This is the weather we want to move the birds. Early a.m. had full cloud cover, good visibility and a strong SW>6 at 29 m.p.h.. By the late afternoon watch the wind had strengthened to SW>7 at 33mph
with torrential rain showers.
Swallows were the main count this morning piling through all low and >S in the shelter of the Nab. At one point the sky was black with them coming through on a broad front so only the near birds were counted.
It was whilst I was counting the Swallows, best I could, that I picked a wader among then over the SW corner of the water. A juvenile Turnstone which came like a bat out of hell over the ponds and over the top of me. Next came a mad panic to grab the camera which was unfortunately on the tripod and I needed it hand held to track the bird at that speed.As usual, in a situation like this, I had 2 left hands and all fingers and thumbs releasing the camera and getting tangled in the tripod. With camera free and tripod kicked out of the way I fired a few shots at the bird as it disappeared over the Flat Moor towards Slade.
Thats the second Turnstone in 3 days.
The afternoon watch saw gulls piling through in the heavy rain and 3 Dunlin fast and low over the water heading >S but no chance of snapping these with the rain lashing down. Great weather and great birds.
Vis Mig
276 Swallows..............................>S
1 Swift........................................>S
5 House Martin..........................>S
3 Dunlin....................................>S
1 Turnstone...............................>S
18 Common Gull......................>SW Gulls probably dispersal rather than mig!
19 Herring Gull........................>SW
39 LBB Gull............................>SW
1 Tree Pipit..............................>W Stopped off briefly in lagoon tree.
Present
1 LBB Gull
1m Tufted
Several Mipits
BS