It was an extremely warm day at Cliffe yesterday with little respite from the sun. Given the positively Mediterranean conditions it was perhaps fitting that two Mediterranean gulls were spotted flying north over Flamingo pool - their distinctive ‘yee-ah’ calls, giving them away. Also flying north was a single Lesser Redpoll, a departing winter migrant off in search of cooler climes. From the Thames viewpoint, a handsome male Stonechat was observed singing from a nearby patch of bramble. The area of scrub between the viewpoint and the coastguard fields is currently alive with the cheery sounds of meadow pipits, dunnocks and linnets. While the fields beyond offer good views of foraging and soaring skylarks, that quintessential bird of hot, spring days. There was no sign of last week’s wheatears, but it won’t be long before more migrants are passing through. In the coming weeks keep an eye out for swallows, whitethroats and nightingales appearing across the site.

On the pools, two Spotted Redshanks feeding in the northeastern corner of Radar pool were a good record for this scarce, passage wader. Alongside a larger flock of (Common) Redshank, some key differences were apparent; notably a longer bill and generally ‘muddier’ complexion. Several pairs of Great Crested Grebes were observed with some brief courtship displays. The mating rituals of this iconic bird are one of the highlights of spring and well worth seeing. Five Greenshank, spread across the pools was notable, as were a number of Avocet. Let’s hope it’s a good season for our breeding birds at Cliffe.

By Peter Beckenham

There was a Short-eared Owl at Cliffe Pools 14/3/12.

The bird was hunting over the grassy area near the Thames viewpoint, which is traditionally a good spot for these amazing birds.

Elsewhere on site, Flamingo Pool held 8 Sanderling, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Grey Plover, c100 Redshank and a large number of Shelduck. The late afternoon high tide saw several hundred Dunlin descend from over the sea wall. It was amazing to stand on the track beneath the wall and hear them ‘whooshing’ over our heads! Several pairs of Goldeneye are still present with the males now engaging in their distinctive mating display, which sees them throwing their heads backs in dramatic fashion! Elf Pool is now benefitting from recent works to improve the efficiency of the sluice and held 1 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret (1 of 5 seen across the site) and several pairs of Mallard. A large number of noisy, wheeling Black-headed gulls are present across the pools on most days - many taking advantage of the causeways on Conoco and the newly formed islands on Elf.

By Peter Beckenham, Residential Volunteer Warden, RSPB Northward Hill

Goldeneye 18 - Mainly Flamingo with a single pair on Radar
Short Eared Owl 1 - Hunting Behind Black Barn out onto the marshes
Little Grebe 60+ - Radar / Hidden
Greenshank 3 - Flamingo Beach
Curlew 3 - Flamingo / Hidden
Pintail 30 - Radar/Hidden/Ski
Shoveler 15+ - Flamingo /hidden
Little Egret 18 - Across the site ( 6 on Hidden)
Coot 320+ - Ski / Flamingo / Radar
Great crested Grebe 14 - Flamingo / Hidden / Ski
Shellduck 150 - Flamingo / Hidden / Ski / Alpha
Redshank 15 - Flamingo Beach / Hidden
Grey Plover 38 - Flamingo Beach
Dunlin 150+ - Late afternoon landing on the banks at hidden and Ski
Lapwing 100+ - Radar - Hidden - Ski
Mute Swan 3 - Flamingo
Black Tailed Godwit 15 - Ski / Flamingo 

Other birds noted across the site..Magpie 10 / Grey Heron 2 / Siskin 1 (Seen by another birder)

Daren Offer, Cliffe Pools Volunteer Warden

I've received these sightings from Murray Orchard:

The following totals were noted on Cliffe Pools (on and off reserve):-
 
Smew 2 - redheads on Radar Pool
Goldeneye 38 - including 10 drakes, all but one duck on Flamingo Pool
Pochard 642 - mostly on Timber Lake and Alpha Pool
Aythya hybrid (Tufted x Pochard) 1 - on Timber Lake
Pintail 91 - mostly Radar/Hidden/Ski Pools
Shoveler 118 - mostly Radar/Ski & Black Barn Pools
Red-necked Grebe 1 - juv on Timber Lake
Coot 771 - including 440 on Ski and 137 on Flamingo Pools
Little Egret 9
Greenshank 2
Merlin 1
Sparrowhawk 1

thanks Murray!

Timber Lake (nr Church Street): 1 red-necked grebe

Radar, Cliffe Pools: 2 ‘red head’ smew and 1 black-necked grebe

St Mary’s Marsh: 8 barnacle geese

Northward Hill: 24 woodcock flying out onto marsh at dusk

thanks to Frank Cackett for providing these sightings