Wymott Ponds Area

[1swallow]

Really interesting early birding this morning. Off Ridley Lane by the fishing ponds. Singing from this point was Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat,
also Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.

Moving further along the Lane the 2 juvenile Little Grebes were constantly diving in the small pond. The parent Goldcrest was feeding the noisy dull olive-coloured fledglings, showing just a hint of a wing bar.

I then took the old public footpath track over the old Ulnes Walton landfill site. By the edge of the track on the right hand side on the downward slope is an area of rank grassland. This is the area where 1 Grasshopper Warbler has been on territory all spring but today it had a rival.

I located a Grasshopper Warbler reeling low in some Sedge grass only for it to be chased off by a rival. They had a right old quarrel as they continued to chase each other. I observed several fly pasts.Finally they both separated and flew into separate bushes where they proceeded to have a sing off, only metres apart. Something I’ve not witnessed at this site before.

I think locally Grasshopper Warblers have bucked the trend this year. Do other people think the same?

I’m normally lucky if I have 1 singing bird holding territory on an average spring.
Peter Scholes