5th, 6th & 7th May 2012 - Shenstone

I've decided to roll 3 Shenstone visits into this one post due to the poor weather conditions and a lack of time for serious coverage on these dates.

Saturday 5th May
I literally just skirted through the patch today on the way back from my travels with Bev.  To be honest the weather was fairly grim and the only noteworthy bird was a single Swift over Heath Lane, my first patch record of this species for 2012.

Sunday 6th May
I had caught up with friends the previous evening and much ale was consumed, needless to say I didn't visit the patch until early afternoon.  It was actually sunny (honest!) early pm and I decided to focus my time on the Witch Lane area. This proved a good decision as butterflies were out in reasonable numbers with 1 ♂ Brimstone, 3 Orange Tip, 2 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and a Speckled Wood noted.

Two Common Whitethroats were new in and busy singing away on their respective territories. There were also large numbers of Swallows and House Martins hawking over the Rape field.  2 Swifts, a Kestrel and 2 Common Buzzards were also noted.

Monday 7th May
The weather had reverted back to being cold and damp today and there wasn't a butterfly to be seen! On the plough at Back Lane there was a single Northern Wheatear present and nearby a Lesser Whitethroat was singing near the entrance to Willow Marsh Fishery. 

The day's highlight though was another Lesser Whitethroat that was singing and showing in a tree opposite Stanklyn paddocks.  Unfortunately I hadn't got my sound recorder with me so I improvised and recorded it singing using the video mode on my camera and edited the sound from it.  It's not ideal but it does highlight the bird's melancholic rattling song (you may need to turn up your speakers as its a quiet recording)

Lesser Whitethroat - Shenstone, 7th May 2012 by Shenstone Birder