Lutley Wedge 30/04/12 (9°c) Sunny spells/scattered cloud. Wind SE F4

A brilliant morning of visible migration through the patch with good numbers of Swallows  with smaller numbers of House Martin on the move North, along with a few Yellow Wagtails. Perhaps not suprisingly given the heavy hirundine passage underway (4) superb Hobbies also flew through, and also a Peregrine. There was a small increase in Whitethroat numbers with (3♂) now around the patch and (9) Wheatear were also grounded (5♂4♀) including 3 'Greenland' types.

4 Hobby (1➝ENE) (1➝NNE) (1➝N) (1➝S)

1 Peregrine➝ENE

108 Swallow (97➝N)

24 House Martin➝N

13 Swift 

4 flava Wagtail (1➝N) (1➝WNW)

9 Wheatear (5♂4♀) inc 3 Greenland

2 Willow Warbler

3 Whitethroat

2+ Chiffchaff

3 Raven➝N

Hobby and Peregrine 30/4/12

Vis mig montage, Swallows, Swift and House Martin 30/4/12

♂ Whitethroat 30/4/12

Lutley Wedge 28/04/12 (5°c) Cloudy, light rain showers. Wind (ENE) F3-F4

"flava's start to move"

The first (7) Yellow Wagtails this spring flew through, and (10) Wheatears were grounded including 2♂1♀ Greenland types. A Peregrine over Wassell Grove Pools was followed a few minutes later by a Hobby heading NE at 10.35am.

1 Hobby ➝NE

1 Peregrine ➝NE

7 Yellow Wagtail (4➝N) (1➝WSW) (2 in)

10 Wheatear (6♂4♀) 3 Greenland 

9 Swift (5➝N) (2➝NE) (1➝E)

1 Swallow ➝N

1 Lesser Redpoll (SLC)

Yellow Wagtail and Swift 28/4/12

♂ Greenland type Wheatear Wassell Grove Pools 28/4/12

Lutley Wedge 27/04/12 (7°c) Cloudy, rain. Wind (NE) F2-F3

"Greenland fall"

Overnight showers and rain during the morning grounded at least (22) Wheatears (16♂ 6♀) around the patch including a good number of Greenland Wheatear and a flock of (12) Swifts moved North over Wassell Grove Pools.

22 Wheatear 

13 Swift (12➝N) (1➝E)

inset.. ♂ Greenland Wheatear 27/4/12

Lutley Wedge 26/04/12 (8°c/13°c ) Overcast/Cloudy with showers. Wind (S)➝(SSW) F3/F4

"LRP !!!"

A Little Ringed Plover flew over Wassell Grove Pools at 10.30am heading Southeast,  a superb first record for Lutley Wedge. The first Hobby and Swift of the spring also flew through and there was a fall of (8) ♂ Wheatear including (3) probable Greenland Wheatear.   

1 Little Ringed Plover ➝SE

1 Hobby ➝NNW

1 Swift ➝NE

8 ♂ Wheatear (in) (3 Greenland race)

1 House Martin ➝N

5 Swallow

1 Martin sp ➝N

1 Willow Warbler 

1 Lapwing ➝W

1 Cormorant ➝SW

1 Raven ➝NE

Little Ringed Plover 26/4/12 Wassell Grove Pools 

Hobby and ♂ Wheatears 26/4/12

Lutley Wedge 25/04/12 (9°c/11°c) Heavy rain then showers. (E)➝(SE) F3/5

"first Greenland shows up"

(3) ♂ Wheatears were grounded, including the first ♂ 'Greenland' Wheatear on the patch this spring.

3 Swallow

2 Blackcap

1 Chiffchaff

♂ (Greenland) Wheatear 27/4/12

Noticeable brown/grey wash to the upperparts/mantle, a deeper rusty buff-cinnamon throat, breast, flanks and belly extending to the vent. All good pro-leucorhoa features!

Lutley Wedge 24/04/12 (10°c/12°c) Scattered cloud and sunny spells. Brisk (NW) wind F2/3

A ♀ Redstart was 'new in' along the Top Footpath, (2) late Siskin were at Wassell Grove Pools but still only a single ♂ Whitethroat seen.

1 ♀ Redstart

6+ Swallow

1 Whitethroat

2 ♂ Willow Warbler

4 Chiffchaff

7 Blackcap

2 ♂ Siskin

1 Raven

Willow Warbler 24/4/12

Lutley Wedge 23/04/12

(4) Wheatears (SLC)

Lutley Wedge 22/04/12

(1) Whitethroat (the first this spring) and (3) Wheatears (SLC)

Lutley Wedge 21/04/12

(2) Wheatears (SLC) 

Lutley Wedge 20/04/12

(1) ♂ Redstart still present (for 4th day) (SLC)

Lutley Wedge 19/04/12 (9°c/11°c) Cloudy and overcast, showers. Wind (NNW) F2/3

(1) Oystercatcher (CR) flew very high NW over the Top Footpath at 10.10am (only the 3rd record at Lutley Wedge). The ♂ Redstart was still present, with (1) ♂ Wheatear nearby (SLC). (3) Lapwing also flew over WNW.

♂ Redstart and Wheatear 19/4/12

Lapwing 19/4/12

Lutley Wedge 18/04/12 (8°c) Cloudy, overcast with rain/showers. Wind (SE)➝(ESE) F2/3

"Vis mig nirvana as an Osprey graces the patch" "Get in!!"

A stunning Osprey flew in from the SW at Wassell Grove Pools at 1.00pm, circling over the pools for several minutes and gaining height before heading off high to the North. Also the first House Martin this spring flew through.

1 Osprey➝N

1 House Martin➝N (SLC)

5 Swallow

Osprey Wassell Grove Pools 18/4/12 (only the 5th record at Lutley Wedge & first since 2009)

Lutley Wedge 17/04/12 (9°c/12°c) Sunny spells, scattered cloud. Overnight rain and some heavy showers am. Wind (S)➝(W) F4

"Birds in!"

A weather front swept through overnight bringing rain followed by some heavy showers during the morning, and grounded a superb ♂ Redstart (the first this spring) and (6) Wheatears.  

1♂ Redstart

6 Wheatear (4♂2♀)

1 Willow Warbler (SLC)

7 Chiffchaff

3 Blackcap

6 Swallow

1 Lapwing (SLC)

♂ Redstart and (1st summer) ♂ Wheatear 17/4/12

Lutley Wedge 16/04/12 (9°c) Sunny spells, scattered cloud. Wind (S/SW) F3

3 Swallow

3 Chiffchaff

4 Blackcap

Swallow and Chiffchaff 16/4/12

Lutley Wedge 15/04/12 (0°c/10°c) Clear and sunny, overnight frost. Wind (N/NW) F2-F4

Still pretty quiet migration wise. A single Wheatear dropped in mid-morning, and a Willow Warbler moved quickly through at Wassell Grove Pools with a late Redwing also there. Vis mig was limited, with a trickle of Mipits pushing on into the freshening cold Northerly wind and a small group of 3 Swallows that passed through at 'knee level'!

1 ♂ Wheatear

1 Redwing (in)

6 Swallow (4➝N)

1 Hirundine sp ➝N

33 Meadow Pipit ➝N

6 Redpoll sp ➝N/NE

2 Cormorant ➝NNE

2 Raven ➝S

♂ Wheatear 15/4/12

Lutley Wedge 13/04/12

(1)♀ Wheatear
(2) Willow Warbler
(11) Chiffchaff
(5) Blackcap
(2) Swallow
(1) Hirundine sp ➝N
(5) Meadow Pipit (1➝N) (4➝in)
sightings...(SLC)

Lutley Wedge 11/04/12

(1) Redwing
(1) Lapwing ➝W
sightings...(SLC)

Lutley Wedge 08/04/12

(1) Swallow (SLC)

Lutley Wedge 07/04/12

(1)♂ Wheatear (SLC)

Lutley Wedge 06/04/12

(2)♂(1)♀ Wheatear 
(1) Swallow
(7) Chiffchaff
(3) Blackcap
(5) Meadow Pipit ➝NW
sightings...(SLC)

Lutley Wedge 05/04/12

1 Wheatear (SLC)
1 Swallow (PC)

Lutley Wedge 03/04/12 Overcast with heavy rain showers

(40) Meadow Pipits were grounded at Wassell Grove and 2 Swallows seen

Lutley Wedge 02/04/12 (4°c) Sunny, patchy cloud (clouded over from (N) later am)

Vis mig included a Curlew flying North over Wassell Grove Pools at 09.30am and some signs of raptor passage, with a Peregrine circling very high over Wassell Grove and sparring with a Common Buzzard and Raven before heading off to the N/NE. Also seen 2 ♂ Wheatears.  

1 Curlew ➝N

1 Peregrine ➝NNE

2 ♂ Wheatear

1 Swallow

1 Blackcap

3 Chiffchaff

6 Redwing ➝SE

14 Meadow Pipit ➝N

1 Siskin

Curlew 2/4/12

Peregrine with Buzzard and Raven 2/4/12

♂ Wheatear 2/4/12

Lutley Wedge 01/04/12 (0°c/13°c) Sunny, clear. Wind Calm/Var F1

"Vis mig torquatus!"

A superb ♂ Ring Ouzel flew NW over Wassell Grove Pools at 09.05am, the first in Worcestershire this spring. Several flocks of Fieldfares also moved North through the morning.

1 ♂ Ring Ouzel ➝NW

1 Swallow

8+ Chiffchaff

4 ♂ Blackcap

32 Fieldfare ➝NE

2 Redwing

9 Meadow Pipit➝N

4 Siskin (2➝N) (2 in)

5 Raven (2➝S) (3➝N)

1 Cormorant ➝NW

♂ Ring Ouzel Wassell Grove Pools 1/4/12