UK Species Year List to May 2021: 78
Total UK Species in May 2021: 72
New “Year Ticks” in May 2021: 23
New “Life Ticks” in May 2021: 0
May 2021 archive
May 31 2021
May 2021 Summary
May 27 2021
Birding Group – Goyt Valley and Danebank Quarry 27th May 2021
The birding group reformed for its first outing since the Covid outbreak with a visit to the Upper Goyt Valley and Danebank Quarry. We had actually done this visit on our own on the 6th of May and had had some success with sightings of Redstart and lots of Pied Flycatchers. We saw neither of these birds this time, which was interesting in itself, but we did pick up some birds that we did not get on our earlier visit.
Continue readingMay 25 2021
Burton Mere Wetlands and Parkgate 25th May 2021
With both vaccinations completed and reserves starting to open their hides up again, we headed off to Burton Mere Wetlands. When we got there we discovered that the larger than usual numbers of cars was due to the presence of a Glossy Ibis on the reserve. Naturally we were interested so we hot-footed it down to the Bunker Hide where it had been seen from.
When we got there is was a bit too full of people, not very socially distanced. In fact, one of the female staff popped in to berate all the blokes for their bas behaviour and a few of them left the hide a little sheepishly. Naturally, the bird had flown the coop and, although it was to be seen by the odd person during the day, we did not manage to get it. Nor did we see the Spoonbills that had also been flying about!
Continue readingMay 18 2021
Sparrowhawk and other wildlife in our garden – May 2021
A glance out the back window of our house revealed a Sparrowhawk that had picked off one of our House Sparrows. There have also been some other unusual sightings including a Grey Wagtail that has been with us since February, Pheasant, Fox and Hedgehogs
Continue readingMay 06 2021
Goyt Valley, Cat and Fiddle, Danebower Quarry 6th May 2021
With a break in the recent (but much needed) rain, we headed out to the Goyt valley. We are planning to go here later in the month but with a lot of the hides still closed at reserves this seemed like a good option for a bit of exercise. When we go with the birding group we always seem to think we are too early or too late for our target birds; making two visits might help us get a handle on what we are doing wrong – or right.
We parked up at the usual at park at the end of the reservoir and soon got talking to a young chap who had parked at the car park further up the reservoir and he said he had already seen Tree Pipit and Redstart and Common Sandpiper and Ringed Plover so we felt hopeful of a good morning. As it happens, we did not see anything on the water or the shore other than Cormorant, Canada Geese and Lesser Black-backed Gull. But we did have some luck in the surrounding woodlands.
Continue reading