February was a very mixed month, with some unseasonably high temperatures but also spells of cold weather with some light falls of snow. The heavy falls of snow at the end of January disappeared overnight by 31 of the month. With heavy rain and the effect of the snow melt, flood water pools developed across the park and the Middle Lagoon reached its greatest extent for two years.
Another short blast of northerly air during February 6-9 was soon replaced by a further period of unusually mild but cloudy and dull weather. Fronts from the north-west pushed up against a developing high pressure area over southern Britain. From 10 February very mild air with light winds and lengthening daylight hours brought about a dramatic increase in the number of birds noted in song. Their early ardour was dampened slightly by a further spell of winter weather. Colder air arrived from 19 February first on a south-easterly, coming out of southern Siberia, and then on a northerly which brought increased cloud cover and some light falls of snow. The cold feel to the weather continued to the end of the month before milder air arrived again from the west.
With lengthening hours of daylight, local breeding birds start to respond to the forthcoming spring. Several males were noted setting about establishing their breeding territories with loud outpouring of song from prominent perches. The presence of three male Song Thrushes singing loudly in the western park was a fine sight. This species has shown a dramatic 53 per cent decline in breeding numbers throughout Britain over the last thirty year period. Such has been the extent of the decline that the Song Thrush is one of several once common species now accorded the status of being Red Listed, a bird of High Conservation Concern. Other birds in song included Great Tits, with their rather variable monotones announcing their presence around the park woodlands. Dunnocks, Robins and Wrens were also in song and the first Reed Buntings made a hesitant start to their rather low quality wheezing song phrases.
Waterfowl were typically fairly stable in numbers, but the notable presence of a large flock of Teal continued to be of interest. With the flooding of the southern end of the Middle Lagoon increasing numbers of this, our smallest dabbling duck, were feeding there. They were in the company of:
- Gadwall.
- Shoveler.
- Mallard.
- Moorhens.
- Coot.
- and even the odd Redshank.
By the end of the month, the first Little Grebes were trilling from the channels in the Eastern SSSI and the Middle Lagoon. A pair of Greylag Geese already seemed settled on a nest site in the eastern site of special scientific interest (SSSI). The only unusual duck seen during the month was a single Goldeneye - a reflection of the lack of vagrant waterfowl that occurred during this rather benign winter period. During a winter that produced very few records of Water Rails around the pits, there had not been one on Water’s Edge since 22 October 2003. A squealing series of grunts from the eastern SSSI on 27 February was a good sign. But probably only reflected the appearance of a passage Water Rail stopping off en route back to its breeding area in Scandinavia or the Baltic states.
Waders were rather unremarkable in variety and number, with most days producing a few Redshank around the northern ponds along with some elusive Snipe on the new lagoons. High tide wader roosts were a rare event, but 148 Redshank and six Dunlin roosted during snow showers on 22 February. The first Oystercatcher of the year flew low over the northern ponds on 24 February piping its typical note. The appearance of a flock of 33 Redshank in low level, high speed flight over the new lagoons on the afternoon of 12 February was followed by the birds diving into the cover provided by the grassy edges of the new lagoons- a most unusual event. The explanation for this unusual behaviour was quickly forthcoming as a beautiful slate-blue backed male Peregrine scythed through the air from the east streaking within 3m of the ground. He made a pass over the cowering waders before looping up to the west and then turning back down the estuary. There was a series of records of this increasingly regular raptor during the October to December period in 2003. But thus far there have been few occurrences in 2004. It is sobering to consider that this magnificent raptor was brought to critical levels by the use of DDT and other organo-phosphates in the 1950s and 1960s. It would certainly have been lost as a breeding bird in the UK had it not been for the pioneering research of an amateur ornithologist Dr Derek Ratcliffe. Since the chemicals were banned in the 1970s, Peregrines have slowly increased again and the first successful breeding record for Lincolnshire occurred in 2003. The only other raptor noted with regularity was the male Sparrowhawk who could often be found sunbathing in the early mornings in the Eastern SSSI sallows.
Before the food supplies ran short, the feeders by Pasture Road were attracting a fine showing of Reed Buntings with many males getting into spanking summer dress. The Long-tailed Tits also exploited the peanut feeders while the flock of Tree Sparrows, up to eight birds, were mainly to be found on the feeding station by the Middle Lagoon. In the woodlands there were occasional appearances by a Great Spotted Woodpecker and this male was even heard drumming on odd dates in the month. This species has never bred in the immediate area so a nesting attempt would be an exciting development. After a poor winter the alders in the western park suddenly burst into life on 24 February when a flock of 38 Siskins along with 20 Goldfinch and 4 Lesser Redpolls arrived. There was a good percentage of adult male Siskins in the flock and these dapper green and yellow finches made a super sight hanging upside down on the alder fruits, twittering in their typically excited manner.
March has arrived and with it should come the first of the summer migrants with Chiffchaff, Sand Martin and Blackcap typically arriving before the month end. Summer is a coming.