Early cloud cover dispersed during the morning, allowing some sunny intervals to develop for the mornings full patch walk.
A good tally of species was recorded, 47 in all, but none were new for the months list, I just need the one now to equal the best ever August species total of 78.
There were still a few nice species to be found at Migrant Alley today, with a single WHINCHAT remaining on the paddocks, as well as a couple of YELLOW WAGTAILS on the sheep pasture. In amongst the 30-40 SWALLOWS feeding around the sheep, there were a minimum of 8 HOUSE MARTIN and 2 SAND MARTIN. In the nearby Greenhouse Grounds 2 GREY WAGTAIL were in the drainage ditch, whilst in the surrounding scrub 2 WHITETHROAT, a BLACKCAP and 2 CHIFFCHAFF were found.
Single Yellow Wagtails were heard to fly over as I crossed an empty Ashes Lane Field, and two more were heard as I scanned the lakes, where a GREY HERON had joined the MUTE SWAN family, COOT pair, around 8 MOORHENS and 4 MALLARDS.
The Scrubby Woods was not very lively today, the Elder Trees have almost been stripped of their berries now, but another 2 Blackcaps and 2 Chiffchaffs were seen, plus BULLFINCH, COAL TIT, GOLDCREST, STOCK DOVE and JAY were all heard calling.
A wander through the Wet Woods, then the Small Holding added NUTHATCH, GREAT SPOTTED and GREEN WOODPECKERS, the latter habitat had good numbers of GREENFINCH, GOLDFINCH and CHAFFINCH all being drawn in by my garden feeders that are not too far from there.
I finished up with a sky watch from my seat at Migrant Alley, as is usually the case after a full patch walk, and saw 3 raptor species - BUZZARD, SPARROWHAWK and HOBBY, but no Kestrels today. HERRING GULLS were the only gulls noted and a skein of 9 CANADA GEESE flew low over heading towards the lakes. A lone CORMORANT flew past, then 3 more did likewise a few minutes later. Not a bad visit at all :-)
Once again I failed to get any photo's, but ive got a few images to sort through from the visit I made to Bough Beech Reservoir this afternoon, i'll post them tomorrow!
5 comments:
Warren.
You are very close to the record breaking number you require, there are still 4 days to go, so finges crossed. I hope to be reading soon that you have set a new record for August.
Great observations, you must have had a ball at seeing all those species!
Cant' wait to see your pics!!
Another good day in the field. Think you've seen more yellow wags this week than I have in two decades
Cheers
DaveyMan
Noushka,
Dont get too excited about my pics, they were all a bit distant :-)
Daveyman,
I generally get a good passage of Yellow Wags for a couple of weeks at the end of August, beginning of September.
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