This afternoon after work, I was out at Migrant Alley by 14:15 and not alot was happening, for two hours I scanned the sky, the fencelines and the Maize stubbles, but all I got was a flyover BUZZARD, (ok thats a good bird ) and a flyover CORMORANT. A few SWALLOWS were around, but they were the local breeding birds, still with young to feed I reckon.
At 16:15 I decided to call it a day, and trudged off across what remains of the weedy edge of the maize stubbles. Then, a familiar white rumped bird flew up from 20m in front of me, WHEATEAR - at last something to cheer the day, but hang on, theres another, and another and yet another, 4 Wheatear, Wow, this is the best peak count, since I recorded four back in Sept. 2003. Well that really put some spring back in my legs, and after my fill of Wheatear, I walked of a happy man......However, the god of gleefulness hadn't done with me yet! I walked the fenceline at the end of the stubbles, and a small bird was on the fence post, I got onto it with my bins - STONECHAT! Another scarce migrant on my patch, and a new one for the September list that I had all but given up on. These migrants must have only dropped in as I was crossing the field, now I wasn't just a happy man I was very happy.......However, still the god of gleefulness had more for me ( and do I deserve it!)
As I walked to the corner of the stubble field to cross into the Greenhouse complex, I noticed quite a bit of movement in the scrubby area around the Greenhouses, I investigated and found ROBINS, DUNNOCKS, GREAT and BLUE TITS and a BLACKBIRD, then a female BLACKCAP popped up, but the real bonuses were a LESSER WHITETHROAT, and a WILLOW WARBLER both in an elder bush, and both go onto the months list, now I was an ecstatic man!!
Both these species are the latest ever recorded, the Lesser Whitethroat by one day, and the Willow Warbler by 11 days. The months list,now 77 has blown away the previous sept record of 72 and the best ever monthly tally of 73!
What an afternoons birding!
Above and below Wheatears galore!
Above and below, Stonechat - great bird for my patch.
One of the local Swallows, they wont be here much longer now
Below is an attempted Willow Warbler shot, it just wouldn't stay still, I stalked it from bush to bush, and caught up with it in an alder tree, but this is the best I could do!
10 comments:
Excellent day, Warren. I knew there`d be more for you.
Now please slow down,and let me play catch up ;-)
Warren ,
I told you not to give up on the month .
Downside , even harder next year .
Well done .
Cheers guys,
I think this septembers tally willl be a long standing record!
Wow! You did do well, I bet that trudge turned to a skip ;)
The photos are gorgeous, I'm not a bit envious....hmph!!
Cant believe i am just to the north of your patch and dont get all these bird sightings Warren. Nice Pics
Not too bad at all Warren. Great pictures of the Wheatears.
Congratulations Warren - your daily trudge is turning out to be quite something - AND there is still a week left for another fluke or two...80 must be in your sights!!!!
Oh to be able to see stonechat and wheatears.love pics again warren
Your bird photography is excellent.
Your visits are always appreciated. That is my hardest job. To post things so people who stop once, will want to come back.
Pick a Peck of Pixels
Gosh Warren, nobody is ever gonna stop you on this month record!! Sorry I still did not send the merlin :-) Well done with the stonechat, the pictures are gorgeous and it is a nice species to see on your patch! Was it singing? I love their song... 77 species i do not believe it! It's incredible. Do you know I've only seen 47 this month and that is gonna be it! No I'm waiting for the bohemian waxing rare migrants to go to 87!!
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