The Yodelling Lark

Sunday 30th March and a dull overcast morning. After an hour searching for Hawfinch at a well known site in North Derbyshire, Glyn eventually picked up a bird singing in a garden and we quickly had reasonable views before the pair disappeared into thick tree cover. Later another bird gave good views perched out on a Yew tree.

At a well known site in Nottingham's "Forest Country" we had at least four singing Woodlark and around six or seven birds showed reasonably well in the warm spring sunshine. The "Yodelling flutey whistling song of the Woodlark is one of my favourite bird songs. There is something special about hearing the sound echoing across the heathland. Several Yellowhammers were about, a few Linnet and a few singing Chiffchaff. Also several Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies were on the wing.

On our way back home we stopped off at Eakering Flash, Nottinghamshire and had a drake Garganey. These really are superb little ducks. This drake was in display and for the first time I heard it's unusual call, just like the sound of a rattling box of of matches. Not a bad mornings birding. The Year list moves on to 133

Woodlark – Nottinghamshire – March 30th 2014 – Tony Davison©

Above two images – Garganey – drake – Eakering Flash, Nottinghamshire – March 30th 2014 – Tony Davison©

Yellowhammer – Nottinghamshire – March 30th 2014 – Tony Davison©

Small Tortoiseshell – Small numbers on the wing in warm spring sunshine – Nottinghamshire – March 30th 2014 – Tony Davison©