Since we last met all manner of things natural have been happening. Starting off a couple of weeks back we were in a late autumn heatwave, on the 10th it was a whopping 18 degrees here, a temp we hardly see in June let alone November!
Thursday 12th I had a day off and managed to get out on the patch for a couple of hours. Actually I'm always on the patch as I live in it, but you know what I mean. Hoping to add to my year list I decided on a sit and wait approach down at the Rumbling Kern where a nice flock of 5 Snow Buntings tinkled south along the cliff edge. Another wait and see was adopted at Craster where a Black throated Diver flew N close in with 3 Red throated Divers for comparison, 2 Bonxie, 9 Common Scoter and 12 Curlew.
On 15th, another mild day I had 3 Red Admirals and 2 Common Wasps on Ivy near the village hall. A Chiffchaff was nearby, set for wintering? While standing with Bunty, 36 Whooper Swans were a magnificent sight as the flew south low over the village.
Another week passes and the 20th was much cooler. A NW breeze seemd to ground some late migrants with 20+ Blackbirds, 10+ Fieldfares, 8+ Redwings and a Goldcrest all along the coast path where yesterday there were none.
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| Craster seawatching. |
07.35 - 09.10 then home for a foil blanket and sustenance -
Little Auk 24
Great Northern Diver 1 summer plumaged
Red throated Diver 8
Pale bellied Brent Goose 6
Long tailed Duck 2
Red breasted Merganser 2
Teal 3
Wigeon 126
Goldeneye 26
Goosander 2 males
Shelduck 1
Razorbill 11
Purple Sandpiper 9
Dunlin 132
plus usual gannets etc.
On the way home a found a dead Short eared Owl on the roadside. Poor thing, newly arrived and quite emaciated.
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| Short eared Owl |
How is the patch list standing after that -
147. Snow Bunting
148. Black throated Diver
149. Great Northern Diver
7 comments:
I'm still bashing the local patches Stewart, honest! Haven't added a species since late summer though. I'm being trounced...
Poor owl!
Steve - Thats good, its all relative you know, If you have a 100 sp patch and you get 101 thats an excellent year!
Simon - Yes but thats migration for you....
Love your blog, Stewchat. Especially the sketches, a lot better than mine. Cheers, Dave R, Lincsbirders.
Brilliant blog, Stewchat love it, especially the sketches,Dave, Lincsbirders.
David -Cheers for that, where are your sketches?
I add them regularly to my posts on Lincsbirders.org Cheers, Dave.
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