All you birdwatchers: have your wheatears arrived this year? We usually have up to ten birds arriving by the end of March, many passing through, but two or three pairs stay in the area to breed, but this year there has not been a single sighting to date! What has gone wrong? There has not been any change in conditions at the "receiving end", that is, here, so has there been a distaster in the overwintering grounds in Africa?
Any help or information would be appreciated
Wheatear
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Hi Monika,
I have an ancient British/Roman Fort above me and there are normally a couple of pairs nesting up there. I have not been up there for about a fortnight and they were not there then. I will venture up there tomorrow and find out.
The hedgerows here have been swarming and I mean swarming with Redstarts which are marvelous.
A few years ago we had a pair of Black Redstarts breeding up on the camp with the Wheatears but they only stayed the one season.
We have a Red Kite nesting quite close to us this year!! I have two pairs of Buzzard nesting on the plot and one is an old nest and the other surprisingly close to the other is a new nest and the Male Buzzard is completely white on the underside and has no roundels on the wings. It will be interesting to see what the progeny will have?
I have had an anti Deer fence around the home plot for 25 years which has seen better days and this morning, much to my surprise, had five deer grazing on my lawn! When I went outside they seemed quite unconcerned and only sauntered away and it took me best part of twenty minutes to get them out and then had to repair the fence temporarily and will have to have the whole lot rerun next week.
I am in Hospital from Monday for a few days and will not be able to do it myself.
JB.
I have an ancient British/Roman Fort above me and there are normally a couple of pairs nesting up there. I have not been up there for about a fortnight and they were not there then. I will venture up there tomorrow and find out.
The hedgerows here have been swarming and I mean swarming with Redstarts which are marvelous.
A few years ago we had a pair of Black Redstarts breeding up on the camp with the Wheatears but they only stayed the one season.
We have a Red Kite nesting quite close to us this year!! I have two pairs of Buzzard nesting on the plot and one is an old nest and the other surprisingly close to the other is a new nest and the Male Buzzard is completely white on the underside and has no roundels on the wings. It will be interesting to see what the progeny will have?
I have had an anti Deer fence around the home plot for 25 years which has seen better days and this morning, much to my surprise, had five deer grazing on my lawn! When I went outside they seemed quite unconcerned and only sauntered away and it took me best part of twenty minutes to get them out and then had to repair the fence temporarily and will have to have the whole lot rerun next week.
I am in Hospital from Monday for a few days and will not be able to do it myself.
JB.
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alan refail
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Johnboy
Hope all goes well for you in hospital next week.
Alan
Hope all goes well for you in hospital next week.
Alan
Cred air o bob deg a glywi, a thi a gei rywfaint bach o wir (hen ddihareb Gymraeg)
Believe one tenth of what you hear, and you will get some little truth (old Welsh proverb)
Believe one tenth of what you hear, and you will get some little truth (old Welsh proverb)
Hi Monika,
I took a trip up to the camp and there were two Wheatears there but they didn't act as though they were a pair. I find that they are quite tame as birds go and my appearance didn't seem to phase them at all.
Most of the Redstarts have moved on sadly but we normally have about 4 pairs on the plot and they seem quite territorial.
Even more Swallows and there are 9 pairs and the strange thing is that my neighbour a mile down the road has yet to see one. I saw him when collecting my paper and within 20 minutes he appeared at my place 'cos I think that I was telling him porkies.
We had a cup of Coffee and watched them for a while.
The day here have a little cloud but is still radiant sunshine.
The Spring Barley is going mad from the drop of rain it had on Sunday evening.
Wonderful view of a Red Kite on the way to the village earlier on. It swept across the road only about 30ft above me. What a buzz!! When I go up to the camp I sometimes see the Kite and occasionally I am looking down on it which is something you very seldom manage to do.
The camp is grazed but I have managed to encircle an enormous patch of Cowslips but noticed this morning that the area will have to be increased or I will break the law and transplant some to a safer place.
Stupid law really. It is illegal to dig up a Cowslip but the law doesn't worry if the Sheep eat them out of existence!
JB.
I took a trip up to the camp and there were two Wheatears there but they didn't act as though they were a pair. I find that they are quite tame as birds go and my appearance didn't seem to phase them at all.
Most of the Redstarts have moved on sadly but we normally have about 4 pairs on the plot and they seem quite territorial.
Even more Swallows and there are 9 pairs and the strange thing is that my neighbour a mile down the road has yet to see one. I saw him when collecting my paper and within 20 minutes he appeared at my place 'cos I think that I was telling him porkies.
We had a cup of Coffee and watched them for a while.
The day here have a little cloud but is still radiant sunshine.
The Spring Barley is going mad from the drop of rain it had on Sunday evening.
Wonderful view of a Red Kite on the way to the village earlier on. It swept across the road only about 30ft above me. What a buzz!! When I go up to the camp I sometimes see the Kite and occasionally I am looking down on it which is something you very seldom manage to do.
The camp is grazed but I have managed to encircle an enormous patch of Cowslips but noticed this morning that the area will have to be increased or I will break the law and transplant some to a safer place.
Stupid law really. It is illegal to dig up a Cowslip but the law doesn't worry if the Sheep eat them out of existence!
JB.
Hello Johnboy, many thanks for your lovely bird report. We had the first wheatear here today, too, but probably just passing through. I do hope we still get our usual "quota" because they are always so wonderful to watch on the dry stone walls and can be approached quite closely.
There has certainly been an increase in birds of prey in our area, compared to, say, 20 yars ago. We now have two pairs of buzzard quite close to the village, red kite not far (offspring from the pairs introduced about 8 years ago in the area), a pair of peregrine in the lime stone quarry, merlin on the moor and regular sparrowhawk and kestrel sightings.
We are very pleased this year as we have four nests in our small garden! The blackbirds are feeding young, the dunnocks must be nearly at that stage, the bluetits are still building in the box and the robin has just started (again, we think) in the ivy on the garage wall. Let's hope they are all successful.
All the very best for your health and wellbeing!
There has certainly been an increase in birds of prey in our area, compared to, say, 20 yars ago. We now have two pairs of buzzard quite close to the village, red kite not far (offspring from the pairs introduced about 8 years ago in the area), a pair of peregrine in the lime stone quarry, merlin on the moor and regular sparrowhawk and kestrel sightings.
We are very pleased this year as we have four nests in our small garden! The blackbirds are feeding young, the dunnocks must be nearly at that stage, the bluetits are still building in the box and the robin has just started (again, we think) in the ivy on the garage wall. Let's hope they are all successful.
All the very best for your health and wellbeing!
Hi Monika,
Thinking about it the two Wheatears that I saw may well be in transit as yours are. It is amazing how quick the Swallows get down to laying. Last year the first that arrived actually managed four broods and as I have already said the last broods fledged and then learned to fly on the long journey.
As you say your birds of prey have increased over the years and so have ours. Buzzards a very in evidence and I can actually see three nests from my plot all within about four hundred yards apart.
I have a Sparrow Hawk that is so regular that you could almost set your watch to. It swoops over at 11am every day without fail. We have three pairs of Goshawks nesting in the local forest. (19,000 acres)
I have yet to hear the Cuckoo and sadly I have not heard one for about three years now. They are about in the district but I keep on missing them.
We generally see several Hobbies but they come in with the Swifts that will be here in about two to three weeks time.
I have been told that a Pied Flycatcher has been seem in the forest today which for here is quite early. The Spotted Flycatchers will be her a little after the Swifts. I generally have at least two pairs on the plot. I have two pairs of Pied Wagtails nesting this year and so far I have counted six Goldcrest nests all in the big Yew tree I have at the front of the house. I await the Warblers.
The deer were back again this morning having broken the fence in a different place. I have a contractor promising to do the job starting tomorrow. I will not be there to see if he turns up or not.
I'm off to the hospital a 6.30am.
We had a super day really but it was bright sunshine one moment then all of a sudden it was pouring with rain for about 20 minutes then the rest of the day sunny. Could almost be April!!!
Sincerely,
JB.
Thinking about it the two Wheatears that I saw may well be in transit as yours are. It is amazing how quick the Swallows get down to laying. Last year the first that arrived actually managed four broods and as I have already said the last broods fledged and then learned to fly on the long journey.
As you say your birds of prey have increased over the years and so have ours. Buzzards a very in evidence and I can actually see three nests from my plot all within about four hundred yards apart.
I have a Sparrow Hawk that is so regular that you could almost set your watch to. It swoops over at 11am every day without fail. We have three pairs of Goshawks nesting in the local forest. (19,000 acres)
I have yet to hear the Cuckoo and sadly I have not heard one for about three years now. They are about in the district but I keep on missing them.
We generally see several Hobbies but they come in with the Swifts that will be here in about two to three weeks time.
I have been told that a Pied Flycatcher has been seem in the forest today which for here is quite early. The Spotted Flycatchers will be her a little after the Swifts. I generally have at least two pairs on the plot. I have two pairs of Pied Wagtails nesting this year and so far I have counted six Goldcrest nests all in the big Yew tree I have at the front of the house. I await the Warblers.
The deer were back again this morning having broken the fence in a different place. I have a contractor promising to do the job starting tomorrow. I will not be there to see if he turns up or not.
I'm off to the hospital a 6.30am.
We had a super day really but it was bright sunshine one moment then all of a sudden it was pouring with rain for about 20 minutes then the rest of the day sunny. Could almost be April!!!
Sincerely,
JB.
I know you might see this for some time, Johnboy, but when you do, glad you are back! What a great birding area you live in! Coming back to the start of this thread, good news about the wheatears: there were five at the moor edge this morning, four males and one female, so they were just late, it appears.
Our first blackbirds fledged yesterday and mother is busy building the next nest already whilst dad looks after the youngsters!
Our first blackbirds fledged yesterday and mother is busy building the next nest already whilst dad looks after the youngsters!