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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Coney Meadow and Adjoining Areas (6 Viewers)

gropper still singing from east side about 6pm ,notice alack of long tailed tits lately is normal for this time of year? still good numbers of standard birds including skylark in the fields up copcut lane
 
Spotted Flycatcher in trees and bushes adjacent to Coney Meadow this morning - freshly arrived!

A pair of Tufted Ducks circled over the reedbed.

Cuckoos performing well again.

Gropper singing by east gate early morning.

A few Swifts, Swallows and House Martins.

Lesser Whitethroat singing.

Currently watching a family party of 10+ Long-tailed Tits ;-)
 
Cuckoo Meadow

I think this should be the new name for this site.8-P

A fantastic performance by at least 4 Cuckoos in Coney Meadow this evening - chasing each other around, uttering all sorts of unearthly noises. There were 3 males and at least 1 female (possibly 2). Occasionally, they dropped in the reedbed and came out with big hairy caterpillars of the Drinker Moth.

3 Groppers reeling this evening.

4 Sand Martins and a dozen Swallows roosted in the reedbed.

At least a further 3 Cuckoos were around Porter's Mill earlier, where single drake Tufted Duck and Gadwall were also present.

Other birds included Kingfishers, Grey Wagtails, Coot, Ravens (juvs and adults), Kestrel (2), Sparrowhawks, Herons, Buzzards, Common Whitethroats, Reed and Sedge Warblers.

Below - Drinker Moth Caterpillar (several seen), Azure Damselfly and Tree Bumblebee. Other insects seen included Brimstones (both Moth and Butterfly), Speckled Woods, Orange Tips, Peacocks, Beautiful Demoiselle.
 

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Hobby over High Park this afternoon.
Spotted Flycatcher singing in trees around the weirpool below the church this morning.
Grasshopper Warbler showing well by the east gate
Willow Warbler singing on Gorsey Bank
Lesser Whitethroat singing by east gate.
Common Whitethroats
Cuckoos
2Black-headed Gulls over - usually scarce in May
Swifts over
Swallows
Nuthatch
Treecreepers
 
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Today, my first Banded Demoiselles, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Red Admiral on the patch for this year. Several Beautiful Demoiselles, Specled Woods, Brimstones, Orange Tips, Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks.

Spotted Flycatcher briefly by weir pool.

2 singing Willow Warblers - one Gorsey Bank, one Ladywood

7 Ravens - 5 Juvs and 2 ads

Good views of Grasshopper Warbler

Grey Wagtail

Cuckoos etc.
 
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Gropper on east side singing every evening so far this week around 18.20 onwards. Cuckoo calling from dead tree west side, Green woody seems to be busy, female Bull finch seen in wood east of coney, now seen plenty of LT tits. also had one BH gull Monday evening
 
rollingthunder said:
Keep a close eye on those Groppers Dave - you never know:eek!:

http://birdingfrontiers.com/2014/05/22/pale-grasshopper-warbler-and-identifying-eastern-birds/

Laurie:t:
Click to expand...

That is an interesting, very pale bird. We've not had any that pale but we did have a very yellow-looking individual last year - see page 17 of this thread - Pete Walkeden posted his photo of it. The photo is front-on and shows a yellow wash to the breast but it doesnt show the bright greeny/yellow feathers on the wings/ mantle of the bird - the overall impression was very bright for a Gropper. I guess there is a lot of individual variation.
 
Migrant Spring Return Dates

Comparison of return dates on the patch for a selection of species over the last 3 years:

Chiffchaff 01/04/12, 10/03/13, 25/01/14 (first singing bird 01/03/14)
Willow Warbler 02/04/12, 13/04/13, 04/04/14
Grasshopper Warbler 28/04/12, 16/04/13, 05/04/14
Sedge Warbler 19/04/12, 16/04/13, 13/04/14
Reed Warbler 21/04/12, 17/04/13, 12/04/14
Lesser Whitethroat 02/05/12, 13/04/13, 13/04/14
Common Whitethroat 01/05/12, 20/04/13, 14/04/14
Swallow 14/04/12, 13/04/13, 23/03/14
House Martin 11/04/12, 14/04/13, 13/04/14
Sand Martin 21/04/12, 14/04/13, 23/04/14
Cuckoo 18/04/12, 17/04/13, 14/04/14
Blackcap (singing) 10/03/12, 13/04/13, 05/01/14 (first singing bird 02/03/14)
Spotted Flycatcher 12/05/12, 31/05/13, 19/05/14
Hobby 08/05/12, 02/05/13, 04/05/14
 
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Woodchat said:
Comparison of return dates on the patch for a selection of species over the last 3 years:

Chiffchaff 01/04/12, 10/03/13, 25/01/14 (first singing bird 01/03/14)
Willow Warbler 02/04/12, 13/04/13, 04/04/14
Grasshopper Warbler 28/04/12, 16/04/13, 05/04/14
Sedge Warbler 19/04/12, 16/04/13, 13/04/14
Reed Warbler 21/04/12, 17/04/13, 12/04/14
Lesser Whitethroat 02/05/12, 13/04/13, 13/04/14
Common Whitethroat 01/05/12, 20/04/13, 14/04/14
Swallow 14/04/12, 13/04/13, 23/03/14
House Martin 11/04/12, 14/04/13, 13/04/14
Sand Martin 21/04/12, 14/04/13, 23/04/14
Cuckoo 18/04/12, 17/04/13, 14/04/14
Blackcap (singing) 10/03/12, 13/04/13, 05/01/14 (first singing bird 02/03/14)
Spotted Flycatcher 12/05/12, 31/05/13, 19/05/14
Hobby 08/05/12, 02/05/13, 04/05/14
Click to expand...

Correction:

Sand Martin 21/04/12, 14/04/13, 23/03/14
 
Woodchat said:
No problem, Patch - glad it performed well for you. :t:
Click to expand...

And didn't it just - most obliging Gropper I've seen!

Great show also put on by at least 4 Cuckoo beyond Porters Mill, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, good numbers of Sedge & Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, etc. Excellent day....but further than I remembered walking back down the river to Worcester!!
 
Quite a decent day on the patch. Highlight was the Red Kite - a patch year tick. Also recorded today:

Little Owl usual area, Ladywood
Kestrel near Porter's Mill
Sparrowhawks
Buzzards
3 Grasshopper Warblers singing this evening - 2 showing exceptionally well again
3 Cuckoos Coney Meadow plus further birds around Porter's Mill
Lesser Whitethroat singing this afternoon around Coney
Common Whitethroats
Coots (pair plus chicks) Porter's Mill
Kingfisher
Grey Wagtails
Reed and Sedge Warblers
Grey Herons
5 Greylags over Coney this evening
1 Canada Geese over
Mistle Thrushes, Song Thrushes
Reed Buntings with fledged young
Nuthatches (including fledged young)
Treecreepers (including fledged young)
singing Goldcrests
Bullfinches
Willow Warbler still Gorsey Bank
Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs
House Martins over Porter's Mill and Droitwich Woods
Swifts
Hirundine roost - c30 Sand Martins and about 10 Swallows
Ravens
Jays, Jackdaws, Rooks, Carrion Crows
Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Wood Pigeons
1 Black-headed Gull, Herring and LBB Gulls
Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers
4 Linnets
Pied Wagtails

Insects included Brimstone, Orange Tips, Speckled Woods, Small Totoiseshells, Green-veined Whites, Banded and Beautiful Demoiselles, Azure Damselflies, Honey Bees, Carpet Moths.

My first Common Blue butterfly of the year seen yesterday in Coney Meadow.

Noctule and Pipistrelle bats this evening.
 
Yesterday evening (05/06/14):

2+ Grasshopper Warblers - good views
3 Cuckoos (1 male, 2 females) in same tree. Female caught and ate big hairy caterpillar.
1 Water Rail heard singing
Swifts, Swallows, Sand Martins
Buzzard
Reed and Sedge Warblers
2 Ravens
Grey Heron
Mistle Thrush
Black-headed, Herring and LBB Gulls gathered in nearby field
Noctules and Pipistrelles
 
Woodchat said:
Yesterday evening (05/06/14):

2+ Grasshopper Warblers - good views
3 Cuckoos (1 male, 2 females) in same tree. Female caught and ate big hairy caterpillar.
1 Water Rail heard singing
Swifts, Swallows, Sand Martins
Buzzard
Reed and Sedge Warblers
2 Ravens
Grey Heron
Mistle Thrush
Black-headed, Herring and LBB Gulls gathered in nearby field
Noctules and Pipistrelles
Click to expand...

a bloke at Upton today, told me he had Barn owl - yesterday I think:t:
 
My first Large Skipper of the year yesterday in Coney. Damselflies increasing slowly - Blue-tailed, Azure and the two Demoiselle spp.

2 Grasshopper Warblers
The usual warblers, including Lesser Whitethroat at Porter's Mill
4 Cuckoos
Male Kestrel
Tawny Owl calling by church
3 Grey wagtails
still ~40 hirundines in the roost
30 Swifts

3+ Noctules and several Pipistrelles.

Pyramidal Orchids just starting to bloom.
 
A Muntjac in Coney Meadow yesterday evening leapt into the reedbed.

A Magpie Moth on Gorsey Bank was my first this year.

Groppers and Cuckoos performed well again plus male Kestrel and the family party of 7 Ravens roosted.

A small group of 3 or 4 Common Whitethroats in bushes in the east of the meadow looked like a family party but I didn't get great views to confirm they included juvs.

Juvenile Goldcrest on Sunday near Salwarpe confirms successful local breeding.
 
Good views of Lesser Whitethroat at Ladywood yesterday evening. Porter's Mill area pretty quiet - male Kestrel, Common Whitethroat, Reed and Sedge warblers, Mute Swans with 3 cygnets (they seem to have lost one), House Martins.

4- 5 Cuckoos around Salwarpe / Coney - great views as they caught hairy caterpillars, shaking them to release the toxins.

3 or 4 Grasshopper Warblers still.

Hirundines - 40+ swallows and Sand Martins roosted.

Water rails calling.

Swifts and Noctules at dusk.
 

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