Tuesday 26 September 2017

Odious warbler

Blundered into a hippo on Sunday morning - flew out of the Shite Lane sycamores and into the maize field, and that was that for the morning. By the afternoon the bird had returned to the trees and we were reckoning it was an icky. However, subsequent scrutineering of photicular material resulted in questions being raised over this ID, and its now reckoned to be a melodious warbler. Fair enuff, can't win them all, though personally, more time looking at the bird and less time trying futilely to get shots would have been a better way to go!

Here's a couple of shots courtesy of Old Spoons anyway, so you can make yer own minds up!


fat lumpish jizz etc
Still, its a good bird for Galley, even though we did our best to stuff it up! Spot Fly for the year too - Bonus!

Thursday 21 September 2017

Hang out the bunting

Thanks to SIC, we have re identified some Emberiza that have been hanging about our patch of late. What a find! Apparently there is one on Shetland too. If I (Craig) were to walk there and back it would be 500 miles, and if Charlie did it, it would be 500 more.


Monday 18 September 2017

Tuesday 5 September 2017

Full Fat Patch

With never ending south-westerlies it doesn't look good on the patch, but at a risk of not meeting some  rather important work related deadlines I strolled onto the patch this morning and scored a very nice Icky, which is a full fat patch tick.  Accompanying it was chiffchaff and a tree pipit flyby which were new for the year.

So happy days for me.  But still need 20 species before the years end if I'm to catch those annoying Proclaimers.

Happy days

Bushveld






Monday 4 September 2017

What it all means


It has been a busy few weeks on the patch. The dotterel has perhaps been the highlight but a quick review of recent weeks identifies some other highlights including raven and peregrine. Barn owl was added a couple of weeks back as we sat on the sofa in our recording studio and one flew across the garden. Now that’s our kind of birding.

But this weekend highlights include a notable wader passage of curlew over the patch on Saturday followed by cormorant yesterday. This one was riding a thermal (who knew the did that!) It was only a matter of time before that one fell but it brings the patch list to a cracking 99, and my year’s total to 75, or 103.69%. Over the ton.

Sunday 3 September 2017

Autumn

Been on the road again, but picked up Spotted Flycatcher as well as Redstart and Tree Pipit that I missed in spring due to a heavy recording schedule. 103 - count 'em. That said, not many simple ones left, and don't talk to me about waders. No travel until October and no Shetland.....

Friday 1 September 2017

waders on da move

been a few bits going through Galley lately - managed dunlin and black-tailed godwit yesterday, and then had 7 (count 'em) sanderling on the beach this am. Back ahead of Bushveld! Result!