My intention this morning was to visit The Bill and do a sea watch. Instead I ended up walking around Reap Lane, Barleycrates and Weston Street. And I am so pleased I did, as this morning was pretty exceptional with 100's of hirundines, dozens of Meadow Pipits, Wheatears, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers streaming up the island.
In amongst them I had 3 new bird species for my year list, a Whinchat at Reap Lane, a male Common Redstart at Barleycrates and 2 Yellow Wagtails over Reap Lane Barn, and 4 more feeding in the Horse Paddocks south of Weston Street here.
Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Skylark
300+ Sand Martin, House Martin & Swallow
100+ Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
6 Yellow Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
4 Stonechat
1 Whinchat
1 Common Redstart
15+ Wheatear
Blackbird
1 Song Thrush
50+ Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
One of the many Meadow Pipits passing through.
A Pied Wagtail.
Four Yellow Wagtails in the horse paddocks, Weston Street
A ringed male Stonechat.........
Unfortunately I couldn't read the ring.
A record shot of my first Whinchat this Spring
And better shots of my...........
...........first male Common Redstart of Spring.
A short video of the male Common Redstart.
And another video.
There were quite a few Wheatears about. Both..........
.............of these are males.
Feral pigeon
Butterflies Recorded:
10+ Small White
A Small White
Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
General Shots:
Ted:
He's not happy having his lead on.