Saturday 14 April 2012

Cold Notheasterlies Don't Halt Vis

As forecast it was too windy to operate mist nets at the'obs' so I headed to the Point for first light. I was greeted with clear skies with a cold 10-15 mph northeasterly wind. From the outset birds were on the move and Tree Pipit opened the 'score card'. My vis totals (all between north and east) included 5 Tree Pipits, 16 Siskins, 3 Alba Wags, 6 Lesser Redpolls, 7 Swallows, 9 Woodpigeon, 6 Carrion Crows, 5 Sand Martins, 90 Linnets, White Wagtail, 51 Goldfinch and 337 Meadow Pipits.

 Tree Pipit

On the sea I had 17 Eiders, 2 Guillemots, 57 Common Scoters, 9 Red-throated Divers, 4 Razorbills, 8 Shelducks, Gannet, 68 Auk sp., 23 Cormorants, 26 Red-breasted Mergansers and 43 Sandwich Terns.

Waders were few and far between with just 3 Turnstones, 2 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plovers, 10 Oystercatchers and 40 Knot. The only grounded migrant I had was a single male Wheatear.

 Turnstone

It's going to be too windy for mist nets again tomorrow so it will be some more coastal patch work for me.

1 comment:

theconstantwalker said...

The pipit is a wonderful little bird to see...