Frustrating.

The weather is frustrating me. With winds once again today over 20mph nesting was difficult. It was looking unpredictable in the morning for rain so I decided to go into the woods down the road from me. I have permission to erect nest boxes in one section of this wood, enough room I reckon to get 30 boxes up. The wood is nice and sheltered but despite tapping hedgerow I turned nothing up.

 

After lunch I chanced my arm at Stithians for some Sedge Warbler activity. Five territories were checked, four contained singing birds but one territory had gone relatively quiet. A churring male did appear several times but after an hour there was still no sign of building or a female. The habitat below at Stithians for Sedge Warbler is quite tricky as can be seen below. 4ft high bramble is not exactly friendly. 

 

The male was quietly churring and did not go into full song or song flight.  He had a favourite perch on a piece of dead gorse (arrow) and disappeared into the bramble bordered with the black line on four occasions. Hopefully the weather tomorrow will be better than the forecast and I can watch this bird again. Sedge Warbler stop singing once paired up, they do not sing to defend territory.