Birds seen at Moor Green Lakes
during APRIL 2008

April is a month of change when most of the winter visitors leave and the summer visitors arrive with an urge to breed. It is also the start of the passage migrants, which may stay awhile before heading further north.

The departing birds include the Greylag Geese, which are still in the general area. The last Pochard I saw were on the 2nd, Goosander on the 8th, Shoveler on the 17th, last Wigeon and Teal on the 23rd. Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Mandarin Duck will stay to breed, but no sign of ducklings yet. A pair of Egyptian Geese hatched 10 young around 4th and has done very well to keep all 10.  Several Canada Geese are still on eggs. There have been a few sightings of up to three Shelduck this month.

Barn Owls are regular on the new workings; Little Owls seem to have occupied the old willow tree at the bottom of the paddock by the car park. The pair of Kestrels may have taken over the owl box north of Colebrook Lake. Regular sightings of Peregrine, Red Kite and up to seven Buzzards have occurred this month. There were two sightings of passing Osprey on the 5th and 7th, the latter lingering for 10 minutes. The first Hobby of the year on was seen 26th.  A pair of Red-legged Partridges present.

Snipe numbers down to one on 27th. Green Sandpipers increased to five around the 8th with one still present at the end of the month. Up to two Common Sandpipers present from the 12th, a Whimbrel dropped in on the 13th and a Dunlin on the 18th. Lapwings are nesting. Up to six Little Ringed Plovers and eight Redshank seem settled for the summer.

Black-headed Gull numbers up to 300+ on Colebrook Lake with signs of nesting. A Mediterranean Gull has been seen with the Black-heads on 15th, 17th and 21st. Little Gulls seen on 16th and 23rd. A few Common Terns from 16th. Two Arctic Terns on the 23rd when there were 80 at Fleet Pond!

Sand Martins from the end of March are digging nest holes on the gravel banks.  Arrivals of Swallow from the 1st, House Martin from the 6th and Swift from the 19th. A Water Pipit on the 23rd with sightings of Yellow Wagtails and White Wagtails from then on. A Nightingale on 13th and 21st are only the second and third site records of this species. The first Wheatear of the year was seen on the 25th.

Willow Warblers, Whitethroat, Sedge Warblers, Garden Warblers, Reed Warblers and Lesser Whitethroat arrived in that order to join the numerous Chiffchaff and Blackcaps. A Firecrest on the 25th completed the picture.

As always, please report your own sightings on the record sheets in Colebrook Hide or send them to Ian Brown, the Moor Green Bird Recorder.

This Summary is also available on  www.mglg.org.uk

Report compiled by Bruce Archer