My Blog - Jeff Clarke

Blissful Blue

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All images unless otherwise stated © Jeff Clarke 2012

There can be few more pleasant places to be in the world than the British Countryside on a perfect day in May and better still when it extends over long weekend. I worked for most of it but I can't complain as it involved showing various groups of people our wonderful birdlife. It began on Friday evening, under the azure sky that persited the whole weekend, at Budby Common where a small group of my adult education folk joined me to explore this extensive heathland in North Notts. We missed out on the Nightjar, perhaps we were a few days early, but we had close encounters with other classic heathland birds, including parachuting Tree Pipits and dweedling Woodlarks.

The following day we reconvened at the lovely county of Rutland and a man-made reservoir tailor-made for birds. Rutland Water is famous for the annual bird fair held each August, but we missed the crowds and had the hides to ourselves for much of the day. We savoured a fabulous array of birds but topping the bill for most was the Hobby. Several of these birds hawked insects above the various woodlands whilst Swifts and Swallows careened by, aware that their potential predator was diverted by the easy meal of damsel and dragonflies. Common Terns plunged in front of several hides, a Black Tern graced us with it's presence and Ringed and little Ringed Plovers engaged in bouts of inter-specific competition. We duly paid homage ot the nesting Ospreys but were probably more diverted by the close proximity of headdress adorned Great crested Grebes.

Sunday morning found me closer to home, leading a group of Natural Know-How folk for Cheshire Wildlife Trust at Wigg Island. The early start helped but the temperatures rose rapidly and by 10.30am most birds were keeping quiet and seeking shade. We found 7 species of warbler and missed out on at least two more that were present but keeping stum. Common Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers are still  well down on last year's occupied territories time will tell if they are just delayed on migration, or they succumbed to the Sahelian drought!