Soil Hill & Whiteholme; Week 22nd April - 29th April

Soil Hill

Its staggering just how cold it has been this week, given that it's the last week of April. At least two frosts and a constant NE wind of varying strength has meant the Hill has been a challenge at times. However, there have been a few nice birds to report. The undoubted highlight was a Jack Snipe flushed at the bottom of the North Slope during the late afternoon of the 25th. Helpfully it looped round once it flushed, allowing me to grab a few photos of what is my latest record for this species. Migrants have been thin on the ground, with one Wheatear on the 22nd and two on 29th being the only ones. A smashing but distant male Whinchat on the 29th certainly made up for this, and at least two Grasshopper Warblers have been reeling on and off since the 23rd. A few Jays have been blogging around the Hill during the week, with one dropping into the North Slope Tree-Line on the 27th. Other nice species during the week include a pair of Grey Partridge, a flyover Lesser Redpoll and a male Bullfinch.

-Eurasian Jay

-Jack Snipe

-Whinchat

Whiteholme Reservoir

It was disappointing to find Whiteholme almost void of shoreline, with just a slither in the NW corner of the reservoir. Still there were a few interesting birds that passed through on my visits during the week. The 24th was the standout day, with a passage Arctic Tern followed an hour later by a passage Bar-tailed Godwit, which was a Halifax tick for me. These birds followed a national movement of both species due to the strong NE winds. The following day on the 25th there was no movement of note, although two Shelduck dropped in, joining a smart pair of Goldeneye that were already present. Other birds of note included a pair of Goosander that flew through, a single Dunlin and a pair of Ringed Plover. 

-Shelduck

-Northern Wheatear

-Bar-tailed Godwit

-Arctic Tern

Ringstone Edge Reservoir

On the 24th, just over five minutes after the Bar-tailed Godwit flew through Whiteholme, another was reported on Ringstone. Since it was not a huge detour, and this bird seemed settled, I called in for a quick look. The extent of the white on the coverts from photos by John Marsh shows that this was a different individual from the bird at Whiteholme. 

-Bar-tailed Godwit

Species List:
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,

Whiteholme Reservoir: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Common Shelduck, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Common Goldeneye, Goosander, Red Grouse, Common Pheasant, Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Golden Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Arctic Tern, Eurasian Jay, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Reed Bunting,

Ringstone Edge: Canada Goose, Common Pheasant, Great Crested Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Kestrel, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Skylark, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Wren, Pied Wagtail, Common Linnet,