summer lull...

It feels like spring has petered out into summer at the ness. Everything that moves is a bloody linnet. Despite hitting patch every day almost, I've had very little of note apart from spotted fly and a tree spuggie, which was a bit of a surprise, having never had a spring'un before. Some good conditions later in the week so maybe spring will have one last throw of the dice.

 

Collieston Springtime score

Finally got round to adding up...added Bushvelds Cuckoo...nice one, and finally got the Garganey on patch. Also caught up with a lively Collared Dove.

Worth noting the continued local Little Gull "influx" with a count of 9 1st years in front of the Waulkmill hide and 2 on Meikle at the weekend. Some late evenings at Meikle there has been the spectacular sight of up to 8 Little Gulls mixed in with many BH Gulls hawking over the loch.

Total 122, or 77.05%

Reg

Ton up in Wanstead

Although the patch has been largely torpid, a few of final 'expecteds' have made themselves known - a Common Sandpiper, almost mega again. We should have had a few in the spring, but this is the first. Then a returning Reed Warbler, they bred in the same spot last year, but are extremely late back, and then this morning two Common Terns fishing in the Park. I'm no mathmo, but that takes me to 100, and I believe just scrapes me into pole position.

Have been getting ominous sounding tweets from Seppy though, giving it large. Given some of the outrageous recent interpretation of getting birds on the patch list at vast range, surely it's time for some patch-line technology? I can see Seppy being more than willing....

onwards and upwards...slowly

A few more fine species since my last posting, with a fine long-eared owl perched at a base of a pine, a drake garganey from the house and a couple of sightings of a cuckoo.  Although long-eared owls and garganey are more-or-less predictable, cuckoos are a lot more tricky so a fine one for the year.

With the weather still looking good for a while longer yet and still a good number of regulars to be found, hopefully there'll be a late spring surge to carry us over 'til the autumn.

117

75.81%

Happy days

no sign of the usual May slump

Still bangin them in here regular as clockwork! Over de weekend I managed a heard-only off-patch water rail i.e. i heard it from me patch plus some shenanagins with scoping (very) distant doves netted me a fine brace of turtles, while just yesterday mistle thrush did the decent thing and gave itself up without a struggle. Never been this high before so early in da year - approx 2 months ahead of where I should be! Golden Mallard you'll be heading home I'd say!

Springtime in Collieston

Great run of Easterlies last few days brings more hope for the weekend. A few migs in so far, best of it being a female Red-Breasted Flycatcher in the roadside willows. My first Spring record of this in NES. Picked up from my front garden whilst eating dinner, which is always a great way to bird. Got some  shots of it at 5.30 the next morning, but it was surprisingly elusive. Also gave me a shock when it emerged first thing from a presumed bathe in the stream (or prehaps just a damp hedge) looking grey and cold in plumage tones... still shows pale lower mandible and dark brownish upper tail coverts however. Can always hope I suppose.
House Martin at Cransdale last weekend picking up mud, and the Pied Wagtail at Slains pools.
Drake Garganey at Slains as well today, just off patch limits.
Still to get the patch total sorted for the last few weeks, should be alright I think.
Reg

ton up

with a long overdue patch tick, a flyover osprey.

puts me on 77.82%