Due to the lateness of the hour when I got free this tea time I decided against going after NK/ DJSs Whinchat above Ogden and I also thought about the number of times Ive trekked up that path without a bird so I decided on the Causeway Foot col.
The Ned Hill track which is usually heaving with Goldfinch, Linnet and Whitethroat was very quiet with just 2 Linnets and several Meadow Pipits. The reason for this soon became apparent when I found that as with the Dailie fields nearly all the gorse bushes are dead along with most of the broom.
Just the usual Skylarks, Mipits and corvids about wit about 15 LBB gulls >S through the col.
Again no Stonechat but the shortage this year will probably be linked with the mystery gorse bush disease.
Raggalds Flood
2 Pied Wag
3 Lapwing
3 Woodpigeon
1 singing Blackbird.
BS