Northward Hill - July 2010

Reporting Your Sightings

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Generally a quiet month for birdlife. The woodland can seem dead, with bird-song much reduced and even the birds themselves hard to see. However, roving flocks of young blue, great & long-tailed tits often include other species eg warblers and woodpeckers.

The first obvious signs of autumn occur this month - swifts can be seen moving south or west, sometimes in huge numbers and smaller numbers of swallows and martins often accompany them. Migrant waders like ruff, greenshank, black-tailed godwit, LRP and green & common sandpiper are regular on the reservoirs. Most of these will be adults, the juveniles following in a month or so.

Duck numbers begin to increase, the drakes in their eclipse plumage resembling the dull females and juveniles. Garganey is a good bet later in the month, invariably in the company of teal.

Notable records this month include a nightjar in 1976, several records of crossbill in the wood, calling quail and a recent run of Montagu's harrier records.