Way over on the north shore in heavy drizzle.
A very drizzly start to the morning but soon clearing leaving a clear but windy day with a W>4 increasing W>5 late afternoon at 8 degrees getting up to 14 degrees.
Both morning and afternoon watches were busy but not a photographic day with most birds being at distance or dodging the camera. I missed 2 good photographs on the afternoon session, the first being a Buzzard holding on the wind and hovering low over fields between Cold Edge Rd and Cold Edge Dams very near the road. A quick stop and camera out but in the few seconds it took to throw myself out of the car the bird had disappeared completely.
The second one was as I walked through the boat yard an adult female Whinchat landed on the wire fence close by, and again, I looked down at the camera, raised it, and ,like the Buzzard, it was gone never to be seen again.
Juv Wheatears were everywhere with a count of at least 18 on the south and north shore as well as in the ponds and boatyard areas. Several were on the walls below the road which I didnt include in the count.
A Yellow Legged Herring gull was way out on the north shore in heavy drizzle but as soon as the drizzle stopped it disappeared though I never saw it go. Also 3 Common Sandpipers were new in, or at least 2 of them, as one was present yesterday.
Swifts were moving >SW in the morning as well as a few Swallows whilst 2 juv Reed Bunting were around the boatyard.
Yet another good day up there but 3 days of the hot stuff to face now which has a good chance of killing the job although the weather is not too much of a factor as we get into August as birds are starting to get desperate to move on.
Visible Migration
32 Swifts.................>SW
19 Swallow.............>S
18 juv Wheatear.........blogging
1 ad YL Herring gull... blogging
1 f Whinchat...............blogging
2 Ringed Plover...........blogging
3 Common Sandpiper..blogging
Present
2 juv Reed Bunting
5 Kestrel
21 LBB gull
1 Buzzard
+ usual sp.
BS