7th April. I caught sight of two Swallows as I passed Killingworth Lake in the bus yesterday so I thought I would take a look again today. Incidentally, my first Swallows of 2009 were seen in Holywell Village on the same date. I did find two Swallows again over the smaller lake, but only two and they were there only briefly. My first of the year. Back of the village where I recently found the Chiffchaffs brought me another year first in Blackcap and on the walk there I found my first Peacock Butterfly, in fact my first butterfly of the year. I’m off to a slow start with the butterflies this year, having recorded several by this time last year. Chiffchaffs were calling in several places today, including the church grounds.
The lake had been quiet with only one of the two pairs of Great Crested Grebe making an appearance. I recorded only one Goosander, a male. I counted eight Lesser Black Backed Gulls.
Hi Brian
ReplyDeleteI was at Killy earlier in the week and there were 3 G.C.Grebes on the larger lake and 1 on the smaller. I set myself up for some GCG action but after 90 mins freezing my butt off as the pair slept i called it a day. The sun had some heat in it but the wind was bitter. One thing i did see in amongst the usual coolection of Mutes, Canadas, Tufties, Mallards and Gulss was a pair of Oystercatchers wandering around. Are Oysters' regular visitors??
John
Hi John
ReplyDeleteI only added Oystercatcher to my patch list last year John, when one flew over the garden. Interestingly I saw a couple fly over again a few days ago. I've never seen them at the lake so will watch out for them.
Cheers. Brian.
Killy again this morning,
ReplyDelete2 Oystercatchers again, this pair happily probing around on the grassed area next to the small lake. Loads of nest building by Mutes and Coots on the floating reedbed. Solitary G C Grebe on small lake again with a pair on larger lake. Little bit of canoodling going on. As i watched a bit of a din with Oystercatchers calling, looked up and they were being chased off by about 20 Black Headed Gulls. Disappeared off over larger lake.
John
I saw a lone swallow today - just north of Berwick - hope its the first of many. We had a leucistic one last year so it'll be interesting to see if it made it through the winter.
ReplyDeleteJohn...interesting. I wonder if they have been attracted to the floating reedbed, Small though it is I know Brian R spotted a Water Rail there this winter and I found Common Sandpiper in there in the past. I'll keep watching.
ReplyDeleteS H...I'll be interested to hear if the leucistic Swallow does return.