Author: P

We heard our first Cuckoo of the year here in Furners Lane yesterday afternoon, in the fields behind Field House

Alan and Ann Burnage, 10th April 2024

Hardly any wildfowl around now, though didn’t go as far south as the heronry this morning. Could only find Coots, Mallards, 9 Tufted Ducks about 20 Shoveler, a lone Gadwall, a handful of Canada & Greylag Geese, one Egyptian Goose, a few Lapwings and 50 or so Herring Gulls. There were a pair of Teal asleep between Rye & Buckwish Farms, then I heard a Whitethroat singing briefly then doing it’s little “grrr” call from a bush by the Rye Farm track.

Val Bentley, 8th April 2024

Woods Mill, 08:30-10:15. On the reserve a Reed Warbler was singing alongside a Cetti’s Warbler. No sound here of the Nightingale reported three days ago, nor the Cuckoo reported this morning. However, over the road, along the Mill Stream three Nightingales were in full, bubbling song and a Cuckoo too, over the hedge on the north side, cuckooing away as they do. Speckled Wood butterflies here as well and a male Orange-tip. Cetti’s Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs throughout and sunshine, all very beautiful.

Alan Kitson, 8th April 2024

Towards the end of Ziggy’s walk we sat beside the lakes. At last the Canada Geese have made a nest and the goose was sitting while her mate was is close attendance. I’ve been nagging them for weeks to get a move on! Last year for the first time in over 30 years the Canadas didn’t nest. So I was very pleased to sit and watch them whilst listening to the Spring bird-song all around with a Buzzard mewing above and a cronking Raven passing by.

John Pointing, 6th April 2024

Forgot to mention the solitary Great Crested Grebe on the water seen earlier. Didn’t see a partner.

Tony Fitzgerald, 7th April 2024

Walked over a windy Rye Farm this morning. I was just enjoying the acrobatics being performed by the crows when in came four Swallows – the first I’ve seen this spring – soaring and skimming over the water. Beautiful in the binos, then from stage right a Kestrel hovering and high above a Buzzard. Nice morning!

Tony Fitzgerald, 7th April 2024

Really good to hear a Nightingale singing it’s head off in the hedge along the Mill Stream this morning. What was quite odd was a Reed Warbler singing quietly in a thin stretch of Reeds along the floodline at Rye Farm. Apparently there was a big influx of Reed Warblers into the country overnight. Six White-fronted Geese still on the Levels seen from the gate on the Downslink in the field adjoining the Heronry field. There were six Little Egrets in the trees and possibly three Grey Herons sitting on nests.

Mike Russell, 6th April 2024

We’ve had a very tame Blackbird over the last few weeks or so. He’s rather partial to raisins and is there first thing in the morning demanding his treats. He’s also been brilliant at finding worms on the lawn and flying off with them and this afternoon, a very speckled chubby fledgeling appeared in the garden. We saw only one so don’t know if there are any more hidden away.

Mike Russell, 2nd April 2024

With weekend visitors having departed and a pleasant sunny morning, there was time for a wander down the railway line and back through the fields.

Most of the wildfowl seems to have departed, but there were still about 50 Shoveler, roughly the same number of Teal, a handful of Wigeon and a pair of Tufted Ducks. Difficult to count the Little Egrets as they were moving around, but reckon at least 10, and half a dozen Grey Herons, with two of the nests having sitting tenants. Two White-fronted Geese were west of the heronry with some Greylags and Canada Geese, but then they suddenly shuffled off behind a hedge, so perhaps there were more? Two Oystercatchers were poking around in the wet fields and what is probably one of the Knepp Storks also parading around. Some Lapwings doing their display flights, both east and west of the railway line.

Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps heard along the railway line too, and two Cetti’s Warblers at same locations as previously.

Val Bentley, 2nd April 2024

Val