Wow! What a month; hardly time to catch one’s breath with the flurry of excellent sightings and records being broken left right and centre. In the 14 years I have been coming to Upton I am struggling to think of another period of sustained top-notch birding to rival what we have just experienced in April.
The usual monthly update will be appearing shortly but I thought it was worthwhile drawing together the highlights in a month when 116 species were recorded:-
Bluethroat – one at the Hen Pool on the 26th and 27th – second record for the reserve and third for the County; first sighting in the West Midlands region of the White-spotted form.
Spoonbill – one at the Flashes on the 22nd – second record for the reserve.
Hoopoe – one over the Moors Pool on the 9th - third record for the reserve.
Little Gull – two at the Moors Pool on the 9th; eight at the Moors Pool on the 18th – record count for the reserve
Bar-tailed Godwit – one at the Moors Pool (then the Flashes) on the 30th; a flock of 27 flew over the Moors Pool late on the 30th – record count for the reserve.
Sandwich Tern – one at the Moors Pool on the 18th.
Osprey – one over the Moors Pool on the 18th.
Wood Sandpiper – one at the Flashes from the 29th to 30th; a further two at the Moors Pool on the 30th.
Marsh Harrier – female over the Flashes on the 25th, female flew out of the Education Reserve on the 29th, female flew over the Moors Pool on the 30th.
Arctic Tern – one at the Moors Pool on the 24th, two at the Sailing Pool early on the 29th, one at the Flashes late on the 29th and two at the Moors Pool on the 30th.
Avocet – new reserve (and regional) record count of 19 at the Flashes on the 9th.
Red Kite – one seen three times over the reserve on the 9th; a different bird was over the Moors Pool on the 10th.
Mediterranean Gull - a second summer was present from early March until the 14th April, the longest staying individual recorded; a first summer was at the Flashes on the 22nd.
Whimbrel – one at the Flashes from the 29th to 30th.
Greenshank – one at the Flashes on the 29th and 30th.
Yellow Wagtail – noted on the 5th April at the Moors Pool and on a further eight dates.
White Wagtail – noted at the Moors Pool on the 7th and on a further eight dates.
Whinchat – one at the Flashes on the 17th.
Wheatear - a female was at the Flashes on the 10th, a pair at the Flashes on the 14th, a male at the Flashes on the 17th, a female at the Flashes on the 19th and a female at the Moors Pool on the 22nd (with presumably the same bird later the same day at the Flashes)
Redstart – one at the Flashes on the 12th.
Common Tern – first returning bird at the Moors Pool on the 3rd was the earliest ever return date
Pink-footed Goose – longest ever staying individual present from the 9th January until the 7th April.
Black-tailed Godwit – one at the Flashes on the 2nd.
Grasshopper Warbler – one reeled in several locations across the reserve from the 15th to 17th.
Merlin – one flew through the Moors Pool on the 7th.
The scary thought is that May has traditionally been more productive for rare birds at Upton .....
This a credit to all you guys who have spent many years and even more hours making this a reserve to be very proud of, I am glad to be a very samll part of such a fantastic bunch cheers B