Sunday 15 May 2022

15th May 2022

The slow trickle of migration continues with the first Swift seen over Ainderby on 7th May but the first significant arrival from 10th

They actually beat House Martins back this year with the first pair of martins over Morton on 11th. This latter species has really declined in the parish in recent years and only the odd pair still nest in Ainderby itself.  

Garden warblers seem to have arrived in good numbers, at least in comparison with recent years, but Lesser Whitethroats are exceptionally scarce with only one singing bird noted so far.  Yellow Wagtails have so far been restricted to the meadows along the river but there look to be three pairs along the river between Morton bridge and the spinney...

The most interesting migrant records though fell to other villagers with Tracey hearing Cuckoo down Greenhills Lane yesterday and Andy having excellent views of Osprey moving south along the Swale today (including at least one fishing attempt in the river).

John did a ringing session in the Magic Garden last week but it was worryingly poor, some of that reflected the late/non arrival of migrants but even resident birds seemed in very short supply. Most interesting bird was this Willow Warbler…

It was a re-trap of a bird John had ringed in the same place almost four years ago to the day. It was an adult then, so this little bird has made at least ten journeys to and from southern Africa.  

In terms of butterflies I saw my first Common Blue this week and my first Wall of the year…

This is a declining species so it’s good it is still hanging on in Ainderby (although numbers are small). I also photographed this rather nice female Orange Tip on bluebells...

Finally, I had another Otter on the river. Some way from my last sighting so possibly a second holt here?

Monday 2 May 2022

2nd May 2022

John came to do some bird ringing in the wild garden at Ladyfield on Friday. A total of 27 birds ringed which was ok considering there was so little sign of movement. A pair of Blackcap, a Willow Warbler and five Chiffchaff were the only summer migrants… 



Other birds caught included Treecreeper, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting and a couple of Goldcrests, including this male…

Yesterday I walked down from Ainderby to the river and then along to Morton bridge. My first Lesser Whitethroat was singing on Langlands and there were now good numbers of Common Whitethroats seen along the route. Six singing Corn Buntings (depressingly outnumbering Yellowhammers now), three pairs of Grey Partridge, three Yellow Wagtails, Kingfisher, three Cormorants…

...Five Oystercatchers, Green Sandpiper, four Little Egrets and good numbers of Sand Martins…  

More surprisingly there was still a small flock of Fieldfare feeding on the pasture at Langlands. The latest I have ever seen them in the parish.

In my last post I was bemoaning the scarcity of Hares in recent months but today I saw at least eight individuals. Fantastic animals…

Less positively this Mink was hunting along the river bank. The first I’ve seen for many months...