The Netherfield Wildlife Group » Slurry Lagoon

Garganey – 13th May

Peter — Sun, 13 May 2012 13:15:56 +0000

This morning there were eight Shelduck and a male Garganey on the Slurry Lagoon. The Wader Scrape had two Little Ringed Plover and two Oystercatchers as well as two Wheatears. There were plenty of warblers singing but still no Grasshopper Warbler. Later in the morning a Hobby flew over near the railway bridge. PS et al.

Warbler Walk – 9th May

Peter — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:59:11 +0000

After a bright sunny morning the weather clouded over and the first raindrops were felt just as three intrepid birders arrived to start the walk. By the footbridge there were Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and a Lesser Whitethroat, so at least the warblers were not put off by the weather.

The rain came and went in short, light showers, so the weather was not too uncomfortable, as we made our way around the south western side of the Slurry Lagoon. There were lots of birds singing, making it sometimes difficult to point out a particular species, with Dunnocks, Wrens, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Robins joining the singing throng. A Willow Warbler perched up nicely so that everyone could see it as it sang its sweet cadence of descending notes. More Blackcaps were singing but they were much harder to see, and another Lesser Whitethroat was rattling out its song from deep in the hawthorns. Whitethroats were heard but they were giving their ‘churring’ contact notes and the only singing bird was rather distant, so we moved on towards the Causeway, where I hoped to find Reed and Sedge Warbler.

When we arrived by the reed bed there was such a hubbub of song that again individuals were hard to pick out. Then a Sedge Warbler started to perform and its staccato notes gave us no doubt of the performer’s identity. The Reed Warblers sang much more rhythmically with a more even range of notes. None of the birds were showing as they remained deep in the dried stems of last years reeds. A Whitethroat sang briefly from the Deep Pit but gave very poor views, and the Cetti’s Warbler song exploded from the bushes at the foot of the bank several times as it made its patrol.

All of this was soon forgotten as rain brought Swifts and House Martins low and their close passes above our heads completely stole the show. They seemed to go through in waves as first there were Swifts rocketing over the Causeway at head height, and then the House Martins could be heard giving their conversational ‘prrit’ calls as thirty or so were feeding higher up. Next some Swallows came though and then it was House Martins again. During this time the Swifts kept coming though, sometimes passing between peoples’ heads and Common Terns flew between the Deep Pit and Slurry Lagoon several times, calling excitedly as they pursued one that was carrying a fish. The Swifts were so impressive that it took us a long time before we could drag ourselves away.

We walked around the Deep Pit and back along its eastern side towards the river. On the bank by the river there were two Sedge Warblers singing loudly and a good view was grabbed of a male Whitethroat. On the fence we noticed some Swallows having a rest, so we paused until they decided to continue their journey, which was not very long. We tried to identify the males from the females. Some Sand Martins were feeding in the Deep Pit and we heard their rasping ‘trrrsh’ calls as some flew over towards the river. We carried on back towards the Causeway, hearing Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps singing along the railway embankment. Back on the Causeway we struck lucky as a Garden Warbler bubbled through its repertoire as it sat on an exposed perch and everybody got good views of it. The Swifts were still performing well, so we dawdled along the Causeway, hearing the Cetti’s Warbler again. It now began to rain more seriously and so we made our way off the site. We had missed one of the warblers, so we only scored nine. The Grasshopper Warbler has only been heard once or twice, very briefly, and is possibly not even on site this year.

Marsh Harrier – 4th May

Peter — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:09:35 +0000

There was a good arrival of migrants over the last two days with warbler numbers shooting up. The reed beds hold several Reed and Sedge Warblers and several Lesser Whitethroats and Garden Warblers have arrived. Swallows, House Martins and Swifts have been passing through in good numbers all day. In the morning a Curlew flew over the site and a Little Egret made an appearance. In the late afternoon a Marsh Harrier flew in and possibly stayed to roost in the Slurry Lagoon reed bed. RW.

Black Tern – 30th April

Peter — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:13:48 +0000

This afternoon there were signs that some more migrants had arrived with four Lesser Whitethroats in song. There were still no Garden Warblers or Grasshopper Warblers but in the Deep Pit a Black Tern was hawking for insects. It had a very buoyant flight as it rose above the water, flying into the wind. When it spotted an insect it dived like a falcon, probably catching a St. Marks Fly. There was a Lesser Black-backed Gull on the Slurry Lagoon and two Shelduck, but no sign of any Teal. PS.

Lesser Whitethroat – 27th April

Peter — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:11:50 +0000

The rain was unrelenting today but there were still more Swallows over the Slurry Lagoon than I had seen so far this spring, plus two House Martins. A Lesser Whitethroat sang and then showed itself in the bushes at the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon, near the steps and a Curlew called as it circled somewhere overhead, but it couldn’t be seen. PS.

Lesser Whitethroat – 27th April

Jacqueline — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:59:03 +0000

Early afternoon a Lesser Whitethroat was singing and showing quite well in bushes to the east of the Slurry Lagoon. Two L.R.P.s flew from our Wader Scrape towards the Sub-Station workings. JMD.

Wheatear – 14th April

Peter — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:58:45 +0000

Although beautifully sunny there was still a cold north wind blowing so not much migration was noted. A Swallow investigated the nest sites under the railway bridge, so it might be the first one of our birds back. Several Sand Martins flew through and there was a northward passage of Skylarks. Six Common Terns were on the Deep Pit and two Sedge Warblers were singing. On the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon were a very smart pair of Wheatears. PS.

Wheatear – 12th April

Jacqueline — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:03:29 +0000

This morning a lovely male Northern Wheatear was feeding in the coltsfoot on the dry end of the Slurry Lagoon. JMD.

Sedge Warbler – 10th April

Peter — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:39:00 +0000

This morning was bright and sunny after yesterday’s rain, but the wind was very chilly. There were Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers singing. By the river and in the Slurry Lagoon reed bed there were two Sedge Warblers singing. There were two Oystercatchers along the river and over the Deep Pit and one or two Sand Martins put in an appearance. A Buzzard gave good views as it flew low over the site, landing twice in the ash trees along the railway embankment. PS.

In the afternoon a male Orange-tip was flying along the Ouse Dyke. JMD.

Black Redstart – 5th April

Peter — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:31:18 +0000

In the early afternoon a female/first winter male Black Redstart was seen on the fence posts at the north end of the Slurry Lagoon. Later on there were 68 migrating Common Gulls on the Slurry Lagoon. RW.