Thursday 5 April 2012

More Chiffchaffs, but still no Willow Warblers.

0845hrs-1100hrs. Plain Quarry to Trig, then down through Burton Fell, cross from Slape up into Lancelot Clark Storth, then from there down through Storth, and through Dalton Crags back to Plain Quarry.

After parking car, I heard Chiffchaff Craig singing away from just behind car park, also there was some Goldcrest singing away.
13 Fieldfare crossed over to the East through Dalton Crags (upper). 7 Meadow Pipits went North through Dalton (upper)over a period of 1 1/2hours. Very quiet up there no sound from the breeding Mipits around the Trig Point, but lots of sound from nearby Chaffinch with that familiar "sheh,sheh,sheh,sheh,sheh,sheh (called ever so fast) and then finishing off with "Is it you?" also some were doing their "pink" call.

Another Chiffchaff has arrived in Burton Fell, bringing the total now to six there (Bertie, Bunty, Fella, Toby, Bert and the newby Thorn.
Guess what!! "Miss A Note" as returned within Lancelot, taking the total there to three. I noticed when "Miss A Note" started singing it went something like "Chiff Chaff, didoo di chi chi" and then repeated. Crossing over and heading through Storth, it was nice to see that Chiffchaff "Storm" had arrived back overnight to the area directly behind the Dalton hamlet houses. Also on passing "Summer" was giving it plenty in her territory directly at the old Summer house ruin.
Still for me no Swallows yet, and throughout the territories this morning no Willow Warblers.

Last year several Willow Warblers had started arriving by the 4th April, with a considerable fall on 7th April.