Warm and Sunny

 At last, some warm and sunny weather has arrived, at least for  the last week and a half or so and let’s  hope it lasts for a while longer. On the 1st of May, Gordon and I spotted a SHORT EARED OWL at the New Workings at Moor Green. It was being mobbed by CARRION CROWS, which it managed to evade, before landing in an area known as West Fen, where it stayed for three or four days. A YELLOW WAGTAIL (male) turned up at Moor Green on the 3rd, the second that we had seen at the reserve this year, the previous sighting being on the 17th April. At last a SEDGE WARBLER was seen on the 4th, at Grove Lake, but surprisingly it is the only one that we have seen so far. A surprise sighting of four COMMON SCOTER flying across the New Workings was a highlight on the 7th. A trip to Yateley Common on the 15th produced a TREE PIPIT who entertained us with its 'parachute' displays, a distant WOOD LARK and two DARTFORD WARBLERS, which are always good to see. On the 22nd we went to Thursley Common, which is only a short trip away of about twenty minutes or so, the weather was warm and sunny, which was a real bonus.  We went there to see REDSTARTS which are pretty much guaranteed at this time of year and we were not disappointed. A count of seven was made with probably more not seen. The males were very smart in their breeding plumage and were 'flicking' their red tails continuously. Also seen were HOBBY, WHEATEAR, CURLEW, TREE PIPIT and WOODLARK. A strange 'unidentified' bird was seen by Gordon on the 23rd at the New Workings. Apparently it was high in the sky, large and flying towards the sun, so ID was difficult as it was in silhouette and disappeared quickly. I wasn't there on the day and cannot think of what it might have been. I have suggested that Gordon cuts down on his beer drinking, but he won't listen. It doesn't appear that any COMMON TERN or BLACK HEADED GULL will breed at Moor Green this year. After last year’s predation of both species chicks, probably by mink, it's hardly surprising, but disappointing all the same. On a brighter note, we have noticed a big increase of GARDEN WARBLER on the reserve, they seem to be everywhere, which is good to see, fingers crossed that they successfully raise a good many broods.