Soil Hill & Whiteholme; Week 8th May - 15th May

Soil Hill

The week has seen the weather improve somewhat and consequently, there have been more birds arriving, with both Willow Warblers and Whitethroats now up to what I would consider a typical number from the last three years. Notable others remain thin on the ground, with a small number of Wheatear (peaking at 8 on the 14th) present during the week, a couple of House Martins have been seen and a new Grasshopper Warbler reeling in the sedge below Taylor Lane for a few days. The bird can just be heard from my morning route, but it is really quite noticeable from my backyard. Otherwise, a group of five Black-headed Gulls that flew north on the 14th was probably the only exception to the norm this week.

-Goldfinch

-Oystercatcher

Whiteholme Reservoir

Just two visits this week, with there being little noticeable movement nationally to encourage me to make the journey up to the reservoir. That said BS reported a number of Dunlin arriving at Fly Flatts, and there was some movement of that type at Whiteholme when on the 10th May a flock of 7 flew low across the reservoir and then over the moor. On my other visit of the week, on the 13th, there were two Dunlin present. Otherwise it was all very much the same, with a few Swifts and House Martins passing through, as well as a dapper male Stonechat on the 13th.

-Stonechat

Species List:
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,
Whiteholme Reservoir: Canada Goose, Mallard, Red Grouse, European Golden Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Skylark, Common House Martin, Eurasian Wren, Northern Wheatear, European Stonechat, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Reed Bunting,