March Hares there were not, but spring was certainly in the air as the month opened with glorious sunshine prompting a rash of early breeding activity amongst local birds. The early part of the month then continued to be mild with occasional short bursts of rain. Then a cold northerly set in on the 12th as a high pressure system developed, feeding in cold air from the North Sea. This system persisted to the 28th giving some fine sunny days but cold nights.
Highlight of the month was the first Waters’ Edge and second Barton record of Cetti’s Warbler. The skulking nature of this bird meant that it was only heard and seen briefly in flight at the southern end of Pond B from the 19-24th. The first record for the clay pits only came in February 2003, so this second occurrence was even more amazing.
That most welcome of shining stars the Kingfisher arrived on cue and started to display around what looked like a rather inappropriate nesting bank. Dashing around the ponds uttering his distinctive calls this male was a fine sight especially early on calm mornings, before too many visitors were present. By mid-month, the male had attracted a female and they could be seen courtship feeding on the spiky tops of the palisade fencing- a rather incongruous sight for such a beautiful species! The number of pairs of Stock Doves increased beyond the capacity of the nesting boxes, leading to frequent fights between property owners and new arrivals looking for that ideal two-up two-down plywood home. Waterfowl showed signs of the change of species associated with the imminent departure of wintering birds and the steady arrival of more prospective breeders. Teal though were still in good numbers at the southern end of the Middle Lagoon where exceptionally low water levels provided them with good feeding. Up to 24 birds were still around in the first week along with 12 Shoveler while Gadwall on Pond B reached 20 birds. Hopefully some of the Gadwall will breed successfully this year. The first Goldeneye and Scaup, a female, arrived on Pond B at the end of the month. Little Grebes are one of the most attractive and vociferous of the park’s summer breeding species. Following a typically thin winter showing, trilling birds built up from the 3rd when eight were counted around the ponds, to a peak of 20 at the month end. A pair of Great Crested Grebes appeared on Pond B on the 18th but their stay was rather short. The first pairs of Coot were busily defending their chosen breeding territories with some fine ‘boxing’ matches taking place as adults sparred with each other, legs and feet flailing as they defied gravity and with wings open sat backwards in the water. The pen Mute Swan was already sitting on the remains of last year’s nest on Pond B on the 5th. No doubt she was getting the spring cleaning done in preparation for the five weeks of incubation to come. The cygnets hatched on May 5th last year, showing that incubation began at the very end of March although nest building was going on in late February. On the 29th the first brood of Mallard appeared on Pond B eighteen days earlier than in 2002.
Water Rails have been audible on several dates this winter but it was nice to hear one ‘singing’ on the morning of the 3rd. Singing is hardly a fair description of the territorial call of this reedbed dweller but is certainly more alluring than the more usual “sharming” calls which resemble a squealing piglet and are the more usually heard vocal characteristic of the species.
There were still about 12 Redwing in the southern woodland in the first week with several birds indulging in some sub-song, priming themselves for the coming departure for breeding grounds in Scandinavia. The local Mistle Thrush and two male Song Thrushes were producing rather fuller versions of their songs which were really in evidence on calm still mornings in the hour before first light. Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks were also in fine voice; the 12 singing Dunnock counted on the 3rd showing just how many of this unobtrusive archetypal little brown bird are skulking in the scrub of the park. The Reed Bunting could be the reedbed equivalent of the Dunnock apart from the striking black hood and vicar’s collar of the summer male. After a good winter there were already three males in song in the first week. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was chipping away in the southern park on the 3rd with another on the 29th when a Grey Wagtail flew west. Another woodland bird, the Treecreeper, performed extremely well in the young willows by the Pasture road turnstiles on the afternoon of the 14th.
A Coal Tit flew through on the 18th and a Woodcock was disturbed from the Middle Lagoon island on the same day. This wader is presumably present all winter but is seldom seen as they feed at night, roosting up in the daytime in dense cover.
The Stonechat is a scarce early spring passage visitor to the Humber area. Numbers vary markedly from year to year depending upon the previous breeding season’s success and the severity of the winter. There were no Waters’ Edge records in 2002, but a typically confiding pair of this attractive chat were frequenting the young plantation to the north of Pond C on the morning of the 8th. They appeared to move on quickly but another fine male was found on the foreshore by the northern fence on the afternoon of the 10th.
The first true spring migrant is almost certain to be a singing Chiffchaff and 2003 was no exception. Two of these singing sprites appeared on the foggy morning of the 16th -one day earlier than in 2002. By the 18th there were five or six birds daily on the park. The first migrant male Little Ringed Plover arrived on the morning of the 18th -a full 15 days earlier than in 2002. Four birds Little Ringed Plovers arrived on the 28th and a pair quickly settled to display on the 29th. Other migrants appeared early with the warm weather prompting the appearance of the first Sand Martin 20th and Blackcap 21st.
On the northern site, waders continued to frequent the new ponds and to roost out the high tide period on the new sown grass. Ringed Plovers kept up a good presence with a peak of 31 birds in the early part of the month. Up to six birds were noted displaying in the same area on some dates. They performed their superb ‘butterfly’ display flight, where they appear to fly with wings in slow motion as they twist and turn over their favoured breeding area, calling continually as they do so. Redshank were a daily sight peaking with 85 birds on the 30th , while the number of Dunlin continued to break all records with 238 counted on the 28th as the northern pond was drained down. An Avocet and a Knot on the northern pond on the 29th were welcome additions to the park’s year list with two Avocets being present briefly on the 31st.
Water Voles were active by mid month and the first Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell were seen 23rd with a Small white 29th. With the warm evening several Pipistrelle bats were on the wing on the 24th.