Summary of the year to date
The Observation pages contain a synopsis of the more interesting sightings of birds at Rye Meads over the past year, plus a summary of last year.
Observations in March and April
April's Spring promise delivered this year with the earliest ever Reed Warbler (followed by another two a couple of days later and a third the following day), and Sand Martins just 2 days after our earliest date, and Swallow three days. Swift, Hobby, Turtle Dove and all four regular Sylvia warblers all arrived before the end of the month.
A build-up of Gadwall to 239 in early April may be evidence of a Spring passage; other notable numbers included 56 Teal, 53 Shovelers and 23 Little Grebes, plus a regular 10 to 12 Shelducks. In addition, a Bahama Pintail was seen five times, and also at other locations in the area. Also recorded was a Little Egret on three occasions - scarcely worth getting excited about these days.
What are now becoming the usual seven raptors were all recorded during the period: a Red Kite on two dates, a single Marsh Harrier followed a couple of days later by a pair rather intriguingly displaying over the scrape.
Buzzard was logged on more than half the dates of site coverage, with a maximum of 7, and there were two records of single Peregrines. Completing the picture, up to 4 Kestrels were regularly seen with a peak of 8 thought to represent a small passage; up to 3 Sparrowhawks were regular, and there were 2 records of Hobby.
Little Ringed Plovers returned in April, with up to three birds recorded. Flooding in the First Meadow caused the removal of the resident cattle, and consequently the vegetation is higher than many waders would like, hence lower than usual numbers of Lapwing. Snipe peaked at 118 in March, and despite 24 remaining in early April, breeding would seem unlikely. Up to 4 Redshanks have been regular, and Green Sandpiper numbers continued to disappoint with no more than 3 recorded. There were two Jack Snipe and two further records of singles, a Woodcock was flushed on two dates, and a single Greenshank was seen in April.
Most Summer visitors arrived back in April, and by the end of the month there were good numbers: 16 Common Terns, 100 Swifts, and 24 Swallows. Tape luring of Sand Martins to roost attracted 80 birds at the beginning of April. Other notable numbers included 40 Blackcaps, 8 Whitethroats and good numbers of Sedge and Reed Warblers. Our wintering Chiffchaffs seamlessly translated into our breeding birds, but a small peak of 12 at the end of March may have been a small wave of arrivals.
On the down side, there were only single records of Yellow Wagtail and Whinchat, and Willow Warblers have been scarce. Cetti's Warblers have survived the harsh winter well, with at least 4 birds present.
Departing Winter visitors included 4 Stonechats. A roost of Fieldfares in the North Lagoons still contained 49 birds in March but were gone together with the last Redwings by the end of the month. Finally, there was a pair of Siskins and a record of 8 Linnets - regrettably now a rare bird here.