As years go this was an exceptional one on Blows Downs for both numbers and the length of time migrants were present on site.
Things started on 7th March when a very early Swallow was seen over the paddocks. Two days later a record breaking, early Wheatear arrived at the western end of the site. This species is often the first migrant to arrive and towards the end of the month numbers peaked at 21 on 28th. The first Ring Ouzel was seen briefly on 23rd but the two males that fed on the Skimpot Slope on 28th were much more co-operative and many visitors managed to see them for their yearlist's.
March was quite pleasant with favourable winds and across the county many species arrived earlier than normal. The final day of the month saw our first Black Redstart and Willow Warbler of the year being found.
April continued the pattern with a run of Common Redstart sightings and an early Sand Martin on 2nd.
Now came a sudden flurry of quality raptor sightings. A Peregrine over the paddocks on 4th scared the hell out of the local Woodpigeons. An Osprey heading north on 5th was only the second record for the site. A Merlin dashed past and surprised one of the regular birders on 7th, and a Red Kite circled over the same chap before drifting south on 16th ! Not bad, especially when you take into account the passing Goshawk on 23rd March. We had to wait until 24th before the fourth falcon species of the year, a Hobby, arrived.
By now the weather had changed and most people who visited the site had to dodge rain showers. These varied from a spot or two - through to absolute deluge - I certainly walked home sodden more than once and the idea of taking an umbrella birdwatching started to seem like a sensible precaution.
Things were slowly arriving despite the weather with the first Yellow Wagtail overhead on 13th and a pair of Whinchat in the paddocks briefly on 16th.
What was not predicted was the dramatic opening of floodgates which, apparently, had been blocking birds further south. With the change of wind direction into a southern quarter three newly arrived Ouzels were found on 18th. By 22nd there were seven on site and two days later this had risen to 13. These birds stayed in distinct groups, each favouring certain areas, and were definitely present for at least three days refuelling before moving on with only eleven present on 27th, ten on 28th, seven on 29th and two on 30th.
Other species also arrived in good numbers with Common Redstart working up from two males on 20th to four males and four females on 24th; the last sighting of the year was a male on 27th.
Wheatear numbers went from six on 21st to 26 the next day and on 23rd there were too many to count !! The best estimate was of "at least 40" and the only thing that stopped the figure being "at least 50" was the psychological barrier. By 24th numbers had "dropped" to a mere 34; watching 28 birds running around on the Main Slope, above the paddocks, was one of the highlights of the year as far as I am concerned. The above mentioned flock also held a male Whinchat which stayed for four days. Wheatear numbers reverted to the more normal one and two to see the month out. The final sighting of the year was of nine birds, including a "Greenland", dotted around the Downs on 8th May.
Warblers featured in the final ten days of the month, starting with the discovery on 20th of the county's second ever Dartford Warbler. This very skulking bird caused much rushing around and it is to the credit of the Blows regulars that, once the identification was confirmed, the speed in which the news was spread allowed many people to travel to the site and enjoy the bird (despite some heavy showers). Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warblers arrived around the 25th, although in small numbers to begin with they soon increased and could be found in likely locations.
There were a couple of early Spotted Flycatcher on 23rd which may also have had something to do with the weather patterns as we normally struggle to find this species on Blows. Another gross rarity, as far as Blows is concerned, is Nightingale and one found on 25th caused a commotion amongst the locals who value their site lists - happily I can report that the bird performed for one and all.
We moved into May with Ring Ouzel still present - they were seen daily until 8th with a peak in numbers of five on 3rd. This run continued the April streak so that between 18th April and 8th May there was always at least one Ring Ouzel present. An incredible sequence of 21 days !!
With most things past by now a late flourish of Whinchat from 6th to 10th was nice and a couple of Reed Warbler on 13th were a good site record. Late records included a Stonechat on 19th a Sedge Warbler on 23rd and Turtle Doves "purring" on the Cottage Bottom Fields power cables from 16th onwards.
That then is a selection of facts and figures from the Spring '98 season on Blows Downs - what perhaps it does not convey was the tangible excitement that was part of (in particular) the third week in April. It was all too easy to walk on to the site and before you realised it two hours had passed as Redstarts and Ouzels paraded before you. Also with the discovery of a rarity your mind starts to wander on to what else could be lurking, and although nobody found the Pied Flycatcher or the Firecrest the hope was always there.
In my opinion this was the best spring that I have witnessed on Blows so if you only visited for the first time this year be warned - it is not always like that. But who knows - next year may be better still. Let's hope so. See you there.
Rob Dazley
Dunstable, Beds.