A Spring Visit to Summer Leys

9th May 2022

My first visit of the year to Summer Leys in Northamptonshire on a beautiful spring morning. As I stepped out of the car I was met with a wall of birdsong and I could immediately pick out Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Garden Warbler. The area next to the tree-lined car park is a fabulous flower meadow with numerous wild flowers interspersed with small Hawthorns so not too surprising that it attracts a large number of song-birds.

I don't normally include wild flowers in the blogs, but today I just couldn't resist taking some photos and have labelled each plant underneath.

Bluebells

Comfrey

Cowslip

Common Vetch

Field Forget-me-not

Germander Speedwell

Ground Ivy

Herb Bennett

White Dead-nettle

Glancing up I noticed a Sparrowhawk soaring lazily over the meadow before drifting off across the scrape.

There was only one Willow Warbler singing, but thankfully it was fairly confiding and singing from the tree tops.

What was most amazing was that the Garden Warblers significantly out-numbered the Blackcaps, something I have never experienced before. In fact there were only two Blackcaps singing around the meadow and both of these were fairly skulking and I didn't manage to get any photos. However, the Garden Warblers made up for it.

Now on to the scrape and the first thing I saw when I peered out of the hide was a pair of Redshank mating. What a brilliant start!!

Oystercatchers used to be a coastal bird and I don't recall seeing any inland in the 1960s, at least only rarely. Now they are regular breeders inland and Summer Leys is clearly no exception.

And of cause there is the mandatory photograph of the Lapwing with its multiple colours and sheens which change with the light, although not so obvious today.

And now on to the Common Terns which have returned from their wintering grounds in large numbers and present a challenge to any photographer trying to get a flight shot, so let's start with this one that made things easier by sitting on a post.

As I have said before, photographing terns in flight is a bit like fishing. It is great fun and you don't know what you are going to get.

I was hoping for some Hobbys but I hadn't seen any up until now. Then two appeared and started hunting over the scrape, but only for about five minutes before moving off again.

They were hawking for flies and I don't know how they can hold a tiny fly in those talons.

As I said earlier there were only two Blackcaps singing around the flower meadow and I had to wait until I arrived at the cattle pen by the feeding station before I came across a male Blackcap collecting spiders web for its nest. Hardly a natural setting but very welcome nonetheless.

At the feeding station it was very pleasing to see a Greenfinch which have been decimated by the disease Trichomonosis, and nice to see that they are gradually making a comeback.

As usual one of the commonest birds on the feeders was the Bullfinch. Bullfinches remain fairly scarce in Hertfordshire, but as you travel north they become more and more common and it is always a joy to come to Summer Leys to photograph them.

Well, what an absolutely superb day and always a pleasure to visit such a well-managed reserve.