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| Above - False Oxlip, top, with its parents Primrose x Cowslip |
Two visits to Low Newton today as the weather was promising for some migrants. A light easterly with drizzle means you don't want to be far from the coast in Northumberland. As it happens, we had an enjoyable morning but there were no scarcities.
Passerines in the scrub at the Tin Church included 4+
Blackcaps, 4+
Willow Warblers, 4+
Chiffchaffs, 1
Grasshoper Warbler and 2
Lesser Whitethroats. Down at the point, a
Tree Pipit was near the compound along with 3+
Wheatears and a
Whimbrel flew South. A nice show of
Primrose and
Cowslips in the dunes resulted in a
False Oxlip, a hybrid between the former two species.
As the drizzle became steady, we headed down to the pool and hide for some shelter. Here, a party of 5
Arctic Terns flew low over the water and out to sea, my first
House Martins were with other hirundines. 5+
Sedge Warblers were new in, singing all over the pond margins, while a party of 6
Black tailed Godwits dropped in for a rest to join the now semi-resident 2
Ruff. One of these birds is coming into breeding plumage. On the damp scrape, 15
Dunlin, 1
Yellow and 1
Pied Wagtail added to the interest.
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Reed Bunting that looks like Uncle Fester! |
