How many birds can you see in a day?
BIRDS
By William Bowell May is a month of ‘many weathers’ but it is also a month of many birds! Residents are joined by returning spring migrants which either remain around these here parts, or move further north, whilst winter lingerers also remain in situ waiting for the weather to improve to the north.
so damn rare around here. A Tawny and a couple of Woodcocks also eased our troubled minds and so we had to leave to head to our dawn site.
On a high our team continued it’s tour of the Deeping’s gravel pits which revealed more bonus birds like Scott the Scaup (a sea duck still present at Deeping Lakes now!), Graham the Cattle Egret (a rare European visitor), Peter the Pintail and George the Egyptian Goose. Yes, our addled, tired brains had started giving individual birds names. Needless to say, long-staying Lottie the Long-tailed Duck had done a bunk....
Castor Hanglands, west of Peterborough- a fantastic woodland site which is This makes May a particular month to famed for it’s amphibians Other near-arctic waders we found included Dunlin partake in what birders’ call a ‘big day’ and orchids but our by the score, Knot, Turnstones, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed or bird race. This involves staying awake targets were feathered Godwits and Greenshank. Our luck was certainly in, for an absurd amount of hours trying and hopefully singing in fact we recorded 18 species of wader during the day, to identify (via sight or sound) as many Red Kite. 10 years ago we would have and drumming! This is when 8 would be consider the norm. different species of birds in one day. had to go to the far west of the area to find the best place around these on the Bird Race. In 2017 we saw Peterborough to hear As the day went on we continued to rack up the count My friend Mike Weedon and I do this them at most sites. the wonderful songster but as ever, 24 hours just never seems enough. By every year in the Peterborough recording Nightingale and there was dinner time, we were starting to think we weren’t area which is a cross shape centring on no shortage. We also cleared up on a number of other going to make it. Then we realised we had a whole gem the city. A couple of years ago Mike and I set the of a site to visit- the Nene Washes. Alive with birds ‘calendar day’ record with 120. Last year Mike and I woodland species but the hoped for Lesser-spotted Woodpecker evaded our ears. as ever including a surprise Curlew among the usual were joined by newbies and locals Hugh Wright and suspects. Due to the Andrew Gardener who wanted in on the action. In truth I must reveal that a lot of the birds extreme tiredness one recorded on these ‘Big Days’ are heard only. experiences on these The disappointment was more enough instant with days, I can’t actually one of the quietest spring evenings ever. We heard just Birds are very vocal at this time of year and really remember four species at our chosen start site at 1.15am and not of course there is a certain amount of skill much about the latter one of them was the desired and essential crepuscular to be able to tell the difference between a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker’s softer, stages of the day. species we yearned Crepuscular species such as Tawny Owl prolonged drumming against a tree One important fact for. But hang on it’s are key to a successful bird race. We trunk compared to a Great-spotted I do remember - we only 3am there are recorded all five breeding Owl species in Woodpecker. broke the record. No, still another 21 hours 2017. actually we smashed of birding time left! Whilst at Castor, news reached us it. We recorded 126 Our next site, a piece that it was all happening to the north species! of remnant ancient at Maxey Gravel Pits. Waders move Black-tailed Godwit. The Nene Washes fen to the south of the through our area every year but is one of the few places this species breeds Will Bowell works at area, appeared to be when and where is largely weather in Britain. Grasmere Farm Butchers just as quiet. As the dependant. The last decent wader in Deeping but in his light started so did passage on a bird race was in 2007 so we were spare time enjoys wildlife watching locally and across the the birds- a female thrilled to hear about Grey Plover and Barcountry. He is also a keen photographer. Many of his images Long-eared Owl was tailed Godwit that had pitched down on their can be found at www.justwildimages.blogspot.co.uk/ undoubtedly the way to their arctic breeding grounds. highlight as these are 25
