Wood Warbler - Jewel of the Woods.
02nd May 2019
I was out walking on the Beacons early this morning and I heard three male Cuckoos calling.
So at last they’re arriving at their usual sites. As I approached a large sycamore tree a bird flew out and kept low over the ground, it fluttered along like a Cuckoo and initially that’s what I thought it was. However, as I saw it in my binoculars I could see it was slate blue in colour and very small, too small for a Cuckoo, I realised then that I had spooked a male Merlin - much too late for a photograph but very nice indeed to see what is a very rare raptor. As I walked on I could hear a really raucous noise and suddenly three Jays flew over my head then some more and more again until I counted fifteen birds in total, a very good count of Jays. They all flew off into the distance interacting as they went, quite a spectacle!
As I began to drop down to lower levels, Tree Pipits were singing from the tops of the trees and Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers were all singing on what was a very pleasant morning. Then suddenly I could hear the distinctive ‘Spinning Coin’ song of the Wood Warbler. These are one of my favourite little spring birds, they look so pristine with their snow white and lemon plumage and as I got nearer to the woods I could hear a bird calling and singing. I waited at the woods edge with a lens at the ready and sure enough a bird started to display, darting around the foliage. These little birds don’t stop still for long, but I managed a few quick shots before it disappeared back into the dim light of the woods.
A nice finale to a very pleasant mornings walk.
So at last they’re arriving at their usual sites. As I approached a large sycamore tree a bird flew out and kept low over the ground, it fluttered along like a Cuckoo and initially that’s what I thought it was. However, as I saw it in my binoculars I could see it was slate blue in colour and very small, too small for a Cuckoo, I realised then that I had spooked a male Merlin - much too late for a photograph but very nice indeed to see what is a very rare raptor. As I walked on I could hear a really raucous noise and suddenly three Jays flew over my head then some more and more again until I counted fifteen birds in total, a very good count of Jays. They all flew off into the distance interacting as they went, quite a spectacle!
As I began to drop down to lower levels, Tree Pipits were singing from the tops of the trees and Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers were all singing on what was a very pleasant morning. Then suddenly I could hear the distinctive ‘Spinning Coin’ song of the Wood Warbler. These are one of my favourite little spring birds, they look so pristine with their snow white and lemon plumage and as I got nearer to the woods I could hear a bird calling and singing. I waited at the woods edge with a lens at the ready and sure enough a bird started to display, darting around the foliage. These little birds don’t stop still for long, but I managed a few quick shots before it disappeared back into the dim light of the woods.
A nice finale to a very pleasant mornings walk.