Listening Stations - Mid April Update

Again a wet morning and easter as well..... so time to catch up again. Big strides forward in all respects at both the Wharfedale and Airedale stations with monitoring now in full swing during suitable conditions through all hours of darkness.... More skeins of Whoopers captured during the main passage period and over both stations as well.... in fact taking account of current, obviously minimalistic, literature, more that we might ever have hoped for over here on the east flank of the Pennines where they never venture! As expected and mooted in my last report thrushes have started, and are "well" moving now with both Redwing and then Fieldfare captured, Redwings many times, Blackbird, with Fieldfare present up there but infrequent in calling.... although been out checking a couple of local staging areas this morning for Fieldfare and at one of these sites, a massive congregation of several thousand birds was still present... so lots more infrequent FF chances yet I think and Redwings for a little while. Waders up there as well with a few migratory curlew calls still being captured, together with what is possibly now the onset of the later Oystercatcher flush. LRP captured briefly at one site some while ago on one night suggested passage. Golden Plovers in evidence for some while now contacting in the sky on optimum nights, with the fantastic and beautiful both on sonogram and to the ear, rippling song call recorded in absolute clarity directly overhead on one occasion as a flock moved through.... The deeply silent traffic free small hours are best tho and a wonder to delve into on placid, favourable nights, with more next time on this. Other nocturnal passerines captured but some difficulty here yet.... we will get there in the end!! Interesting also that during the now very early dawn chorus performance, obvious vis can be detected in the gaps as it passes overhead...... so daytime stuff not forgotten altogether!!

Dave