Atlasing in SD45K...25th May

I carried out my early season breeding visit to my atlas square SD45K today. I think I have previously stated that my square is a bit of an avian desert, but nevertheless it is important that as many squares are covered as possible. The photos below give you a flavour of the habitat found in my square.

Saltmarsh at Cockerham

Improved grassland on Cockerham Moss

Hedgerow

River Cocker

From my starting point the first piece of habitat that I come across that isn't rye grass desert is some broadleaved plantation woodland. It was here that I had singing Blackcap and Spotted Flycatcher. Whether the Spot Fly was a migrant I am not sure as the woodland does look suitable as a breeding site.

I then notched up a few red listed species including Skylark, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Song Thrush and Grey Partridge. Walking across a recently cut silage field I had a flock of 32 Lapwings. Lapwings flocking; it can't be autumn already! We always say that there is no summer in the avian world, just Spring, Autumn and Winter!

A few more red listed species were added in the form of Starling, House Sparrow and a couple of Tree Sparrows. Warblers were further represented by more Blackcaps and also Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat.

When I started my saltmarsh section I had a female Great Tit perched on a fence post and I could here some birds calling that sounded very close, but I couldn't see them. I then realised that the calls were coming from the steel gate post below and it had a family of Great Tits within!


Back home I checked my moth trap and all I had was the Brimstone Moth below plus a couple each of Light Brown Apple Moth and Garden Carpet.