A cooler day with a E>3 turning NE>4 and 100% cloudy skies.
A bit more time today so a check of the Roper Lane plantation then a long haul up to Soil Hill which did nothing to re kindle any old flames of days I used to bird there when the habitat was a summit of stone and gravel with several pools and wild flowers. Double figures of over wintering Snow Buntings were a regular occurrence as well as visiting Lapland Buntings and Shore Lark. Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers were a regular item with visits from Grey Plover, Dotterel and Purple Sandpiper. The summit is now well grassed over leaving it as a good watch point only though the North slope and tree line can still provide . Unfortunately the bottom end of the slope has been bulldozed destroying all the nesting habitat where Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting used to breed annually.
The Roper Lane plantation held at least 5 Willow Warblers along with Chaffinch and Goldfinch with 8 LBB gulls overhead >N.
Soil Hill provided a long walk for no reward with 9 Curlew being the highlight along with a single Oystercatcher plus the usual species. No sign of Dan Bs Ring Ouzels after a check of the tree line and Ring Ouzel gulley nearby. Surprisingly no Wheatear present.
Roper Lane
5 Willow Warblers
2 Chaffinch
1 Goldfinch
8 LBB gulls.......................>N
Soil Hill
9 Curlew
1 Kestrel
1 Oystercatcher
sev Lapwing
1 Reed Bunting
4 Skylark
3 Mipits
1 pr Mallard
Keep safe, BS