24 April 2022 - Hollingworth Lake

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Grasshopper Warbler, pair Stonechat, pair Reed Buntings, 2 Linnets, 2 Common Sandpipers

A fairly early start this morning, but still there was a strong and cool NE breeze. A Jay perched briefly in a tree by Rakewood Road but precious little else to report until near the Pavilion spit when two Common Sandpipers flew towards the reserve. I went back to the hide but there was no sign of them, so I decided to have a try for the Grasshopper Warbler near Syke Farm. When I arrived at the bramble patch, there was some respite from the wind but the clouds from the hills were obscuring the sun. I waited for about an hour and a half, and managed to get two or three glimpses of the bird, along with a handful of short snatches of reeling, only 1-2 seconds in length. It certainly wasn't sitting up like it did for Simon yesterday.

While I waited, there was a good selection of nice birds popping up from time to time, including a pair of Stonechat, a pair of Reed Buntings, and a Willow Warbler; these all perched up at some point in the bare branches of small trees protruding from the bramble patch, allong some half decent photos. After over an hour's wait, I finally saw the Gropper long enough to get the camera on it, although it only showed its head and shoulders, but at least I managed to get it on film.

On the way back, a pair of Linnets fed in the grass near Syke Farm but flew before I could get within striking distance. Back in the hide a pair of Teal were just off the spit briefly, and at Turnough Farm a male Chaffinch fed on a stone wall allowing reasonably close approach.

Grasshopper Warbler, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 800