Friday 9 October 2020

Likely southern migration - birders not the birds

 Subtitle- an everyday story of ordinary stuff

Wind just north of west to start with, moving to NW. mainly dry till early evening then a few short thunder showers.

Not many birds around and even fewer birders. I suspect the Lincolnshire Lammergeier may have influenced the latter. Just my stuff so far (MD)

Ocean Edge
Lots of common passerines sheltering from the cold WNW wind below the east bank of the saltmarsh, 
Starling c50
House Sparrow 18
Linnet 13
Meadow Pipit 4
No Rock Pipit again.
Greenfinch 7

Dog walk and Heysham Nature Reserve 
Two transects of the non operational land failed to locate the Black Redstart - but it is a large area with lots of habitat out of sight. It could easily still be around.
A couple of checks around the dipping pond Also failed to locate the Yellow-Browed Warbler. But there was a large mixed tit flock mobile around the reserve. This included at least three Goldcrest, no warblers seen, but the foliage was dense.
Coal Tit - at least 4 with the feeding flock. Another three set off south on three occasions. Each time heading high, reaching about 300m south, then banking back and ending up in the same bush. It appeared a battle between instinct and comfort.
Juvenile Wood Pigeon 
There are several breeding pairs in the area.


Middleton Nature Reserve
Wildfowl as yesterday except no sign of Little grebe
Cetti's Warbler - unusually, I manage two brief glimpses of two different birds on the central marsh. I accidentally flushed one which then flew towards the fence pond. Immediately a male gave two bursts of song from a bush behind me, then flew to another bush. I managed this distant shot before it disappeared again.
The bird is circled. You'll have to open the image to see any detail.
Even then it's underwhelming, 
but as good as it gets with this species.