Sunday 15 April 2012

Early Morning Change Of Plan

When I got up this morning and looked out into the gloomy half-light I could see that there was more cloud cover than I expected so I decided to visit the 'obs' rather than the Point where I could check some coastal habitat that might hold a grounded migrant or two.

When I got out of the car I could hear Willow Warbler singing from some semi-mature woodland and I thought this boded well for a few grounded migrants perhaps. Because of the wind strength and direction I knew there wouldn't be much, but I did hope. In the end I didn't have many grounded migrants other than 7 males and 1 female Wheatear.

 Willow Warbler

The 'vis' was a different picture altogether with a good passage similar to yesterday. I had 4 Lesser Redpolls, Chaffinch, 2 Tree Pipits, 5 Alba Wags, Swallow, 3 Carrion Crows, 60 Linnets, 61 Goldfinch, 12 Siskins, 3 Jackdaws and 346 Meadow Pipits.

The sea was similar to yesterday too with 15 Sandwich Terns, 6 Eiders, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Red-throated Divers, 143 Auk sp., 8 Shelducks, 2 Mallards, 8 Common Scoters, Canada Goose, 26 Guillemots, 2 Cormorants and 28 Razorbills.

Not an amazing morning, but not too bad either!

6 comments:

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...
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The Hairy Birder said...

Hello Errol, The ring is closed, but I can see why you think it isn't. If you look closely the ring is on the leg furthest away from the camera and the leg nearest the camera is in front of the ringed leg, making it look as if it isn't closed. An optical illusion as you said. Cheers, Seumus

theconstantwalker said...

Wonderful birds to see..
Chiffchaffs a plenty in Cheshire and I heard my first Reed Warbler today and saw my first Swallow on Friday..

Pete Marsh said...

The early vis was rubbish at Heysham, Seumus, - I gave up at 0730 to get on with report writing - was it a bit late getting going or just a different ball game up here?

The Hairy Birder said...

Hello Pete, It started immediately at first light and I gave up at 0930. By 0930 it had seriously quietened off to just a dribble. Cheers, Seumus