I rolled out of my 'pit' again at 4.00 a.m. and headed off to Rossall Point. By 4.45 a.m. I was seawatching behind the Coastguards Tower and the wind direction was better being west-southwesterly, but it had dropped . In fact it was one of those in between mornings where it is too windy to ring and not really blowy enough for a good seawatch.
There were plenty of returning waders on the beach this morning including 77 Dunlin, 2 Turnstone (both in summer plumage; stonking!), 31 Oystercatchers, 8 Curlews, 131 sanderling and a Redshank.
Out on the sea it was quiet even though the visibility was good. I had 28 Common Scoters and a male Eider, and all there was moving was a single Manxie and 2 Gannets. I heard a Sandwich Tern, but didn't see it, and my best bird was a 1st winter Little Gull that flew along the tide line.
I called in at the Nature Park on my way home and it was quiet here too. I am not going to pad it out but just tell you that I had 10 Little Grebes, 2 Whitethroats, 17 Mallards, 15 Coots, 2 Reed Warblers, 4 Linnets and 10 Tufted Ducks.
Reed Warbler
Just before lunch Gail and I bobbed back to Rossall Point to meet Ian and try and locate the 2 unringed Ringed Plover chicks. Within no time at all we found one of the adults brooding the 4 young and before you could say "Robert's your Mother's brother" they were ringed.
Ringed Plover chicks
Back at home the post had arrived and there were a couple of recoveries from the BTO. One was a local Blackbird that hadn't moved, but there was a Pied Flycatcher (see below) that had been lifted off the nest at Barnacre on 9.5.09 and controlled at Whitney Court, Hereford & Worcester on 17.5.10.
The forecast looks grim for tomorrow so I might treat myself to a rare lie in!
2 comments:
Hello Seamus
Please could you give me the details of the Pied Fly as I'm just completing the county ringing report & do the recoveries on a July-July basis
Thanks
Pete
I've sent you the Pied Fly details by email Pete.
Cheers,
Seumus
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