Author: P

Today there were 3 different Nightingales in the Betley area. One by the crossroads , one towards Little Betley and another in a hedge leading south from the riverbank. Heard a Reed Warbler just west of the bridge, Skylarks and a Cetti’s Warbler singing in the snipe field near Chates and at least 3 Reed Buntings.

Val Bentley, 14th May 2025

Great orchestra on the Downslink this morning, just from Betley Bridge to the Railway Inn.

Blackcaps, Nightingale (possibly 2), Blackbirds, Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaffs, Robins, House Sparrows, Wrens, Song Thrush, Great and Blue Tits and Merlin heard a Garden Warbler.

Tony Fitzgerald, 13th May 2025

A female Sparrowhawk dashed through Bishop Park this afternoon, causing the local Starlings and House Martins to make a right racket.

Paul Cole, 11th May 2025

A Sparrowhawk used our patio as a breakfast bar this morning, the unfortunate breakfast being a Sparrow or a Dunnock.

Also Swifts were up in the eves of our neighbour’s house today, but due to the location of our boxes we were unable to see these without camping out next to our fence, which we did not do.

Martin Tooth, 11th May 2025

Yesterday evening a Swift entered the box which has been used for the last two years.

This morning six Starling fledglings were learning the ropes; where to have a bath in the pond, which Starling to go to begging for food, how to jump/fly from the ground and land in the bird bath and how not to fly into a window when spooked. Great fun.

Debbie and Nigel Colgate, 9th May 2025

On a Wednesday for a change! Ezio and I were joined by Laura (for only a short time!) very new member John G and his friend Jonathan (for longer), plus Mary F, Angela T and fairly new member Scott who all stayed the whole course.

Mostly a morning of listening, and pointing out the different species’ songs as we walked along the old railway line. Plenty of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs of course, with resident Robins, Blackbirds and Wrens all sounding forth. Wheezy Greenfinches were by the Sandy Lane crossroads, and we heard at least three Goldcrests a bit further to the south. We slipped into the fields by the kissing gate and could hear two Whitethroats trying to outdo one another, but never managed to get one to stay still for long enough for a decent view. A Cetti’s Warbler was singing and moving round the hedge line, a Reed Warbler was at the bottom of the field and a Reed Bunting perched on a dead branch, showing nicely. Just about heard a Yellowhammer to the south, then a Lesser Whitethroat rattle. There were several geese in the fields, and by the heronry a pair of Greylag Geese with 2 fluffy goslings. Difficult to see the Heron nests, but two were definitely occupied. No sign of Little Egrets though. Maybe too dry this year?

At Stretham Manor a Cuckoo was calling insistently, and as we headed upriver Scott managed to spot a Kestrel hovering and a crowd of Rooks, Herring Gulls and Jackdaws were mobbing 5 Buzzards. A bit later the corvids and Herring Gulls were all down in fields to the west – not really our patch, but good to see. We heard another Cuckoo and then found it perched in a dead tree, so all got a nice view through my ‘scope. As it took off and flew south, another called from the north, so reckon we had three Cuckoos in total. A pair of Red Kites flew across, briefly landing in Stretham Wood before flying low overhead. A smart male Linnet sang from the top of a hawthorn and a couple more flew over. The overflow pit held 3 Lapwings, a pair of Coots and half a dozen Mallards, including a white one.

Time was getting on, so we came straight back along the bridleway from New Inn, but still didn’t get back to base until about 1. Thanks to all for company and spotting abilities!

All species in BirdTrack which made the total 43. Rather oddly, I never noted down Blue Tit but there must have been one somewhere!

Val Bentley, 7th May 2025

Just a single Nightingale singing this morning at the Little Betley crossroads. So close, but I couldn’t see it. A Song Thrush seemed to be almost answering it every time it paused. Further south a Lesser Whitethroat was singing his socks off and Merlin picked up a Garden Warbler too, but I did wonder if it was identifying the Lesser’s initial warble as a Garden, because a bird flew from where the song was emanating, crossed the railway line and immediately sang the Lesser song.

Val Bentley, 6th May 2025

We have had a very handsome visitor to the feeders over the last couple of days and stayed long enough for Lesley to get a photo of a male Bullfinch.

Lesley also witnessed the culprit responsible for us finding the suet bar cage that we have recently found on the ground away from the feeder a number of times recently. A Carrion Crow managed to unhook the cage while still in flight, then flew up before dropping it the ground, the lid opened up and it grabbed the suet bar whole and flew off with it! Damn clever these corvids!

Mike Russell, 4th May 2025

Heard my first Cuckoo of the year yesterday from my garden , it was somewhere near The Railway Tavern, but better than that, this afternoon we had not one, not two and not even three, but FOUR, Red Kites low over our garden with a clear blue sky above them – it was fantastic!

Martin Tooth, 2nd May 2025

I had a swallow fly over my garden and I’m 99% sure it was a Red-rumped Swallow. I only saw it briefly but the underneath of the tail was dark black and the solid black extended on to the under-tail coverts/vent end in a straight line. It was flying strongly in a westerly direction.

Roger French, 2nd May 2025