May often sees the peak of the spring migration of birds in Britain, with incoming summer visitors often appearing in large numbers given favourable weather conditions. After such a long dry and sunny start to the spring in March and April, May chose to ring in the changes and long spells of wet and often windy weather permeated the month. By the last week though things started to settle down as a high pressure system brought some very hot and sunny weather back to the area.
Three bird firsts for Waters’ Edge were recorded during the month. First was Sanderling with a single bird being seen on the new pond on the northern site on Sunday 18 May. Then, three Sanderlings were present in the same area on Tuesday 20 May - one of which was in superb summer plumage. The second new wader for the site, Temminck’s Stint appeared on Tuesday 27 May, but actually failed to land. It made several attempts to touch down on the new pond as it circled the site calling constantly, only to be driven off by the breeding Little Ringed Plovers. It eventually left to the west passing over the Humber Bridge approach road. This was also a long overdue first for the Barton pits area. Finally on Friday 30 May two Common Crossbills flew over the park calling and no doubt searching for some suitable pine trees in which to feed.
The new ponds on the northern site proved attractive to waders throughout. Small numbers of Dunlin were often present, especially at high tide, while a few Turnstone and up to three Common Sandpipers were recorded. Oystercatchers displayed and a peak of seven birds roosted on Saturday 31 May while a pair of Avocets in the first week reflected the changing status of this elegant species on the Humber.
The pair of Mute Swans finally abandoned their nest when the six eggs failed to hatch early in the month. In contrast, the broods of Greylag and Canada Geese continued to thrive with 23 of the former and 14 of the latter forming large crèches. Two pairs of Shelduck became virtual residents on the northern park, with a further three birds being occasional visitors. The pair of Teal remained all month and were assumed to be nesting as were many of the female Gadwall which disappeared early in the month. Pochard failed to hatch any broods by the end of the month, which is rather disappointing, but good numbers of this and Tufted Duck were usually present on the Eastern ponds and the Middle Lagoon. Mallard broods continued to appear with the first 15 fledging, while another two broods of 19 young were just hatching.
After a long absence, Grey Herons visited the park during the month but more exciting was the presence of a Bittern in the Eastern ponds on the morning of Friday 30 May. Common Terns were much in evidence as they passed over the park. The terns began to frequent the new northern ponds and the Middle Lagoon, where courting males could be seen presenting fish to grateful females.
Reed Warblers were rather thin on the ground until the last few days, when a major arrival took the number of singing birds up to 45- an excellent count. Sedge Warblers were also in good numbers with eight males and several pairs breeding. Two other summer visitors which had been notable by their absence appeared late, with a Turtle Dove on Tuesday 27 May and a fine male Cuckoo which was often singing in the very early mornings during the last week of the month. An unexpected visitor was a male Grey Wagtail in full summer plumage on the northern park on Sunday 25 May . However, he was eclipsed in rarity status by the male Grey-headed Wagtail which was present on the morning of Saturday 17 May. This was the first Barton record of this eastern race of the yellow wagtail group since 1986. Northern Wheatears arrived in force in the first week with a peak of five birds on Sunday 4 May, a record count.
The fortunes of the breeding plovers on the northern park were very varied. Of four nesting pairs of Ringed Plover, two lost their eggs towards the month end while the other two clutches hatched on Wednesday 28 and Saturday 31 May. Of the three pairs of Little Ringed Plover, one clutch was predated; a second was still sitting at the month end, while the third hatched four young on Saturday 31 May. Hopefully some of the chicks will survive to fledging.
Sadly there has not been a single sighting of Marsh Harrier this year, but the resident pair of Kestrels are still sitting and the local Sparrowhawks also appear to be doing well. The only scarce raptor seen was a fine Hobby hawking flying insects high over the Folly on Monday 26 May. The young Barn Owls could be heard calling from their nest box in the last week of the month, a welcome sign that this species is breeding again on the park.
May usually produces the first records of dragon and damselflies, but only two species of damselfly were recorded. Blue-tailed Damselfly first appeared on Tuesday 13 May and Azure Blue on Wednesday 28 May.The list of butterflies recorded during the year though rose substantially with first records of Orange-tip on Thursday 8, Large white on Sunday 11 and Wall brown Tuesday 27 May. There was a further amazing arrival of three species on Saturday 31 May - Small copper, Red admiral and Painted lady. The Red admiral and Painted ladies were part of a nationwide arrival of these southern migrants, drifted up from southern Europe by the southerly winds associated with the developing high pressure system.
Mammals were also more visible, with the resident Water Voles often appearing swimming across the water channels and the ponds as they gathered their supplies of reed and reed mace stems. In the evenings, Pipistrelle and Noctule bats were usually hawking over the ponds and around the trees in the park, while the small population of Daubentons bats were also noted in their usual area.