A mixed week with variable weather and mixed birding results. My work finally arrived on Monday so will finally be able to commence home office. That said, a Soil Hill visit every morning is still very much on the agenda.
02 May
Visit from 07.15. Total 42 species observed
Cold but clear and sunny with a nice selection of species but nothing outstanding. Highlights from the morning included three flyover Cormorants and a Greylag Goose. A Sand Martin also flew across the summit.
03 May
Visit from 07.30. Total 42 species observed
Overall sunny and pleasant morning but with scattered cloud cover. Generally similar makeup, regular assortment of species all on site. Three Wheatears were the highlight with another particularly showy male at the bottom of the north slope, as well as two females. A new Whitethroat territory at the top of the north slope treeline was also welcome, with the male singing from nice exposed perches. Two Sand Martins blogging was the best otherwise. Also first Swift of the year over Bradshaw.
-Reed Bunting
-Northern Wheatear
-Common Whitethroat
04 May
Visit from 07.00. Total 39 species observed.
Cold and overcast morning with low fog for the first hour. After being so close last week, it was nice to clinch a YELLOW WAGTAIL today, when one flew westward across the bottom of the hill. As before I heard the bird calling first and looked up to see it directly level with me at a reasonably low altitude. Despite the dull conditions the bird was glowing yellow, beyond doubt a male. Sadly it did not stop in the Lapwing field as I hoped, but carried on towards Ogden, calling all the way. I did not have my camera at the ready and since it was already level with me when I picked it up, there was no chance for photos.
Despite this excellent hill record, other birds were thin on the ground. A Jay flew over heading southwards and that was the only other notable from the day, although the male Stonechat and at least one Wheatear were still in place.
-Eurasian Jay
05 May
Visit from 06.45. Total 43 species observed.
Another cold and generally overcast morning with a chilly east wind. Had a very pleasant morning with a stunning female Whinchat gracing the heather on the summit. Sadly it was extremely mobile, and no sooner did I pick it up than it flew to the North Slope top fenceline. Here I managed to grab some record shots before it flew down the slope with purpose. Despite thoroughly searching the slope I was unable to find it and can only assume that it moved on.
A pair of Grey Partridge on the north slope were only my second since my regular lockdown visits began. One Wheatear remained on the bottom fields but was distant and difficult to spot. Two House Martins that flew through were my first of the year as well, bringing my Soil Hill lockdown list up to a very respectable 83.
-Whinchat
06 May
Visit from 07.00. Total 42 species observed.
A bright and sunny morning with very little wind. Very pleasant birding with a few nice bits. First was a singing Chiffchaff in the copse opposite the site entrance track, it eventually moved closer and started to show but was flighty and passing cars frequently caused it to dive back into cover.
At the bottom of the hill there was two Wheatears and two Sand Martins, but the standout bird was a female White Wagtail. Helpfully it was with a male Pied Wagtail. Frustratingly I did not get a view of the rump, but in the field the bird overall was strikingly pale and after discussion with TDJ, KBL, JHF and SH from Spurn any doubts were safely removed. It flew off shortly after I found it, but I was unable to relocate it anywhere.
'2nd calendar year Motacilla alba alba. The grey shading up the nape should rule out M.a. yarelli. The streaking effect seen on a couple of the photos is caused by the angle of the feathers, so you can almost see under them causing shadowing from this angle, otherwise you'd see the streaks come up towards the nape'
-Chiffchaff
-White Wagtail
Visit from 18.45. Total 38 species observed.
In the evening I decided to go back up to Soil Hill after reading that NK had a Sedge Warbler during his morning visit. It was a very pleasant evening and since the quarry workers had departed I was also able to have a look at the Stonechats, with both birds showing well. The Sedge Warbler was very elusive, but it showed well on brief occasions.
-European Stonechat
-Sedge Warbler
07 May
Visit from 07.00. Total 46 species observed.
It got warm quickly today, and by the time I left the Hill at 09.30 it was already hot and slowing down. Before that I managed a very nice haul of species with a few highlights. The Sedge Warbler was still present and far more vocal than it had been the previous evening. My first Soil Hill Swift also drifted over, bringing my Soil Hill year list up to 85. A Cuckoo was singing distantly towards Ogden, but there was never any chance I would be able to see it. There was still a single Wheatear, Stonechat and Sand Martin.
08 May
Visit from 07.00. Total 45 species observed.
It was a more overcast morning than the previous day, but had warmed up by the time I left. Another day with lots of species but little standout. The Sedge Warbler was still present and showing well. There was a lot of Sand Martin activity too, which will certainly be something to keep an eye on during the spring. Two Wheatears, four Swifts and a Goldcrest were the best of the rest.
Species List:
Soil Hill: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Red-legged Partridge, Common Pheasant, Grey Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Little Owl, European Green Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Western Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, Weasle, Roe Deer, Orange Tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell,
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