 The first couple of weeks of April are almost done and I'd like to report some amazing sightings but somehow this usually peak period has drifted by quietly. A settled area of high pressure has brought beautifully clear days with a, at times, strong and chilly east wind. Rain and cloud cover have been non-existent and it feels as if these missing ingredients have resulted in a lack of migrant birds. Either birds are backing up waiting to arrive or are flying over, high in the clear skies, not needing to make the usual pitstops. That said, a steady trickle of migrants has kept things interesting if not exciting. Full of promise and headlining the period was a stunning male Blue-headed (Yellow) Wagtail of the European race flava. Found at the pits on 27th March the bird hung around for a couple of days giving many people the chance to view and photograph it. A perfect picture of Spring the bird suggested the start of something special but actually heralded a quiet few weeks! Blue-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava flava on 27th & 28th March 2025 While it feels the main influx of Spring migrants has yet to come, prior to the wagtail's arrival, there had been some movement with some expected arrivals in the from of Sand Martins and Swallows on 21st Mar. A Wheatear was found at nearby Nashe's Farm on the same day but it wasn't until 24th that one appeared in the big field at Stanborough GPs. A further 3 birds were then seen on 5th & 6th April. A slow passage for this species, especially given the seemingly ideal habitat at the pits. An Oystercatcher also put in an appearance on 21st along with another Mediterranean Gull and a Little Egret. The evening finished with a distant circling Marsh Harrier. Migrants on 21st March 2025 - Oystercatcher, Little Egret & Mediterranean Gull Two Dunlin were present on 22nd along with a singing Firecrest while a lone Golden Plover was seen flying around on 23rd & 24th Mar and then a flock of around 50 seen flying over on 27th. A single bird then appeared again on 5th April in the large field. Equally brief in its visits was a single Shelduck seen on 26th & 30th Mar then on 2nd and 5th April. Also present in the large field on 23rd Mar were a flock of around 130 Fieldfare but these had dwindled to just a handful in the first week of April. 2 Dunlin on 22nd Mar & the lone Golden Plover on 5th April A Willow Warbler was heard singing at the entrance on 30th Mar and various reports of a Water Pipit on 31st Mar and Rock Pipit on other dates were unconfirmed. Yellow Wagtails of the usual British race flavissima arrived on 2nd April with at least 10 present on 7th. Two Barnacle Geese were at the site on 4th April along with a Redshank and first singing Corn Bunting of the year. With so much of the vegetation gone it remains to be seen whether this species will breed at the site this year. Two Yellow-legged Gulls also passed through on 3rd April. Good numbers of Little Ringed Plovers remain on site with at least 16 counted on 7th April. At least 3 House Martins appeared in the hirundine flock on 6th April while the long-staying 7 Pintail dwindled to just 2 pairs and were not seen after that date. Remaining onsite were fluctuating numbers of White Wagtails, a pair of Egyptian Geese, at least 2 Green Sandpipers and up to 3 Common Snipe. Another welcome arrval was a Common Whitethroat on 10th April. Yellow Wagtails, a White Wagtail & Common Whitethroat With many of the expected migrants now arriving (the site year list stands at 105 species) the stage is set (hopefully) for something a little more special. Rain in the forecast still seems to evaporate before arriving and the skies are set to be clear for the foreseeable future so who knows?!
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 A Hobby on one of its favourite perches June is a busy month at the pits for breeding birds with many farmland birds finding the site attractive. This year an oil-seed rape crop has been buzzing with life supporting not just many insects but breeding pairs of Reed Bunting, Whitethroat and Skylarks. The field has also attracted surprisingly large flocks (for this time year) of Yellowhammer (20+) and Linnet (60+). The month as also seen a couple of Hobby visiting the site, at least 2 Corn Buntings singing from the weedy field margins and several pairs of Yellow Wagtails raising young. Pied Wagtails seem to have had a particularly good season with juvenile birds almost everywhere you look! At least 4 pairs of Little Ringed Plover have successfully hatched young although it is not clear how many went on to fledge. A pair of Ringed Plover, once a Herts breeding species, lingered to the middle of the month giving hope that they might breed but the last bird departed on 16th.  Little Ringed Plover chick Mandarin Duck numbers have fluctuated but a female emerged with 11 ducklings on 16th. Compared to last year, at least to date, the Mandarins don't seem to be having such as fruitful year and this may have something to do with increased disturbance on site and the removal of areas they would formerly have used.  The female Mandarin Duck with her brood of 11 new ducklings Both Little Owls and Barn Owls have nests on site and the Barn Owls have raised at least one chick and probably more. In addition, a Cuckoo seen on 28th gives hope that they may too have bred nearby. At least 3 singing males were present in the Spring and may well have bred around the Symondshyde Farm end of the site.
Some species appear not have faired so well this season such as Lapwing that, despite being present on site most days, don't seem to have taken advantage of the seemingly perfect habitat. Sand Martins also seemed to adopt a number of holes from last year but haven't raised young from them. That said, they remain in good numbers on site so may have bred nearby. |
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