Did the first the first of two breeding birds survey sessions of the spring in Minwear wood this morning. It was pleasing to record
nine singing male wood warblers along one of the 1 km long the transect sections. Although this visit can only be a snapshot of bird activities there, non-the-less this was the highest BBS wood warbler count here in 12 years of annual standardised visits to exactly the same area of woodland habitat in the last week of April each year.
Other species that seemed especially numerous, also with record high numbers today, included blackcap and robin. It was also pleasing to see two male redstarts back on usual territories near Blackpool Mill, a regular location for them. Willow warblers on the other hand appear to be declining in the wood, their numbers today were the lowest so far recorded in 12 years of annual visits.
