Woods Mill bird survey: 22 May

Author Graeme Lyons

A female cuckoo was skulking in the willows around the reedbed, no doubt looking for a place to lay an egg. We have three reed bunting territories, one nest seems to be in the middle of the reedbed. Strangely we have perhaps double the usual number of reed warbler territories with six compared to the usual three.

Most exciting though is a pair of linnets that were building in scrub on the valley field. A singing male and a female with nesting material are two of the best signs of breeding during a survey!