Soil Hill; Isolation week 9

The week started extremely windy but soon cleared up and returned to the heatwave that we have experience most of the spring up until now. Birding remained slow but there were a few highlights this week and a yeartick in Spotted Flycatcher has brought my Soil Hill list for 2020 up to 87.

23 May
Visit from 4.45. Total 15 species seen.
It blew an absolute gale today so didn't bother going up until later in the day. Was, as I expected, a waste of time.

24 May
Visit from 11.45. Total 38 species seen.
It remained extremely windy but slightly reduced from the previous day and with a bit more warm weather. Although there was quite a wide variety of birds on offer there was quite low numbers of everything. Without a doubt the highlight was a distant flyover Red Kite, my second of the spring.

25 May
Visit from 07.00. Total 46 species seen.
The weather changed from cold and windy to hot and still. I extended my walk through Ogden and up to Cold Edge. Soil Hill was quite lively, with the Sedge Warbler still in place and singing and a Blackcap singing from the Taylor Lane plantation. The male Stonechat put in an appearance and three House Martins flew over.
Ogden had four Oystercatchers and there was a Wheatear and a Buzzard at Cold Edge. The usual Common Sandpipers and Tufted Ducks were also in place there keeping the birding lively. There were very good numbers of Green Tiger Beetles on the moors and a single female Green Hairstreak. Overall a very pleasant walk out.

-Common Sandpiper

-Jay

26 May
Visit from 07.30. Total 48 species seen.
After over two weeks without a Soil Hill lifer or yeartick finally there was a change today. Down Ned Hill Track I noticed a bird flycatching from a perch out of view, and although what I saw was breif I had a strong suspicion that it could be Spotted Flycatcher, the birds profile not quite fitting any of the regular species that flycatch in this gulley. However it was an elusive bird and difficult to get to grips with and it was some time before I was able to confirm my suspicion. A solid yeartick and my first spring record of this species here. Sand Martin, House Martin, Sedge Warbler and possibly a new Male Stonechat made up the rest of an excellent morning.
I also spent an hour scoping Fly Flatts from my car later in the morning. Although there was nothing super different it was nice to see the Ravens again and the Grasshopper Warbler was reeling intermittently from the same location. Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper made up the wader cast.

-Spotted Flycatcher

27 May
Visit from 07.00. Total 40 species observed.
Again there was nothing exceptional, with the Spotted Flycatcher having moved on overnight, but there was a nice assortment of regular species, such as House Martin, Sand Martin and the regular Sedge Warbler.
In the evening I headed to another site where JJL had seen a Yellowhammer in the morning. Following his directions I found two male birds but sadly they were mobile and did not show well.

28 May
Visit from 09.30. Total 39 species observed.
A slightly later visit as I first decided to head to Ogden to have a look for a Wood Warbler that NK had recorded on his blog yesterday. I searched the woodlands and eventually found the bird showing incredibly well and performing incredibly. Its territory was easily viewable so I settled down to watch and before long the bird was performing right above my head. It was such an enjoyable experience that I spent an hour watching it. A Crossbill flew over calling but sadly I did not see it, and that was the only other bird of note.
Soil Hill was hot and very quiet by the time I got there, but a Raven drifted over.

-Wood Warbler

29 May

Visit from 07.30. Total 39 species observed.

It was another hot one on Soil Hill today, which greatly limited bird activity. The Sedge Warbler was present but subdued and that was the highlight. There is a Lapwing chick clinging to survival as well, not yet been eaten by the sites various predators. 

Species List:

Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Red-legged Partridge, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Little Owl, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Spotted Flycatcher, European Robin, European Stonechat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, Western Roe Deer, European Rabbit, Red Fox, Orange Tip, Small Heath, Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock,

Cold Edge Dams: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Sandpiper, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Eurasian Blue Tit, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, Green Hairstreak, Small Heath, Green Tiger Beetle, 

Fly Flatts: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Feral Pigeon, Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Kestrel, Northern Raven, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Common Starling, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Reed Bunting,

Ogden Water LNR: Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Pheasant, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Eurasian Curlew, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Wood Warbler, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Goldcrest, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Wren, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, Red Crossbill, European Goldfinch, Grey Squirrel,