Sparrowhawk harassing the Wheatears.
Canada geese back on site.
1 of 15 Wheatear.
- A clear morning at last with blue skies and sunshine on a cold NW>5 at 13 degrees clouding late afternoon and the wind increased to NW>6.
- With a few days of low cloud , drizzle and fog, todays clear morning opened the flood gates letting the migrating birds pile through.
- Meadow Pipits were star performers with a continuous flow throughout the morning watch and still coming as I left. The earlier Mipits were all to the west of me over the western ridge and Tatty Pie Hill before starting to come over on a broad front to both sides of me as well as high overhead. A decent count for early September but the total would have possibly been twice the number with birds hard to pick out in the light blue sky, plus I was overwhelmed counting them once they got to a broad front as well as distracted with several other species moving.
- Hirundines and Goldfinch were in good numbers and my first Chaffinches of the season, these being somewhat early.
- The south bank provided 15 Wheatear which were soon scattered with a Sparrowhawk which failed to connect whilst Canadas were back on the water after a few weeks absence. With the shoreline almost gone the gulls seem to have stopped dropping in now with just 3 Herrings overhead.
- The afternoon was quiet with just a few Wheatear but nothing in the sky.
- An exciting morning with a taste of vis mig at its best.
- VISIBLE MIGRATION
- 721 Mipits..................>S 16.....>NW
- 41 House Martin........>S
- 29 Swallow...............>S 5.......>NW
- 8 Alba Wagtails........>S
- 35 Goldfinch............>SW
- 17 Chaffinch............>SW
- 6 Reed Bunting.......>SW
- 1 Buzzard...............>SW
- 27 Lapwing............>W
- 3 Herring gull........>SW
- 15 Wheatear..........blogging
- PRESENT
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 5 Kestrel
- 2 Raven
- 84 Canadas
- + usual sp.
- BS