Because of the weather I didn't set my alarm this morning and it was about quarter past seven when I arrived at the Tower to have a look on the sea and found Ian virtually frozen to the spot! I stuck it our for about an hour and a half, and was impressed that I had lasted that long due to the painfully cold easterly wind and a lack of birds. During this time all I could muster of noteish was 16 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Curlew east, 17 Common Scoters and six Red-throated Divers east.
It's amazing how different it was this last time last year; plenty of migrants through and I had even run my moth trap several times, but not this year. I decided to count up how many grounded and visible migrants I recorded at the obs in March last year and how many I had recorded up until now this year. You will see the results below and I think they speak for themselves!
Unfortunately a quick look at the forecast for the week ahead shows another week of very cold weather. Mind you, when it that wind does swing round anywhere from the west to the south there will be a rush of migrants. I hope it happens soon!
|
Species
|
2012
|
2013
|
|
Greenfinch
|
29
|
0
|
|
Alba Wagtail
|
151
|
21
|
|
Siskin
|
90
|
1
|
|
Grey Wagtail
|
13
|
3
|
|
Reed Bunting
|
8
|
0
|
|
Meadow Pipit
|
932
|
57
|
|
Linnet
|
42
|
4
|
|
Goldfinch
|
32
|
4
|
|
Skylark
|
3
|
0
|
|
Chaffinch
|
17
|
0
|
|
Lesser Redpoll
|
113
|
0
|
|
Goldcrest
|
19
|
0
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
4
|
0
|
|
Wheatear
|
7
|
0
|
|
Snow Bunting
|
1
|
0
|
|
Yellowhammer
|
2
|
0
|
|
Ring Ouzel
|
1
|
0
|
|
Redwing
|
0
|
2
|
|
Total
|
1468
|
92
|
3 comments:
Incredible stats there, mind you, if I were a bird i'd stay south of uk as well!
I would too!
It's certainly turning out to be a frustrating first quarter of the year for seeing migrants.
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