20/04/10 Lutley Wedge

4 Wheatears still near Foxcote farm this morning (T.H)

19/04/10 Lutley Wedge

6 Wheatears near Foxcote farm and 2 Wheatears near Wassell Grove Pools this morning. (T.H)

18/04/10 Lutley Wedge

1 Grasshopper Warbler was 'reeling' near Wassell Grove pools this morning, also seen 1 House Martin and 1 Lapwing flew over >South. (S.L.C)

3M Wheatears near Wassell Grove/Pools (T.H)

17/04/10 Lutley Wedge

1M Wheatear in a ploughed field near Foxcote Farm this morning, was the first seen for some 11 days (T.H) .This is probably a sign that the second later Wheatear passage is getting underway, which could include some birds of more Northern breeding popoulations and the 'Greenland race' especially towards the end of the month and into May.

16/4/10 Lutley Wedge 09.10pm (4°c) Sunny with clear skies, clouding over later a.m. NNE breeze

Still very quiet, and almost a re-run of yesterday, other than 1 Raven that flew high over Wassell Grove Pools >SE towards Clent.

15/04/10 Lutley Wedge 07.55am (4/9°c) Cold, grey and overcast with a cold ENE breeze

Willow Warbler Lutley Wedge 15/4/10

A case of 'groundhog day' at Lutley! And still deathly quiet migration wise for mid-April.

'Vis Mig'=Nil!!

5+ Chiffchaff

5+ Blackcap

1 Willow warbler

1 Swallow

14/04/10 Lutley Wedge 07.55am (5°c/14°c) Cold, grey and overcast start with a cold NE wind, brighter later.

With birders seemingly everywhere bemoaning the lack of birds at the moment i decided to consult the weather charts today in an attempt to get to the bottom of the current migration hiatus. And my prognosis looks grim! Well at least for the moment!

The current weather charts and satellite image of Europe show the possible reason for the migration hold up, with the large area of high pressure over the U.K and Scandinavia effectively forming a block to northward moving migrants with unfavorable NE winds. Also an area of low pressure over Southern Europe is bringing unsettled weather probably holding up many migrant birds further south. We could see a 'rush' of birds moving through when this current weather pattern finally shifts and becomes more favourable for onward migration.

The current weather ensured it was going to be another very quiet day at Lutley. This morning was a total non event visible migration wise with virtually nothing moving other than 5 Redpoll sp that flew over >NE at Wassell Grove Pools.

Otherwise it was the same again with a scattering of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs around the patch and the odd Willow Warbler. Not even any Swallows were seen this morning!

Further south at Portland Bill the same weather front and cloudy skies brought a reasonable fall of birds today, so maybe we can hope for better things at Lutley tommorow! We 'bird on' in hope!!

13/04/10 Lutley Wedge 07.50am (4/14°c) Cool start, bright with scattered cloud, sunny later. Cold N/NNE breeze

Male Willow Warbler 'displaying' Lutley Wedge 13/4/10.

(Incredible views today down to a few feet, as this 'newly arrived' male Willow Warbler aggressively tried to defend his nesting territory from an equally vocal and territorial Chiffchaff who was there first! Oh and me!)

Female Common Crossbill flying North Wassell Grove Pools 13/4/10

It was another cool start this morning with a brisk NNE breeze blowing, and it looked like being another 'vis mig' non event until a flock of 4 Common Crossbills flew 'chipping' overhead. They were followed by another 1 Common Crossbill flying South, and a single Sand Martin flew swiftly through heading NW.

Visible Migration Wassell Grove Pools:-

5 Common Crossbill (4>N 1>S)

1 Sand Martin >NW

2 Meadow Pipit >N

Lutley Wedge Migrant Totals:-

2 Willow Warbler

7+ Chiffchaff

3+Blackcap

7 Swallows

1 Sand Martin

5 Common Crossbill

2 Meadow Pipit

12/04/10 Lutley Wedge (6/13°c) Cold, grey overcast and cloudy start, brighter later, NE 2-3

Chiffchaff singing from less than atypical habitat, an overhead power line! Lutley 12/4/10

With high pressure now firmly established and feeding in a cold NE wind, it remains very quiet migration wise. Even the blanket of thick cloud cover that moved in overnight failed to ground anything. The only signs of birds moving were a paltry 8 Meadow Pipits flying North over Grange Farm, and continuing the grim, cold 'un-spring like' theme this morning the only notable bird was 1 late Fieldfare at Wassell Grove Pools.

Migrant totals:-

3 Swallows

10+ Chiffchaffs (8m 2f)

3m Blackcaps

9 Meadow Pipit

1 Fieldfare

11/04/10 Lutley Wedge 08.00am (8 /15°c) Bright/sunny with patchy high cloud, cool NE breeze

Willow Warbler Lutley Wedge 11/4/10

Swallow Wassell Grove 11/4/10

Common Buzzard Lutley Wedge 11/4/10

Migrant totals at Lutley today :-

1 Willow Warbler

7+ Chiffchaffs

5 Blackcaps

5 Swallows

06/04/10 Lutley Wedge

A good 'fall' today on the patch.

4 Ring Ouzel (2m2f) were in the horse paddocks near Foxcote Farm, also 7 Wheatear (3M4F) and 1M White Wagtail nearby (T.H)