Sunday 14 September 2008

I spent the early hours of this morning out ringing, not a very successful trip, few birds were about, and we only ringed one Migrant - a Chiffchaff, it's still nice to see the birds up close though.
By 11;30 I was out at migrant alley, scanning the skies for Honey Buzzard. I was rewarded with sightings of HOBBY, KESTREL, SPARROWHAWK and a distant BUZZARD, but it was to far to say what kind. On the first circuit of the maize crop I found a WHINCHAT, while overhead MEADOW PIPITS continualy flew over, in one's and two's. More Skywatching found just HOUSE MARTIN, SWALLOWS and LINNETS all the regular stuff, so another trip round the Maize was called for, this time a YELLOW WAGTAIL was seen feeding in one if the paddocks. I came back via the Scrub/wood at the north end of migrant Alley and saw my first two LESSER WHITETHROATS of the month. by this time it was 14;45 and I decided to go and have my roast dinner, and refuel.
An hour later I was back out skywatching, I soon picked up a flock of rooks and focused in on them, they were mobbing a Buzzard, again I couldn't tell if it was a Honey Buzzard it was too far away, as I watched it another Buzzard came into view, but the pair moved ever higher and ever distant. A frustrating day! The wind was feeling pretty chilly by 17;45, and I felt I'd had my chance, so i headed off home, not before hearing another Yellow Wagtail go over though. I'll try again tomorrow.

Above and below Whinchat.
Below. Yellow Wagtail feeding in the horse paddock

Below a LINNET in the Maize crop.





2 comments:

Greenie said...

Warren ,
Four birds of prey - and a roast dinner .
Make the most of it , you won't be able to afford it when you are a pensioner .

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Warren: I love that photo of the Yellow Wagtail, a bird I've never seen.