The spell of warm weather with southerly winds disappeared in time for this weekends bird walk and the cold wet northly weather returned. This meant any of the summer migrants that may have returned in that small window of decent weather didn't make thier presence known by singing. I was very lucky to see the one Chiffchaff that I did as it flew across the path in front of me. This time last year there were nine singing male Chiffchaffs around the estate grounds.
Though the weather was actually quite kind to me as I made my way around the birds were not performing as they usually are and not many were singing. The main highlight was my first ever Great Crested Grebe on Coppice Pond, not only that it is the only one in Bradford Ornithological Group's records as well. It's be nice to see a pair of them stay and breed, but it'll have to attract a mate first! Also on Coppice Pond one pair of Canada Geese are nesting on the island but all the others appear to be just contnent with pairing up and squabbling if they get too close to another's intended. Both Coot and Moorhen are well underway with nest building.
It was a good day to find Woodpeckers with both Great Spotted and Green very vocal and or drumming. Siskin's were also present but in small numbers and they were hard to find, thankfully they were vocal. The nest box numbers have swollen to 200 in recent weeks but there appeared to be very little interest in any of the new or old boxes, but it is early days yet.
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