17 April 2013

The week so far



Monday, as you might all have gathered, was rather wonderful. It's been steadily going down hill since then in a law of diminishing returns.  We will remember Monday for a long time.

Scores to date:

33 + Wheatear (27 was the highest recorded count on Monday, while there was only 1 bird today)
9 + Common Redstart (5 Monday, 3 Tuesday and a late record from today)
3 Whinchat (all Monday)
Ring Ouzel (Monday)

Yellow Wagtail (Tuesday)

Common Whitethroat (first up Monday and increasing in number across the patch)
Blackcap (from zero to all over the place, I had about 20 + singing today)
Willow Warbler (3+ singers each in the park and on the flats and some females)


Piss poor, but the only one I got




If only we had got into the park on Monday the counts for most of the above could have been higher.  Although when I did make it around the Dell on Tuesday I managed to fluff my lines again with the pronouncement of a Pied Flycatcher, which showed no hint of white on wing or tail.  That should have put me off informing the twitter world, but no, it was only after a while staring at empty trees did I consider I might have gone a bit wrong on that ID. Nothing wrong with its upright appearance (admittedly seen from a distance), and droopy wings, even got some buff-ish colouration on the bib and throat.  In hindsight I should have probably been looking in the understorey and not the canopy, as I am pretty sure it was probably a Nightingale.  Sooo big arse!

Finally: aren't Blackcaps just a bit wrong?  I mean they are just a bit unfinished.  Another turnaround and they'd be pretty near perfect; get the cap to come to the line of the mandibles - a simple fix, otherwise they are going to look a bit strange.



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