Recently privy to some excellent news about a bird in a Bowland woodland, I went off post - haste to see. The only down side of this little tale was, restricted by privacy I failed to see the bird, but did enjoy hearing it singing its highly distinctive and accelerating sharp notes ending with a pulsating trill sounding like a spinning coin on a marble slab....Magic!
This is quite amazing stuff, here we have history repeating itself for me, as it was in this very same woodland that I found a Wood Warbler 27 years ago on 1 May 1996 in the company of my mentor John Leedal. In fact it was on this first sighting that I had good reason to suspect there were two birds here, a suspicion confirmed on 14 June, when I was fortunate to see young being fed at the nest on the ground.
But this brilliant record didn't end here, the species returned to this woodland for four consecutive years....10 May 1997 - 3 May 1998 - 16 May 1999 and 21 May 2000....Then history repeated itself here 23 years later on 3 May 2023, albeit briefly as I'm reliably informed the bird has not been seen since.
Whilst searching for these records I dug up my Wood Warbler sightings at 16 locations, including 2 birds at two sites at Botton 31 May 1997, 2 birds at Ellterwater 26 June 1999, and 4 birds at Bolton Abbey 29 May 2000.
The status of the Wood Warbler in our area doesn't go beyond an uncommon and decreasing migrant breeder, with no breeding records published. A search through 10 years of records to 2021, shows a sample of the all time scarcity - now verging on rarity - of this stunning phylloscopus.
2015 Only four records of the species.
2017 Three records.
2018 Three records.
2019 Just two records, a passage migrant at Heysham, one Tower Lodge 16 May.
2020 Two migrants and one upland record.
2021 Two migrants and one bird in woodland at Lowgill.
Thanks to Paul Ellis for his excellent image of a Wood Warbler at Fluke Hall in late April 2022.
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Conder Pool.
Many Thanks to Ian Mitchell who achieved some excellent images from Conder Pool on Friday.
Pete -
ReplyDeleteGlad you located your Wood Warbler even if you didn't see it.
The Avocet chicks, of which I counted at least 6, look like they are doing synchronized wading.
Don't know if you picked up on the fact from the photo but of the two terns mating it is the ringed one which is underneath.
Many thanks - Ian
What a bird and what a song. Pretty rare in Kent. Glad you connected. Take care.
ReplyDeleteMarc
Ian....Hadn't noticed the colour ringed tern in the image, appreciated your drawing my attention to it.
ReplyDeleteMarc....Good to see Kent Dragonflies are back. They will have kicked off much sooner than any I'm hoping to find in Lancashire soon.
Regards to you Ian/Marc.
Sorry about the late visit, Pete - been busy chasing dragons, although with not much success!
ReplyDeleteSo pleased that you at least heard your Wood Warbler, but sad to know that they've become so rare in your area. There have been some recent sightings of the species in Leicestershire, but a bit far away from my home for me to chase.
Those Avocet chicks are cute! I wish them a long and healthy life.
Best wishes - stay safe - - - Richard
Richard....I ended my day also chasing dragons yesterday and hope to finish a post about the result....watch this space.
ReplyDeleteI too wish the Avocet chicks luck in reaching fledging, until then there's some dicing with death I'm afraid, not a negative attitude, just a realistic one.
Regards....Pete.