This month...
Late spring can seem like the start of that quiet part of the year, when migration has slowed down almost to a halt, and most species are preoccupied with raising their young as quietly and unobtrusively as possible. But don’t be fooled – here are five ways to add to your list this month…
1
BIRD AROUND THE CLOCK: Now’s the time to make use of those long, balmy evenings, and pack in some quality birding after work. If you really want to make use of every last bit of light, there’s still time to catch dusk specialities such as roding Woodcocks, hunting Little and Barn Owls, crepuscular Stone-curlews, and the extraordinary Nightjar, if you’re lucky enough to live near any of these species.
2
YET MORE MIGRATION:
Summer visitors are still arriving on these shores – the likes of Spotted Flycatcher, Quail and Honey Buzzard all arrive remarkably late in the season, so don’t give up hope of catching up with passage birds or local breeders. Passage migrants such as Black Tern are also very possible at this time.
3
IT’S LATER THAN YOU THINK: Remarkably, despite the fact that some summer visitors are just arriving, by early June some species (mainly failed breeders among Arctic-breeding species) are beginning their return passage south. So, don’t rule out any waders at your local wetland.
4
GUIDES ARE ONLY GUIDES:
Field guides do a great job, but remember that they have limited space available so have to generalise a little when it comes to distribution of species, and when to expect to see them. Take a species such as Knot – despite what guides imply, several thousand summer in the UK (young birds and non-breeders).
Juvenile Chaffinch
5
DOUBLE-CHECK EVERYTHING: You’ll be starting to see this year’s young birds around, which can be very confusing as they’ll appear in various plumages. This month, whichever Little Brown Jobs you see, don’t assume they’re all the obvious, familiar species – look carefully at shape and structure as well as plumage to work out what they are.