Report from 10 to 15 April

As the migration of the Green Sandpiper comes to an end, that of the Wood Sandpiper is reaching its peak. They are scattered all over the impoundments, so that getting a precise count is both arduous and tedious – an estimate of two hundred seems about right. Several flocks of two or three dozen Ruff came through, as did a flock of Greenshank, but in all cases they stayed for an hour or less before setting off again. Newly-arrived migrants this week included Pied Flycatcher, Bonelli’s Warbler, and Purple Heron. Now that they are incubating, the Goshawks have become ghosts. If I didn’t know they had a nest here, I would never have guessed they were around. The Nuthatches have also grown silent. They must be nesting, but I have not yet figured out where. The Black Woodpecker, on the other hand, is loudly singing and calling, and even excavated a nest cavity. It appears to be a single male exploring a new territory and searching for a mate. We wish him luck. Plenty of butterflies are on the wing – we saw fifteen different species this week- along with the year’s first odonate : the Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans).
For many species of birds, courtship rites center on the male offering a choice morsel to the female. Woodpigeons are vegetarian, and offering a humble seed to its mate would be underwhelming at best. But it does have a secret weapon : crop milk. This is a highly nutritious secretion, rich in fat and protein, that it uses to feed its chicks. But the females seem to appreciate it as well.