Harz Spring

April is the cruellest month, breeding

Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

Memory and desire, stirring

Dull roots with spring rain.

From TS Eliot's The Wasteland, The Burial of the Dead.

The arrival of spring is anticipated I think more by bird lovers than most other people.  It heralds not only the return of light and warmth, for which we all retain a primeval need, but also of our feathered friends.  The first migrant to appear this year was our resident Black Redstart who turned up in a cold and gloomy Goslar on 27 March - he did his best to cheer me up and succeeded!  He was closely followed by the harbinger of things to come, the Chiffchaff, whose onomatopoeical and repetitive call resonates through the still bare trees.  I have learnt to be a bit patient in this part of the world for Spring comes a little later than is the case in South West England.  But more in hope than expectation I set out to some of my favourite haunts hoping to document the arrival of our Summer migrants.

Black Redstart - Goslar - 27 March

The Drömling is an amazing place but it set out to disappoint me in mid-April.  Save for Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, a plucky Grasshopper Warbler, a Nightingale and some Swallows, there was scant evidence of Spring.  I knew I was a little early but had expected a little more than what was on offer!  Still, to paraphrase D-Ream, 'Things could only get better.'

Chiffchaff - Drömling - 29 March

Or so I thought.  The second half of the month was effectively blown away by the arrival of the most appalling and brutally cold weather system in which the Harz seems to specialise!  For days on end the thermometer struggled to reach 5C and all and sundry were treated to seemingly never ending deluge of sleet and snow.  Heaven knows what my little Black Redstart thought and most people here walked around in moods approaching depression! 

The Harz in the Spring! - 25 April

The other day things had improved sufficiently to persuade me to return to the Drömling.  Things this time were a little better.  Lots of Swallows, some Whitethroats and Blackcaps, some miserable looking White Storks standing in a waterlogged field, a lovely Blue-headed Wagtail, a Short-toed Treecreeper and a lonesome but valiant Swift struggling against the still cold wind.  So not brilliant.

Blue-headed Wagtail- Drömling - 28 April

Short-toed Treecreeper - Drömling - 28 April

Corn Bunting - Frose

However, on the last day of April the weather beckoned warm and calm and such was my desperation to see some migrants I headed out again, except this time in southerly direction towards Frose.  The extensive reed beds and flooded meadows here rarely disappoint but even here it seemed to be half-board.  No Marsh, Sedge or Great Reed Warblers signing from the reeds or bushes.  Everything seemed to be on the brink - not quite but nearly there.  Two Bitterns boomed from either end of the reed bed, restless Bearded Tits flitted from reed to reed.

Frose - reed beds yellow, water meadows green

A family of Greylags - Frose - 30 April

Redstart - Frose - 30 April

The resident Greylag Geese had clearly been getting on with things as there were families swimming about everywhere.  A pair of stunning Marsh Harriers quartered the reed beds and Reed Warblers sang their discordant song from the reeds.  I found 2 Bluethroats - one in last year's location and a second on the far side of the site far away from prying eyes.  Everyone I meet says that these birds are very rare but I find them in most areas which have suitable damp scrubby habitat.  My second bird seemed to be inhabiting reed beds only and it was wonderful to be able to sit down and watch him display in the warm and recently arrived spring sun.

Bluethroat - Frose - 30 April

Bluethroat - Frose - 30 April

Whitethroat - Frose - 30 April

Finally I visited the semi-flooded water meadows which lie on the other side of the road to the reed beds.  I must confess that I have tended to overlook these in the past but am learning to appreciate their potential.  Today the meadows were semi-inundated and had attracted a wide range of ducks including Teal, Shoveller, Gadwell and Mallard.  Lapwings were plentiful and a couple of Red Kites were present too.  Everything was surprised by the sudden appearance of a White-Tailed Eagle that looped its way across the site following by some Kites and a Raven.

Water meadows - Frose - 30 April

White-tailed Eagle - Frose - 30 April

Greenshank - Frose - 30 April

Waders were nicely represented too with a couple of beautiful Greenshanks and Wood Sandpipers and a Ringed Plover - all three species were new to me here in Frose and were presumably passing through on their way north.  My final very pleasant surprise was a little Jack Snipe that exploded from the meadow corkscrewing into the distance.  So, all in all at last a most satisfying day. I suppose the thing I enjoyed most was feeling the sun on my face having endured, along with everyone and everything else, the cruelest of Aprils.

Woodsandpipers - Frose - 30 April

Gadwall - Frose - 30 April

A Hare, looking for someone to box with - Frose - 30 April