11th/12th May - Is spring slipping away ?

I had organised the weekend around a couple of morning birding sessions so Saturday started early at Selsey. Although with strong SW wind it tends to divert birds around the Isle of Wight and out of sight. The weather was squally showers to start with, which probably helped,  as at least a few birds were moving, with 2 Great Skuas, 8 Arctic Skuas, 5 Manx Shearwater, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Dunlin , 50 Common Scoter, 50+ Commic Terns, 10 little Terns and 20 Sandwich Terns, Fulmars and Gannets were both in good numbers  and 3 Great northern Divers were on the sea. 18 Swift, 2 Swallow, and 4 House Martins made up the visible inbound migration, although I headed home around 10am.

On Sunday, the brightest weather was going to be early so I went for a walk from the house at 7am, covering what is my normal almost circular route. I hadn't done the walk since before Africa so I was hoping to see a change in the bird numbers with migrants making the difference. There's been a lot of speculation as to whether the number of migrant birds has dramatically reduced or whether the Spring is just late and therefore many birds are still to arrive. I must admit based on what I've seen in the last couple of weeks that it would be inconclusive, but I tend to think some birds are still late or just quiet !

For a change I've listed the species seen below, which in total was 43 Species, which I consider a good number for an inland site, with very little water or change in habitat. The big surprise for me here was a Nightingale which I'd not seen before in this area although they are more common further East in Sussex. A bird had flitted across the track into some scrub and I could just see it's tail which was rather rufous and I was thinking female Redstart, but it disappeared into the thicket and I was then distracted by the distinct purring of a Turtle Dove, which was another good find, I wandered back along the track to a series of large Oaks, but could not locate the Dove despite the call continuing as I walked back towards where the 'Redstart' had disappeared I had a very loud burst of Nightingale directed at me , which cleared up what the bird had been. Despite lingering in the area for a further 20 minutes I didn't hear another sound, when at this time of the year Nightingales should be in full voice until they they quieten down in a couple of weeks. This observation seemed to apply to a few of the Warblers where I  heard just one short song-burst or just saw the bird without any song, not sure why this should be especially at that time of a fairly bright Spring morning, but wonder whether is a similar theme and adding to the perception of birds not arriving.

Summer migrants

Chiffchaff 8
Blackcap 4
Whitethroat 6
Garden Warbler 1
Cuckoo 1
Willow Warbler 1
Nightingale 1
Swallow 4
Tree Pipit 1
Turtle Dove 1 (h)

Farmland

Pheasant 5
Stock Dove 11
Woodpigeon 4
Linnet 3
Skylark 1 (h)

Water

Mandarin 8
Mallard 3
Grey Wagtail 1(h)

Woodland / Hedges

Marsh Tit 2
Blue Tit 9
Great Tit 3
Nuthatch 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Green Woodpecker 1
Song Thrush 5
Mistle Thrush 2
Blackbird 8
Robin 7
Dunnock 2
Wren 7
Goldcrest 2
Bullfinch 4
Chaffinch 7
Goldfinch 3
Siskin 3

Other

Common Buzzard 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Carrion Crow 3
Jackdaw 6
Jay 2
Starling 4
Pied Wagtail 2
House sparrow 1

View towards walking area just after house, the walk is all really in the dip of the valley rather than up the other side 

Pied Wagtail in a Sheep field

Some orchids in the undergrowth

View across arable field towards Woolbeding Common

Blackcap - a non-singing male

This was the spot I saw the Nightingale

Bluebells are well out now in the understory

Another hedgerow flower - must look it up !