Ouse Washes - 3 July 2013

After rain overnight, a cloudy morning with occasional bursts of sunshine and a light south-westerly breeze. Walked from Welches Dam to the railway bridge.

The return passage of waders very evident this morning. 143 Black-tailed Godwits comprised 29 race limosa including 6 juveniles the rest were adult islandica; an adult Spotted Redshank and 2 Wood Sandpipers were in full breeding dress; 31 Ruff and a single Reeve were on the pool nearest the railway bridge; 4 Greenshanks flew north. 
Breeding waders were much in evidence including 5 Little Ringed Plovers, 14 Avocets with 9+ young, at least 43 juvenile Redshank were counted a couple of Snipe were still drumming. 

Garganey ducklings had increased to 6; c. 30 Teal; 21 Little Egrets; 6 Common Terns and just including 1 juvenile were fishing along the Delph; c. 60 Common Swifts flew through SW.

Black-tailed Godwits - Ouse Washes - July 2013 

June 2013 summary

Due to other priorities Ornisobscura has been on the back burner for a while, hence the late postings. 

2 June 2013 - Lammas Meadow 
The first visit of the month was to the doorstep patch of Lammas Meadow an area of seasonally flooded meadow along the Great Ouse. Numerous Southern Marsh Orchid spikes were an impressive sight all across the still very wet meadow. While nine singing Reed Warblers and a singing Lesser Whitethroat were establishing territories 2 Spotted Flycatchers at the south end of the copse were still on the move. 

Reed Warbler - Lammas Meadow 

Southern Marsh Orchid 

The highlights of a three hour balcony sky-watch in the afternoon were 2 Hobbies through north and an Osprey north-west. 

5 June 2013 - Ouse Washes 

A cool overcast morning with a northerly breeze. A total of 9 adult Garganey (5 males) included a pair with three small ducklings which appeared on open water briefly before being ushered back onto the nesting sedge tussock by the attentive and vocal female.

Garganey family - Ouse Washes 

A variety of waders present included migrating birds that had stopped off mingling with those breeding on the Washes with their first chicks now appearing. 6 Little Ringed Plovers were busy displaying; 37 Ringed Plovers included 28 obvious tundrae 6 obvious hiaticula and 3 that were intermediate in appearance; 9 Lapwing chicks;  11 Dunlin included 4 schinzii, 6 alpina and one very small squat short-billed bird with very pale scapular fringes and a small indistinct belly patch that could well have been race arctica; 3 Curlew Sandpipers comprised two in full brick red breeding dress and a third bird with just a few red bands on the underparts presumably a first-summer bird; c.45 adult Redshank were counted with 11 juveniles; 11 Black-tailed Godwits and 16 Snipe some of which were busy drumming. 

Two cream crown Marsh Harriers and two Hobbies were the notable raptors. A LIttle Tern flew through north mid morning. 

Little Tern - Ouse Washes  June 2013

A flock of c280 House Martins were over Welches Dam were the only noteworthy passerines, Yellow Wagtails were in short supply with just 9 counted. 

7 June - Grafham Water 
Another day with a fresh northerly wind but brighter than earlier in the week, a good morning for admiring the view being rather quiet on the bird front, two hours at the Dam and Lagoons were enough. 

An Oystercatcher and an alpina race Dunlin were on the Dam, 2 Red Kites; c. 200 Swifts; 1 Cetti's Warbler was singing at the lagoons as were 6 Willow Warblers. 2 Spotted Flycatchers were probably the highlight. 

8 June - Lammas Meadow 
Cloudy and cool with a fresh northerly wind  with early mist, two early morning hours 

A Nightingale was obliging singing from scrub along the Great Ouse; 3 Lesser Whitethroats were singing and c. 30 Common Terns flew along the river north-eastwards in several groups. 

NIghtingale singing in early morning mist

Late June - Grafham

Following a trip away, made several visits to Grafham in the last two weeks of June during a rather quiet period: 

On the June 18th 3 Yellow-legged Gulls were present, just 15 juvenile Pied Wagtails on the dam and 71 Gadwall were already gathering on the Lagoons indicative of poor breeding success for both species, meanwhile c 600 Swifts doubtless included migrants.

A pair of Avocets were at the lagoons still on 21st June and were joined by the first returning Green Sandpipers (4), an adult male Little Ringed Plover may have been breeding nearby, just one male Yellow Wagtail was on the dam with no juveniles visible yet and just 8 juvenile Pied Wagtails. 

on 26th of June 12 juvenile Black-headed Gulls were on the dam, 10 Yellow-legged Gulls heralded the main summer influx, 3 Curlew flew south, an adult Common Sandpiper was on the dam as were 2 adult Redshank with just 1 Green Sandpiper at the lagoons. C. 700 Common Swifts were counted over the dam in the early morning, 4 adult yellow Wagtails also on the dam and two Meadow Pipits carrying food. Garden Warblers were in full song still as were Willow Warblers with the odd now rather hoarse sounding Chiffchaff also still singing. 

An impressive avian spectacle was observed on the fine morning of 29th of June when c. 2700+ Common Swifts were over the dam in a massive swirling vortex then all moved westwards en mass. A passage of Swifts moving south-west continued for most of the morning. 7 Yellow-legged Gulls were counted; c.20 Sand Martins were unexpected and were possibly failed breeders; just one male Yellow Wagtail was seen with a male Cuckoo the only other sighting of note. 

Willow Warbler - Grafham Water June 2013

Ouse Washes and Grafham 29 May 2013

Northerly winds murk and rain until 09.30 and then intermittently later, ideal conditions for grounding migrant waders heading for the Arctic tundra. 

Covered the Ouse Washes from Welches Dam north eastwards to just beyond the railway bridge from 07.30 to 13.30 followed by an hour along the dam at Grafham Water.

Good numbers of waders were on the Washes; c. 70 Ringed Plovers most of which were race tundrae;  3 Golden Plovers flew north, 2 Grey Plovers were near the railway bridge until spooked by a Marsh Harrier then flew north with 10 Ringed Plovers; a Curlew Sandpiper was more settled with Dunlins and Ringed Plovers in front of Stockdales Hide, 17 Dunlin -  a mix of alpina and schinzii, 5 Sanderling, a Little Stint on a pool with Ringed Plovers near the railway bridge flew over to the east side of the washes when disturbed by a quad bike. While arctic tundra bound waders were struggling to reach their breeding grounds the first 4 Avocet chicks of the year were attempting to feed, 8 Black-tailed Gowits  were counted and at least 7 Snipe were drumming during a slightly brighter period late morning. 

Other species noted were c. 20 Little Egrets, 1 'cream crown' Marsh Harrier, 5 male Garganey, 2 Hobbies and, a male Whinchat near the railway bridge. 

An hour along the dam at Grafham delivered 4 tundrae Ringed Plovers, 1 Sanderling, 4 Dunlin,

c. 200 Swifts and a Hobby.  

The murky Ouse Washes

Curlew Sandpiper - distant digiscoped record shot

Little Egret in classic foot paddling stalking pose

Dunlin and Sanderling - Grafham Dam 

Ouse Washes - 27 May 2013

A very pleasant early morning walk north along one hundred foot drain from Mepal to Oxlode in bright sunshine and with an increasingly fresh southerly wind. 

c. 25 Little Egrets, 1 adult male and c 5 'cream crown' Marsh Harriers; 2 male Garganey one of which was keeping very exotic company in the form of a drake Mandarin; 1 Wood Sandpiper was on the best looking though distant wader pool;11 race tundrae Ringed Plovers; 9 Black-tailed Gowdwits; 2 Turtle Doves, 5 Corn Buntings plus the usual commoner species. 

A rather scruffy 'cream crown' Marsh Harrier

Drake Mandarin and Garganey

Grafham Water - 24 May 2013

Another day with fresh winds, initially from the south-west, then later in the afternoon veering north-east with heavy showers again. 

Two visits today to the dam from 0630-0800 and Hill Farm, Mander and the south end of the dam 1530-1700. 

3 Yellow-legged Gulls; 3 Arctic Terns were off the dam early morning with 1 off the fishing lodge later in the day; 8 Common Terns. The heavy afternoon showers had brought down numbers of hirundines with c. 300 Swallows, c. 60 Sand Martin and c. 100 House Martins off Hill Farm there were also c. 400 Swifts. 

A single Little Ringed Plover was on the dam late afternoon on 25 May, little else noted though in a two hour trawl of the north side of the reservoir apart from 6 Common Buzzards and 2 Red Kites. 

Grafham Water - 23 May 2013

A cold north-westerly wind, cloudy in the morning with occasional very heavy showers developing.

The dam, Mander and lagoons areas were covered early morning with a briefer visit to the dam and Hill Farm areas late afternoon..

3 Sanderlings were on the dam in the morning with just 1 left by late afternoon, a first-summer Turnstone was also on the dam as were 6 Oystercatchers. An Arctic Tern resting on the dam flew off high ENE early morning with a second bird off Mander. A male Avocet flew over the dam and headed toward the lagoons, there were 4 Yellow-legged Gulls (1 adult, 1 second calendar year and 2 third calendar years). 
A Spotted Flycatcher was at the north end of the dam and c. 150 Swifts were counted. 

Lammas Meadow & Grafham - 20 May 2013

A north-easterly breeze and overcast.

Two Siskins early morning at Lammas Meadow appeared to be on territory, a single Arctic Tern flew ENE along the Ouse valley. 

Later 1 Hobby, 1 Turnstone, 3 Common Sandpipers, c. 60 Swifts and 6 Yellow Wagtails were on or over the dam at Grafham Water.