Spring Migrants in Warwickshire

Seckington Straw!

A glorious spring day broke in style with my first local Blackcap of the year singing just outside the bedroom window as we awoke. After breakfast it was then time for a short walk around the farm to check out my favourite set-aside field. My landlord has been spreading cow muck around this field all winter and it has been a great place to keep an eye on, especially after I found a LITTLE BUNTING in it last November.

Yellowhammer (male) - Seckington, Warwickshire
Photo by Adam Archer

A quick visit yesterday evening produced an impressive 21 Northern Wheatears and there could have been even more. This is the highest total I have ever had in my home County, all together in one locality. Despite another thorough search I failed in my quest to find a Ring Ouzel but I did see my first Yellow Wagtail of the year along with a single Grey Partridge.

Northern Wheatear (male) - Seckington, Warwickshire
Photo by Adam Archer

Northern Wheatear (male) - Seckington, Warwickshire

Photo by Adam Archer

With pretty clear skies overnight I knew that most of the birds would have moved on but we still managed to find at least 10 Northern Wheatear along with 2 Yellow Wagtail. A single Fieldfare appeared rather confused and looked relatively out of place but a pair of Common Whitethroat continued the springtime theme. There were also around 10 Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark and a scattering of Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting.

We then decided to head south and twitch a male Ring Ouzel at Earlswood Lakes near Solihull. A Common Tern was my first of the year as it passed over Windmill Pool and a Common Sandpiper was flushed from the bank as we walked around to the southern end. Initially there was no sign of the elusive upland thrush however it eventually did show feeding around the perimeter of it's favourite horse paddock albeit a little distantly.

Ring Ouzel (male) - Earlswood Lakes, Warwickshire
Photo by Vince Garvey

I finished the day down at the patch at Alvecote Pools. Around Mill Pool the Common Shelduck numbers had reduced to 6 birds but the Gadwall numbers remained pretty high at 36 individuals. A trio of Northern Shoveler were fresh arrivals. Over  at Upper Pool a Common Sandpiper was spotted and 4 Yellow Wagtails fed busily around the water's edge.  A fine day indeed in Shakespeare's County.

Yellow Wagtail (male) - Alvecote Pools, Warwickshire
Photo by Adam Archer

Yellow Wagtail (female) - Alvecote Pools, Warwickshire
Photo by Adam Archer