Another bleak winters day today, but the morning on foot around the patch turned up a massive 6 new additions, including two of the targets mentioned yesterday.
The wind was strong again, cutting, on the coast path, but after adding an extra layer, I took position on the cliff top at Cullernose Point gazing at a largely blank sea. If I had not been doing the Patch Challenge, I would have given this no more than a cursory glance and been off for shelter, but common species take on extra significance with an added spice of competition.
So, I sat it out for 45 minutes seeing three new additions that would have hardly had me lifting the bins later in the year -
Gannet 3 adults S
Kittiwake 1 adult N
Wigeon 2 N
Goldeneye 1N
Eider 3 N
Common Scoter 1 female N
Fulmar 30+ milling around.
Amazing to see the top two species are worth two points in the challenge...
In the fields were 100+ Skylarks, 40 Golden Plover, 2 Lapwing, 30 Fieldfare and 50+ Linnets.
At this stage I retired home for breakfast and to shake off hypothermia before heading out again in an inland direction.
A wet corner was very productive when 11 Snipe flushed with 2 Woodcock nearby. I'll keep an eye on this damp spot for Jack Snipe, a full new species for the patch, as the weeks go on. A rough field here had more Fieldfares and Redwings with 3 Reed Bunting but still no Yellowhammers?
3 Brown Hares were beginning to 'box' on the heugh.
The route home was mainly quiet in the woods but after some lengthy perseverance my target surrendered -a Treecreeper, skulking about in the moss low down on a tree trunk. The pond here had 6 Mallard a Little Grebe and a Heron. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in full drumming mode, a hint of spring in this winter weather.
That's me then for another week, 90 species (100 points) and a new record for January after 87 in Jan 2010. With still another weekend to go and a common species or two left to find, hopefully I can push the boundary even further.
Nice one Stewart.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to reach 100 garden species (not points) by the end of this month...but the damned white stuff as put pay to that. Not to worry tho...as it`s a marathon and not a sprint.
Hi Stewart,
ReplyDeleteNice sightings, sounds like a very productive day
Dean - Thats right too, once I finish January, I'll not get another tick until Chiffchaff in mid March!
ReplyDeleteJoe - Reasonable Joe, reasonable...