Sunday 31 May 2009

31st May 2009

Was out birding from c. 6:20 am to just after 5:30 pm - over 11 hours!!! Much of this time was spent surveying tetrad SP07X for the atlas; though I could've spent just 1 or 2 hours doing that, walking through most bits of the tetrad will make it easier for me to estimate the tetrad's bird populations. When I finished at c. 3:20 pm, I'd managed to record 42 species in the tetrad, not including the 2 Black Swans (probably pinioned) as well as 2 species that I only saw flying over the tetrad and not using it - 7 Lapwings and a Greylag Goose - so unfortunately couldn't include them in the species list.
Among the species seen in the Earlswood part of the tetrad was a Cuckoo that I saw perched and calling - my best sighting of one so far. After the tetrad, I had a look at the lakes but 4 Common Terns were the best on offer there. I'd seen the Greylag Goose over Shawbrook (Wythall) heading for either Fulford Heath Golf Course or the lakes, but unfortunately there was no sign of it at either when I checked.
M.P. Griffiths

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