However there has been a bit of an influx of Black-winged Stilts into the UK this week with birds also appearing in Ireland and with up to 8 (!) birds present in Cornwall my excitement and stress levels rose in equal measure. Would this finally be the year I achieve my Holy Grail?
Thursday 6th April (Maundy Thursday) was all blue skies and sunshine but with a chilly breeze and with a Black-winged Stilt being reported at Maer Lake in Bude we decided to go for a look. It had been found on Tuesday 4th April feeding along the river right in the centre of Bude opposite The Carriers Arms where it gave amazing views despite all the hustle and bustle of people and traffic very nearby. However the views at Maer Lake would be much more distant.
We had planned to visit Bude last week on my annual leave from work but the weather was so crappy we gave it a miss which was quite fortuitous as the Stilt wasn't present last week! With it now being the Easter holidays we expected it to be very busy too but it actually wasn't too bad and we had a good day out.
On arriving at Maer Lake there were plenty of Sand Martins buzzing around over the water and amongst them were a few Swallows. A Willow Warbler and a Cettis Warbler were heard, I think this is the first time I have heard a Cettis here as they continue their presumed population expansion.
The water level was very high and there was very little mud on show but out on the water were Teal, Mallard, Moorhen, a Coot and 4 Shelduck. A lone Black-headed Gull was loafing around with 4 Herring Gulls and 2 Pied Wagtails were having an aerial spat
Eventually I found the Black-winged Stilt feeding at the back of the Lake where it often disappeared amongst the waterside vegetation but it gave some cracking scope views, a totally incongruous looking bird with ridiculously long, bright pink legs and a long, needle-like bill.
The light wasn't great for viewing the Stilt so we headed into Bude for some lunch and a look around but before heading back to Plymouth we had another look in the much better late afternoon light and watched it for a while as it continued to feed along the back of the Lake although again it often disappeared amongst the vegetation.
And so finally I have seen a Black-winged Stilt in the UK, one turning up on The Plym (again) would be very nice though!
And more seriously, there has been quite an influx of "Mediterranean" birds so far this Spring, notably Alpine Swifts and now Black-winged Stilts. Maybe just a coincidence, maybe due to certain weather conditions at migration time or maybe climate change and global warming? With regard to the Stilts there is quite a severe and ongoing drought in Spain so possibly these are birds venturing further north to find suitable breeding habitat. Whatever the case it will be interesting to see how things play out for the rest of this year and in the future.
I actually had Good Friday (April 7th) off this year for a change, the first time for many a year, although last year I was supposed to be working but spent it laying on the settee "dying" from COVID. It was a beautiful day with blue skies, sunshine and a gentle breeze and we headed out to Stoke Point for a walk with Julie and Matt. The walk was as wonderful as always and we had a very tasty lunch in The Ship Inn at Noss Mayo and I managed a few wildlife sightings along the way.
I saw my first Speckled Wood and Wall of the year along with Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell but they were all mobile and flitty in the sunshine.
A singing Cirl Bunting, a pair of Stonechat, singing Chiffchaffs, 2 Kestrels, Linnets, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were also seen and there was lots of Sloe Blossom on display. A Swallow and 3 Sand Martin flew in off the sea and headed straight inland.
Saturday 8th April was another beautiful day but with my Easter break over and 2 night shifts looming I decided to head out to Wembury for a morning walk. However a text came through with news of a male Gadwall on the River Plym and so I headed there instead.
The Gadwall showed very nicely on the very flooded Blaxton Meadow, only my third sighting for The Plym after a male January 1997 and a pair March 2013, but with such high water levels there was very little else on show except for 2 Curlew, 8 Greenshank and Redshank.
A small passage of Swallow and Sand Martin was noted heading north over Efford Fort and 3 Swallow were seen around the Duck Pond where the female Red-crested Pochard was back in residence.
A flyover Siskin, 2 flyover Linnet, an unseen Great Spotted Woodpecker "chipping" away, 2 singing male Blackcaps, 7 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls out on the mudflats amongst the other Gulls and 2 displaying Sparrowhawk were the other avian highlights. A male Brimstone, 4 Peacock and 2 Dark-edged Bee Fly were also noted and it was good to see a few Bluebells and Ramsons in flower too.
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