Luckily the fog was stuck down in the valleys this morning leaving it clear with good visibility. A cold SE>3 at 4 degrees with full cloud cover but light cloud making a perfect background for a bird count.
A much better vis mig morning with activity throughout and a better variety of species. I expected more geese over but just one skein well to the north of me heading >W.
A group of 7 Stonechat were on the Flat Moor fencing but keeping at distance. No waders and nothing on the water.
A text from DJS and then Dan Branch at 0830 hrs reporting Dan had found a Yellow Browed Warbler on Soil Hill, which coincidentally is exactly 12 years to the day that one showed well at Ogden.
Early afternoon and despite the sensible voice in my head saying don;t go, the urge got to me to head to Soil Hill, despite my terrible record of dipping on other peoples sightings. Good to bump into DJS on the hill giving me exact directions where he had seen it 15 minutes previous so me and 2 other hearty birders scrambled down the north slope to the very bottom to the explained location.
After 30 minutes staring into bushes it was obvious that there was nothing to be seen with no sightings of the target bird or the 2 Chiffchaff it was with. The only bird seen throughout was a Great Tit.
Back at the top of the north slope, well out of breath and bleeding from bramble scratchers, I swore again, never to twitch another bird but if I had;nt have gone I would have been nattered all evening.
Thanks to Dave and Dan for the calls on an excellent find.
Showing rain all day tomorrow on a light easterly.
VIS MIG
262 Mipits.................................>SE
8 Reed Buntings.......................S
1 Peregrine...............................>SW
4 Alba Wagtails........................>S
29 LBB gull............................>SE
57 Woodpigs..........................>S
8 Chaffinch.............................>W
6 Greylag goose.....................>SE
2 Jay.......................................>W
42 Pink Footed Geese...........>W
PRESENT
2 Red Grouse
c50 Mipits
21 Goldfinch
2 LBB gull
1 Canada goose
7 Stonechat
+ usual sp.
BS