13 members enjoyed an excellent trip especially during the morning. After the usual quiet start walking over the moor with very little apparent except the sound of Willow Warblers, things began to look up with a Jay flying past. Near the head of the ramp down into the gorge, a Tree Pipit gave a virtuoso solo, clearly visible
Tree Pipit in full song
at the top of a birch. The sharp eared then picked up the song of a Common Redstart but sadly only a few of the group managed to see it before it flew off. In contrast, everyone managed to get good views of a male Pied Flycatcher and a Treecreeper. After that we had a
Male Pied Flycatcher
spell where little was seen until at the base of the ramp, more Pied Flycatchers were spotted.
The team descending the ramp
A chance meeting with a fellow birder pointed us in the direction of a Wood Warbler. Eventually, this was located singing the first part of it’s song – the spinning coin part, and clearly visible on a bare twig. At this point, the group understandably stalled, not able to get enough of this bird. Indeed, there was not one, but two of them, apparently oblivious of our presence. The members who then dilly dallied also saw 3 Spotted Flycatchers.
Wood Warbler
After that a smaller group moved location to Barbrook while the rest with their birding appetite satiated, turned for home. The afternoon proved to be a bit of an anticlimax with no Whinchats and GardenWarbler and Redstart only heard but you can’t win’em all and we did get to see those fabulous Wood Warblers.
36 species ID’d – photos courtesy of Angela Slater, David Griffin and Martin Kaye