27 Mar 25

Out and About

Watery Lane

After missing out on the Hoopoe yesterday, due to the sea fog which blanketed the island, I was pleased to get a call from my good friend Andy to say it was still in the same location.

So with the weather dry clear and devoid of fog, I made my way round to Watery Lane to see my first Hoopoe for the year. I was very fortunate that I timed it when I did, as after 10 minutes of viewing it decided to take off and fly into the next field/fields to the west.

Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
1 Hoopoe
4 Meadow Pipit
2 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
3 Chiffchaff
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon

The field where the Hoopoe was located........

.........was just beyond the horsebox in the next field down here.

The Hoopoe in the fields adjacent to Watery Lane. (Muted)

Here the Hoopoe was spooked by some noisy Carrions Crows and flew off a short distance away.

Here it is with crest raised and in flight (Slow motion)

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Reap Lane Barn

Whilst I was a Watery Lane another birder arrived just as the Hoopoe had flown into the next field. Hopefully she got to see it in the end. However she did show me a wonderful photograph of the Blue-headed Wagtail she had taken 20 minutes earlier in the ploughed field next to the barn at Reap Lane here.

Not wanting to miss out again I picked up Andy in the car and we both made our way to the field. Fortunately there were plenty of other birders there and after a good 10 minutes or so it popped up fairly close to where we were all stood.

Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
1 Peregrine Falcon
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
2 Skylark
1 Swallow
7+ Meadow Pipit
2 Pied Wagtail
2 White Wagtail
1 Blue-headed Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
2 Stonechat
2 Wheatear
Blackbird
5 Chiffchaff
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

The ploughed field next to the barn. In the background is the hedgerow, then the lane and then south of that the horse fields to the south. In the centre of the frame is the Blue-headed Wagtail.

A bit better with the image above enlarged.

Fortunately it came closer to me and not only was I able to get a better photograph, but........

...............also a half-decent video of it, even with the out of focus post to the left.

Also in the field were a couple of White Wagtails and Wheatears. Here is one of the male Wheatears close to the barn.