April 30th

Good day today which started very early morning with the surprise of a Barn Owl still out hunting in daylight.  All the Pieds showing really well today , the female above came to check me out as I was photographing a female Redstart. Two Whitethroat at south end along with a single Garden Warbler their aswell. Another Garden Warbler was showing pretty well at the north end. A single Common Tern over the water but did dissappear later in the day. Usual waders around the point , and a few Swallow,  House Martin and Sand Martin over the water.  Also noted were Kingfisher  , Mandarin , Raven , G S Woodpecker,  several Nuthatch and 3 x Mistle Thrush. 

Butterflies 🦋 

Peacock x 3

Comma x 1

Orange-tip x 6

Orange-tip. 

Comma .

Arrival Dates Compared

                                      2022         2023       2024

Chiffchaff                   12/03        19/03      16/03

Sand Martin               15/03        20/03      24/03

Swallow                      10/04       06/04       07/04

House Martin            12/04        06/04      01/04

Blackcap                     10/04       06/04       10/04

Redstart                      21/04       08/04       10/04

Willow Warbler        10/04       23/04       11/04

Common Tern           02/05       20/04       29/04

Pied Flycatcher           ------        22/04      08/04

Garden Warbler        06/05     01/05        29/04

L R Plover                   24/03      19/03        11/04

Common Sand           20/04      11/04       10/04

Spotted Flycatcher    21/05      03/05

Swift                            11/05      09/05

April 29th

We now have a remarkable 6 pairs of Pied Flycatcher's back on site along with our usual 3 pairs of Redstart.  Also noted this morning our first returning Garden Warbler and first Common Tern of the year too. A drake Mandarin photographed in the sheep field and the usual waders around the point. Unusual sighting of 8 x Greylag Geese on the water , we only usual have one or two. 

I would like to stress that all images of birds taken at Rudyard are done so from a safe distance as not to disturb the birds .

Distant record shot over 200 mts away of our first Common Tern of the year.

Mandarin drake in sheep field.

Pied Flycatcher male.

Redstart male.

April 24th

Yellow Wagtail in cow field towards the point early morning , also Common Whitethroat singing both birds new for the year.

April 23rd

Another movement of Chiffchaff through this morning with 21 birds noted singing . Just makes you think how many more there are undetected. Three Oystercatcher's on the point along with 3 x Common Sandpiper.  Unfortunately yesterday's passage through Staffordshire didn't produce any more Arctic Terns , and yesterday's two must have departed overnight. Green Woodpecker calling in farm field but not seen , Raven and Buzzard overhead. And a Osprey seen at nearby Tittesworth didn't come our way .

Just two of the many Chiffchaff on site.

Treecreeper. 

Hirundines late evening

Good numbers of Hirundines this evening hawking insects over the water with around 250 Swallow,  45+ House Martin and around 20+ Sand Martin . The two Arctic Terns were still present late evening. 

Past Arctic Tern Records

Arctic Tern records are few and far between here at Rudyard , below is the last 20yrs that gives you some idea.

22/04/24  x 2

16/04/24 x 1

16/07/17 x 4

10/05/16 x 1

04/05/13 x 2

30/07/11 x 2

08/98/10 x 3

09/95/08 x 2

25/09/05 x 2

30/08/04 x 1

Apri 22nd

Two Arctic Tern's dropped in mid-afternoon after a large influx throughout the UK,  with good numbers at large Staffordshire waters. Weather conditions were terrible and the three shots below are heavily cropped. But we don't get many Arctic's here so made the best of what I could get in the conditions. 

April 18th

A walk to the point this morning produced Curlew , 3 x Oystercatcher,  2 x Common Sandpiper and a LRP. Plenty of Warblers around calling , also 3 x G S Woodpecker drumming and a distant Green Woodpecker.  Sand Martins and Swallows hawking insects over the water and three Buzzards displaying overhead. 

April 17th

First female Pied Flycatcher noted this morning. 

April 16th

Arctic Tern this morning very briefly between 9-00 and 9-30 when it flew off hight to the north . Still two Common Sandpiper and 5 x Oystercatcher's present . 

April 14th

Good early morning birding today with two Dunlin new in , also 5 x Oystercatcher's still. Two male Redstarts made a timely appearance,  so did two male Pied Flycatcher's.  Both different birds from last year as one was a first year male which could be one of our offspring from last year returning. 

Pied Flycatcher first year male.

April 11th

Little-Ringed Plover x 1 ( first back)

Common Sandpiper x 3

Oystercatcher  x 5

Willow Warbler  x 4 ( first back)

Blackcap  x 7 

Chiffchaff  x 18

Pied Flycatcher  x 1 male (until mid day)

Redstart x 2 male (long periods dissappearing)

Raven

Mandarin x 5 drakes (along inlet stream)

Little  Egret  x 2

Butterflies 🦋 

Peacock x 2

Chiffchaff .

2024 Returns

First Dates

Mar 16th  Chiffchaff 

Mar 24th Sand Martin 

Apr 1st House Martin 

Apr 7th Swallow

Apr 8th Pied Flycatcher 

Apr 10th Blackcap 

Apr 10th Redstart 

April 10th

Our first Redstart of the year this morning with two males seen at different locations. Also Common  Sandpiper  x 3 , Oystercatcher  x 2 , Blackcap x 1 and good numbers of Swallow and House Martin over the water.

April 9th

And some good news it looks like we have Willow Tits back in a completely different location at Rudyard. 

April 8th

First male Pied Flycatcher back today , earlier than last year which was 22nd April.

4th April

 Two Tawny Owl .

24th March

Sand Martin x 2

Chiffchaff x 6

Greylag Geese  x 5

Oystercatcher  x 8

Greenfinch

G S Woodpecker 

Mistle Thrush