WWT Welney & Wildlife BCN Summer Leys :: 19 April l2025

With rain forecast to sweep in from the west toward Banbury, Kev @kev07713 and I decided to head east instead. Rather than venturing all the way to Norfolk, we opted for a visit to WWT Welney, hoping to catch some early sightings and stay ahead of the approaching weather front. Since the reserve doesn’t officially open until 9.30am, we weren’t in a rush, stopping for breakfast enroute, pausing to listen for corncrakes (a bit early, but worth a try), and doing some birding around the car park and Visitor Centre.

As expected, there wasn’t a peep from the usual corncrake spot, so we ended up in the car park, where a Cetti’s warbler and several sedge warblers provided a lively soundtrack. Out on the water, around 63 black-tailed godwits looked striking in their breeding plumage, while a pair of avocets fed nearby, frequently vanishing behind a small island.

The house sparrows were being noisy as usual, visiting the feeding station on the far side of the Visitor Centre - they were joined by a handful of tree sparrows, all too rare a sighting these days. Tree sparrows are a nice highlight and here at Welney is one of the more reliable places to see them. Unlike the more common house sparrow, tree sparrows have a rich chestnut crown, distinctive black cheek spots, and a slightly more slender build. Their numbers fluctuate, but WWT Welney manages the habitat to support them, including nest boxes and winter feeding. The house sparrows shouldn't be overlooked though - in detail they are stunning in their own right.

We scanned across the bay and found the black-tailed godwits in better light - they are a striking sight as many had begun to show their bright breeding plumage, rich chestnut-orange on the chest and neck, contrasting with greyish backs and long, straight bills. These birds were said to be Icelandic breeders, wintering in the UK before typically heading north in late March to April.

As we waited, several birders slipped in through the side door of the Centre, a practice that was once common and permissible, but is now clearly prohibited by signage. A reserve warden soon joined us and expressed frustration at their disregard for the rules, explaining that the group had been spoken to and reminded not to do it again. With just a couple of minutes to go before opening, he thanked us for our patience and personally escorted us upstairs into the Centre, letting the other staff know he had brought us in. After signing in, we headed back out to the deck to scan the pools and fields. In the far distance, two spoonbills were resting, one eventually stirred and began to feed, giving us a better view.

About half distance we could see three Chinese water deer sometimes feeding and at other times sat partially obscured by the reeds. Unlike other UK deer species, Chinese Water Deer lack antlers. Instead, males sport prominent downward-pointing tusks (elongated upper canines) which have earned them the nickname “vampire deer.” Both sexes have large, rounded ears and a compact, teddy bear–like face. Their coats are a warm ginger-brown, and they are slightly smaller than roe deer but larger than muntjac. Originally native to China and Korea, Chinese water deer were introduced to the UK in the late 19th century. They now thrive in the Fens, particularly in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. Wetlands like Welney, with their reed beds, riverbanks, and open fields, provide ideal habitat.

Soon we made our way out to the reserve as there have been several garganey lately and it was suggested that there was likely three still remaining. When we got to the hide, we were pleased to find they were in the open but unfortunately asleep - three drakes. We watched as they occasionally twitched or raised their head, only to put it back down. You had to stay vigilant to capture any shots of them with a head up. They are a special seasonal highlight and are the only species of duck that breeds in the UK but winters entirely in Africa, making them true long-distance migrants. Males are particularly striking with a bold white eyestripe, grey body, dark crown, and chestnut face. I was glad to have caught up with these as I hadn't had an opportunity to visit a local pair at Bicester Wetlands a few weeks before.

We had hoped to be able to locate a cuckoo, but we weren't able to even hear one. We pushed on and eventually I ticked my first reed warbler of the year - distant, in the reeds, and soon away deeper and out of sight. After a while I heard a sedge warbler that was much closer to me - perhaps this would be the one I'd get a view of ... and did I! - another year tick.

We stopped by the hide where we'd seen and heard the Savi's warbler last year and noticed that the reeds and surrounding vegetation were much shorter - clearly, we were earlier in the season. Although sedge warblers were singing, none showed themselves. Out in front, a pair of whooper swans lingered, perhaps considering nesting as has happened on rare occasions at the site. A few great white egrets were also present, with one pausing in front of the hide for a while, offering reasonable views.

We walked around but couldn't find anything else of note and eventually decided to drop back into the Visitor Centre where we stopped for a coffee and a scone - we were almost back when there was a report of a flypast bittern that had dropped out of view. On the sightings board we could see that the bittern was the only species we hadn't connected with. We took one last look out from the deck and Kev picked out a very distant peregrine perched on a clod of earth.

After a rewarding morning, we decided to begin the journey home, with a planned stop at Wildlife BCN's Summer Leys reserve - we'd seen reports of 4-5 greenshanks and had still to add them to our year list. As soon as we pulled into the car park, we were greeted by the song of a willow warbler. We headed in its direction and were treated to excellent views accompanied by almost continuous singing. The willow warbler showed very well, and we spent a good while watching it as it relocated around the area.

We also kept an ear out for a grasshopper warbler, as one had been reported earlier in the week. Kev had managed to see it on a previous visit, but I’d missed that opportunity, as well as the four at Farmoor, due to work commitments. Hopefully, I’ll catch up with one before long.

A birder, presumably not local, introduced himself as Chris and struck up a conversation with us. Kev was attempting to film the warbler at the time, so the chat was a bit of a distraction, though one he's well used to. After a while, Chris went over to apologise to Kev for accidentally stepping in front of his scope during recording. Just then, a couple of birders passed by and let us know that two whimbrels had just landed on the scrape and were visible from the Pioneer Hide. Without hesitation, we abandoned our post and made our way over.

"As is often the case, the birds had positioned themselves perfectly between the two hides (Pioneer and the Paul Britten / Double-Decker) making viewing a bit of a challenge. The two whimbrels were resting alongside three of the four greenshanks, all fast asleep with their heads tucked under their wings. The fourth greenshank was actively feeding off to the right, near the far edge of the scrape. Both species were welcome year ticks. A short while later, we also picked out a couple of little ringed plovers darting around on the exposed patches of land poking above the water."

Whimbrel are generally a notable and brief passage migrant during the spring in the UK, usually mid-April to early-May. The Autumn passage is longer but Spring is more concentrated and localised. During migration they sometimes drop into wet grasslands, scrapes, or reservoirs (like here at Summer Leys, or Farmoor), in singles, pairs, or in small flocks. Smaller and slimmer than the similar curlew it has crown stripes - bold dark-and-light patterning on the head, and a shorter bill. In general, they do not breed in the UK, although a small number do in Scotland, but the majority are heading to Iceland, Scandinavia, and Arctic Russia for the summer. They winter far south of the UK mainly in West Africa, with some populations reaching South Asia and coastal South America. They are truly long-distant migrants with some flying 6,000-8,000km between their breeding and wintering grounds.

We spent a while watching the whimbrel preen, though they remained largely in the same spot. Hoping for a better angle and perhaps a garden warbler enroute, we made our way to the Paul Britten Hide but had no luck with the warbler. From this side, the birds were slightly closer than we'd first thought, although the sun was now against us, making photography more difficult. The scrape remained quiet until something unseen startled the birds into flight. We briefly worried the whimbrel might leave entirely, but after circling the scrape, they returned to their original spot.

The whimbrel and the greenshank were now much more active and ranged around the scrape but within 25m both left and right - the little ringed plovers did the same. Three yellow wagtails also dropped in for a wash and brush up.

Kev and I scanned the larger body of water and Kev year ticked common terns but all too soon it was time to head for home - another fantastic day birding.

Year list: 173.