This blog has been neglected for a a few months, but with the slow winter period out of the way and spring migrants now arriving back, I hope there will plenty of reasons to post here. A busy work schedule has also meant extended periods away from the patch and with these continuing, I hope that I am around when the rarer species appear.
Earlier in April a Firecrest was a nice find in the ringing site and although the photo perhaps doesn't suggest so, it did show nicely.
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| Firecrest |
With clear skies dominating over the past few days, conditions have not been conducive to grounding migrants. A Wheatear yesterday was my first on the patch and a Willow Warbler this morning likewise, but there has been very little in the way of grounded migrants this week and very little visible migration. A Golden Plover flew north and a 2cy Glaucous Gull flew south this morning, with the latter presumably the bird seen at Filey recently.
It has been pleasing to undertake a couple of ringing sessions, with a few recently returned migrants hitting the nets. The ringing site currently has single territories of Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat. A Reed Bunting territory is the first to be recorded within the the ringing site since I started visits here (although they have bred nearby).
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Whitethroat |
Plenty of Skylarks are singing and the usual scattering of Meadow Pipits are breeding along the cliffs.
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| Meadow Pipit |
