Increasing the List: Bird Report for 29/03/31 - 07/04/31

Firstly in this post we may as well cover some 'firsts'. The highlight of these was another new species for the blog: a Hooded Crow. We get good numbers of 'Hoody hybrids' (there was even one nearby for comparison) but true Hooded Crows only occasionally show up, so it was very nice to see one amongst some Carrion Crows in the Twite Field. Amongst the Pied Wagtails, we not only had our first female moving through but also our first 'White Wagtails' (the continental subspecies) of the year. Our other firsts are also spring migrants: two singing Blackcaps, a Wheatear, a Sand Martin and two Swallows early in the week and a Whimbrel (two more birds were spotted a few days later).

Our other 'spring' species are now increasing in number. Gannets and Sandwich Terns have been seen daily, with highest day-counts of 58 and 40, respectively. We once again had a Siskin in our garden (a female this time) - the recent increase in our Siskin sightings is likely due the local population being bolstered by migrating individuals. Many species migrate at night to avoid predators. We went out one night and, while we didn't pick out the calls of any spring migrants, we did manage to hear a good variety of species. Pink-footed Geese were heard - it is always hard to guess how many there are when you can't see them but we've seen over 700 birds flying overhead throughout the week. The three-note call of a Redshank sounded out and at least three Snipe were calling from near the marsh where they were feeding. Either three or four Tawny Owls were calling (at least two were males) and a Barn Owl was also heard. Not bad for a night's work!

A smart-looking male Wheatear.

During the day, our ears are still getting put to good use in picking up the many birdsongs. Goldfinches, Great Tits, Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Chaffinches, Coal Tits, Dunnocks and Wrens have all been heard singing their hearts out. The number of singing Chiffchaffs has increased to nine and we had a highest day-count of three Song Thrushes and one Mistle Thrush (all singing). Of the four Goldcrests that were counted, two were singing, along with two of the three Nuthatches and four of the five Skylarks. Meadow Pipits and Linnets are currently increasing in number (highest day-counts of five and roughly 20, respectively) but we've also heard individuals of these species singing. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming, Starlings were seen copulating and Robins have practically all stopped singing already - a sure sign that they are pairing up. At a known colony, Shags and Cormorants have already built up their nests.

In contrast to this, many of our 'winter' species are still here. Twelve Fieldfares and a Redwing were spotted and the Pale-bellied Brent Goose flock saw a highest count of 174. Highest day-counts of seven Long-tailed ducks and six Slavonian Grebes (all in breeding plumage) were present. Singles of Black-throated, Red-throated and Great Northern Divers were sighted (the former two species were in full winter plumage while the Great Northern was moulting from winter plumage into summer plumage). Other species are also decreasing in number as they head off to their breeding grounds. We've had highest day counts of only 36 Common Scoter, approximately 20 Common Gulls, 56 Curlews, 14 Goldeneyes and 38 Turnstones. A surprise flock of 62 Whooper Swans visited Wig Bay and were joined by two Mute Swans.

A lonesome Whooper Swan has also been spotted at Loch Connell. It has been kept company by five Goldeneyes, seven Mallards, six Shelducks, 35 Teals and 50 Wigeon (this number decreased to 19 on a later date). Two Oystercatchers and two Herons (both immature birds) fed around the outskirts of the loch, while 58 Greylag Geese, ten Curlews, two adults of both Great and Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 11 Herring Gulls were in the abuttal fields. Swooping around above the freshwater loch were 18 Sand Martins.

A male Linnet.

Back out on Loch Ryan, we've had highest day-counts of 35 Red-breasted Mergansers, two Guillemots, four Razorbills and one Black Guillemot. Along the shore, we counted six Bar-tailed Godwits, 157 Oystercatchers, 20 Ringed Plovers, one Rock Pipit and 12 Knots. A male Peregrine terrified some Feral Pigeons, a male Reed Bunting was at the marsh and a female Stonechat was at the Pool Field. Two Long-tailed Tits were espied in the woods and a Magpie cackled as it flew overhead (an increasingly common occurrence).

Let us not forget our 'regular' species either. Collared Doves, Eiders, House Sparrows, Ravens, Rooks, Jackdaws and Woodpigeons were frequent additions to our daily lists. Some more highest day-counts include three Herons, two Buzzards, five Pheasants and two Sparrowhawks (interestingly, these were both soaring over the woods together - rather than our usual 'fly-bys'). Two adult Great Black-backed Gulls were joined by an immature bird that was moulting from its second-winter into third-summer plumage. 170 Black-headed Gulls were counted at Soleburn and over 200 Herring Gulls were seated on the scar one evening.

Finally, I'll just finish off with some of our non-avian sightings. Bluebells, willow trees, speedwells, Common Dog Violets, dandelions, buttercups and Red Campions are all flowering. Roe Deer and Brown Hare both cropped up every other day. Rabbits are on the decline and it was a surprise to bump into one in the middle of the woods - away from their usual haunts. A species of cellar spider has been seen in our house, while moths such as the Early Grey are emerging. Up to five species of bumblebee have been counted in a single day and we've also recorded our first Chocolate Mining Bee of the year. A Grey Seal was lounging around for a few days and not one but three Otters were at Loch Connell!

Getting to be a rare sight these days - a Rabbit.

That concludes this report for the past ten days (hence why it's a little longer than the usual weekly reviews) and this is actually going to be my last blog post until at least August. Hopefully it was a satisfying review, for it included every bird species that we saw during those ten days! While there won't be any weekly reviews over the summer, if you are interested in knowing which species can be seen from April-August at the Wig then the previous post A Year Like No Other: Bird Review for 2020 contains a table (found at the end of the post) that shows the species we saw in 2020 and the months in which we recorded them.

However, for now, this is adieu from me. I hope that you have enjoyed hearing about our sightings over the past few months and a big thank you to all readers for your support.

[All photographs are taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]