 3 Sand Martins – one north over The Vineyards and two east over Water Lane, 22 Linnets heading SW (including a flock of 16), 2 Siskins west and a handful of Meadow Pipits heading NW as usual.   Other birds included my first singing Willow Warbler by Benthall Hall, distant Red Kite, Peregrine, Cormorant and Lesser Black-backed Gull over Benthall Edge, two displaying Lapwings over fields to the SE of the patch and an increase to 14+ Chiffchaffs – 49 species (the best total so far).

6^th April

                Generally a lovely day with plenty of sunshine, although there were a couple of showers and a brisk wind (not as strong as yesterday though); the showers probably led to a brilliant ‘fall’ of 23+ Willow Warblers concentrated around the pools (five at Pool One, eleven at Pool Two and seven at Watery Lane), there were also at least 15 Chiffchaffs around as well; it was great to stand there with multiple Phylloscs flicking around in the trees – just like a coastal arrival!   Other birds included my first House Martin of the year high over Benthall Edge, at least 5 Swallows through, a Sparrowhawk, loads of Buzzards, 15+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls high to the north, 2 Snipe, a Red Kite, a handful of Redwings still in the woods along Benthall Edge and a good count of 36 Linnets while a handful of Meadow Pipits and a Siskin went NW.   The Long-tailed Tit nest that I’ve been following is now a completed dome, five days after being started – 46 species.

Willow Warblers

Long-tailed Tit putting the finishing touches to the outside of her nest

Blackcap

Reed Bunting

Blackbird

Robin