Going up Common Sandpiper, going down everything else!
Just when we thought it was going to be very good it went bad, and when thought that was bad it got worse. Friday flattered to deceive with 2 new birds for the year–a fly over Golden Plover, and finally our very own Pied Flycatcher (however hard we made the ID on that!). Everything looked primed for Saturday and the long bank holiday weekend but then it tanked. Out of 7 Spotted Flycatcher there was 1 left, visiting birder, Bruce Carson reported 2 flycatchers at the viz mig one of which was the Pied. So he did better than the rest of us, because we couldn't find it.
The week had started with promise with 2 sub adult male Redstarts giving us the run around, then a Whinchat mid-week, while Spotty numbers grew day by day. I picked up the 2nd Tree Pipit of the week, following Tony Bs bird on Sunday last, part of my 3 tick day–happy to have a few more of those before the end of proceedings.
Meanwhile it is Common Sandpiper that are wader flavour of the year. We'd already had a better than average year for these perky little birds, and this week we added at least another 4 to that growing list, while last year's wader wonder, Green Sandpiper, have still to put in an appearance.
A good Yellow Wagtail week with the high point of 7 on the deck, their numbers are still probably down on last year too (none today).
Thank pingu I am not working tomorrow as the weekend has been a bit of a downer apart from these two beauties there was nothing really worth getting out off bed for...
and for you gull lovers, shoot me down over this Yellow-legged Gull if you will
looks like a 2cy LBBG to me. Finishing primary moult (p10 growing). Ylgs of this age are already started to look like second winter birds now, cleaner, with much adult grey in the mantle and remaining 2nd generation coverts heavily marked. my 2pence!
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciated even if damning to my gulling abilities, which appear to be going headlong backwards
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