Birds of the Lye Valley, Spring 2020: common species
Spring 2020 will forever be associated with the coronavirus pandemic. With the country in lockdown, I was unable to work. As such, I took my daily walk at dawn and recorded as many bird species as I possibly could in the Lye Valley, Warneford Meadow and Southfield Golf Course area. These areas surround the Churchill Hospital and Old Road Campus, both of which are actively involved in helping the fight against the pandemic.
Below, Warneford Meadow at dawn in April 2020. My overriding memory of spring 2020 will be the crystal clear visibility and the intense (aircraft-free) blue skies:
This blog post covers some of the common bird species recorded in the Lye Valley area in Spring 2020. I made 46 consecutive dawn visits in the period from late March to early May. More coverage generally means more birds and this certainly proved to be the case. In April alone I recorded 63 species. For context, 71 species were recorded in the whole of 2019. Below are some photographic highlights of the common species of birds in the Lye Valley. The next post will examine some of the more unusual visitors.
Sub-adult Grey Heron, Lye Valley. This young Heron was a regular feature of the Lye Valley in April. 6 Cormorants pass below the setting Moon at dawn, 14th April. April is Cormorant month here, with regular sightings of birds flying overhead. They are rarely recorded in any other month of the year. Displaying male Sparrowhawk, using “slow-motion” wing-beats. Male Kestrel, one of the local pair. Red KiteMale Pheasant: a frequently heard species, but rarely seen. At least two pairs stay hidden in thickets in the area. A pair of courting Stock Doves, a small number of pairs breed in the area. Male Great Spotted Woodpecker, drumming in the Lye Valley. Woodpecker drumming was the dominant sound of the woodland in April, but ceases later in the month as the birds move onto the next phase of their breeding cycle. Eurasian Jay, Lye valleyNuthatch, collecting mud for the entrance of the nest hole, Boundary Brook ValleySinging male Grey Wagtail, Churchill Hospital Balancing Pond, March 2020. Singing Chiffchaff, Boundary Brook Valley. It was a good year for Willow Warblers, with up to 4 singing birds present. All these birds seem to move through though, with none remaining to breed. Male Blackcap, collecting nesting material, Lye Valley. The dominant warbler species. The Lye Valley is filled with Blackcap song in spring and early summer. Garden Warbler: much less frequent than Blackcap, but the odd pair may breed locally. Goldcrest, Warneford Meadow. Blue Tit with face stained yellow with tree pollen. Swallow: the first Swallows passed overhead on 3rd April, with small numbers recorded moving through all month. Two Tawny Owl chicks, found by Isaac West, high up in a sycamore. This is the first confirmed breeding of Tawny Owl, though it has long been suspected. Adult Tawny Owl.
Next: uncommon and rare birds seen in the Lye Valley area in Spring 2020.
