Wyver Lane Bird Notes April 2011
Highlights include Barnacle Goose, Red Kite, Red-Legged Partridge, Cuckoo,
Wheatear, Redstart, Yellow Wagtail and Grasshopper Warbler.
A dry month throughout but a good selection of passage birds were found.
Maximum counts this month include 2 Cormorants on 3rd, 5 Grey Heron
on 23rd. 2 Mute Swans all month, 32 Greylag Geese and 38 Canada Geese
on 16th, a pair of Canada Geese nesting on the island successfully hatched
6 young on 26th, a Barnacle Goose on 2nd and 7th. Up to 4 Mandarin seen
on several dates. 3 Wigeon on 18th, 4 Gadwall up to 3rd then a pair to the
end of the month. 39 Teal on 3rd and 6 by the end of the month. Up to 4
Mallard broods were seen. 5 Shoveler on 1st, 3rd and 6th and a pair still
present at the months end. 5 Tufted Duck on 16th, 6 Goosander on 15th.
A Red Kite was seen on 6th. This is only the 4th record for Wyver Lane. 4
Buzzards on 2nd and 12th. 2 Sparrowhawks on 2nd, 7th, 9th and 16th.
2 Kestrel on 9th.
A Red-Legged Partridge on 21st. 5 Pheasants on 15th. 5 Oystercatchers on
10th which is a site record. A pair were still present at the end of the month
and were showing signs of possibly nesting on the island. 10 Lapwing on
23rd. 2 Snipe on 9th and 19th, and a Curlew on 12th and 15th. 13 Black-
Headed Gulls on 2nd, 5 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls on 12th. 6 Stock Doves on
15th. 2 Collared Doves on 23rd, a Cuckoo was heard calling on 23rd. A Little
Owl on 2nd, a Skylark over on 2nd, 30+ Sand Martins on 7th, 50 Swallows
on 7th and 14th. 6 Housemartins on 12th.
4 Meadow Pipit on 2nd, a Yellow Wagtail on 10th and 19th, 3 Grey Wagtails
on 1st, 2 Pied Wagtails on 5th. A Redstart was heard singing near Wyver
Woods in the fields behind the hide on 14th, a second male was then seen
nearby. On the 16th one male was seen with a female. A female Wheatear
seen from the viewing mound on 2nd, 5 Mistle Thrush on 2nd, a Grasshopper
Warbler was heard briefly reeling between the two pools on 19th. The first
Sedge Warbler of the year was heard on 23rd. A Whitethroat on 14th and 3 on
28th, a Garden Warbler on 12th and 26th, 4 Blackcap on 15th, 6 Chiff Chaff on
6th, 2 Willow Warbler on 6th.
2 Willow Tits were at the feeding station on 5th, 4 Jay on 7th and 14th, 8
Magpies on 2nd, a Brambling by the hide on 15th and a pair in Wyver Woods on
16th. 5 Goldfinch on 1st, a Siskin on 2nd, 2 Linnets on 9th, a Lesser Redpoll on
9th and 5 Reed Buntings on 1st.