Monday 24 August 2015

Persistent, heavy rain prevented me getting out early this morning, even later on some heavy prolonged showers kept me down to just a 90 minute patch visit.

In a short spell of drier weather around 11:00hrs, I quickly went out for a walk around the fields and paddocks of Migrant Alley, hoping something would be 'downed' by the heavy rain. On arriving, I had a scan of the nearest fence lines and bingo, a smart WHINCHAT was seen, just what I had hoped for. Walking around the paddocks a bit further, I then found a WHEATEAR, so it was well worth the risk of getting soaked, just to find these cracking patch visitors  :-)

I also noted that the two young KESTRELS were back around the area, along with the adult male, a BUZZARD was also seen as it flew into the Greenhouse Copse, plus a SPARROWHAWK unsuccessfully chased a GOLDFINCH from the flock in the Greenhouse Grounds, where a WHITETHROAT, a BLACKCAP and a CHIFFCHAFF were noted.

I had a short sky watch, keeping my eye on the approaching black clouds, but before they arrived with the next torrential, thundery downpour, I got to see a skein of 42 CANADA GEESE, a CORMORANT, a GREY HERON and a loose flock of 14 HERRING GULLS with a lone LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL among them. SWIFTS were also seen, with a party of 12, then 3 birds, all going South West.

If the weather dries up I may get an evening walk back out on migrant Alley, maybe something else will have dropped in.

Nothing for the camera today in the poor conditions and all I have left in the ''blog folder' are these Southern Hawker images I took over the weekend.




Southern Hawker. Male

3 comments:

Ken. said...

Warren.
Great spot with the Whinchat, bit of a scarce bird these days. Nice to know there are still some Swifts knocking about, I guess you caught them on their migration.

Ken. said...

P.S. Nice pictures of the Little Egret from your trip to Sevenoaks last Thursday. The reflection of the bird in the water makes all the difference, I think you are drawn to it.

Warren Baker said...

Thanks Ken,
I liked the reflection shots too :-)