Yes indeedy, the magic didn't wear off on Sunday but kept going right through the week. Monday and Tues were quieter though, with just a new
pied flycatcher for me troubles. But things kicked off again on Wednesday when the conditions were very promising - nice light south-easterlies and a bit of patchy mist and drizzle.
With no evidence of anything new at Shite Lane and Marsh lane, I very nearly didn't bother doing the top lane, as I had a ton of brown envelopes to go through back in the office. However, it was very fortuitous that I made the effort.
After bumping into a couple of whinchats, I was scanning the fencelines in the mist when I was momentarily confused by a weird looking male wheatear on a post. But something didn't look right about it, so I edged a bit nearer....
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmYrQiJGXIs5kOqv-fzxovjwQ6AUIiMSBc6GD01HuoL-GIh_o9p8F_H53h2jKCoUhPe13PldWafCz4H0wB3NoXHe-zFQMK4qc0R5bo1QnJkFmTSkdUAYYKV8zhL_M_6o2MLeanYwSVU4/w400-h283/LGS1.JPG) |
Not a male wheatear... |
The penny dropped. Grey shrike sp! Looked small and long-winged - shurely it had to be a lesser grey shrike! Then it flew and I lost it. And in trying to find it got distracted by a bunting going "pwit pwit"....
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXT3bB5DzUIg6mrEtvqQ5zMgP5BKAZJTt6EsryqnNGUIDj_44eedwr6osinCkogd3rIEOznx4-3PaFLsfLGIjee2JUwhuVHYFUJ0W4TSfmOykXYjY0Qm5aECiTwSIu9MLRq3Qi_9MhPI/w400-h334/ort1.JPG) |
An ortolan, yesterday |
Ortolan bunting! Huzzah! A classic early September score for Galley - we probably average one every couple of years here. Meanwhile where did the shrike get to?
By this time, Chris had shown up with a scope and we managed to relocate it at the bottom of the top lane, where we got better views
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8ggLTqAZBhy8dJJqd-TBV8lsdYOF7tnTXgo1lFHDOS2u9FvtBQaJZQ5ojivzEtxwmeHMJfsYRFJR3irX1-29HgNuBBBJTie2XGhKNAhQalY5yRIpt3O8rNTEF4Fu44Pmvgv1o6iAZjU/w400-h279/IMG-20210908-WA0005.jpg) |
Look at the primaries on that! [Photo: C. O'Sullivan] |
Whilst watching it, we noticed that it was colour-ringed - and once this news had gone out we were informed of the existence of a Spanish reintroduction programme, with eggs and chicks being reared to fledging and then released into the wild. More on the project
here.
Lets leave that there shall we? Did score a bonus turtle dove on another late pm sortie....
Moving on to Thursday, and after the rain moved through I thought I'd have another punt around, only to bang straight into my first pectoral sandpiper at Galley, on the wee stream that flows out of Marsh Lane
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK5Rz7lzncnVu4aeUyJQQVgAsf6o7wHtD_iBIBfOGgKN8ulhbEo1KZncRSj1NqwAHZ4P3eVvQLw8PDF-LaRGiRR8RfKbYSC_4Py6z58Z0gc2krmTD3MpBVBnkDu_ax89_uadVjeHcNbbI/w400-h266/Pec2.JPG) |
A pec sand yesterday (uncropped)
|
It was really tame, and actually flew towards us at one point. I commando crawled over the shingle to get some closer shots, thinking of
Derek Nimmo all the while!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCtuNle2p4oZmWpE1hxCHl3QcP-4_CCi31uYyXMcmEgiKgh5AWBzYGiTNtFczSR4p44DkOU9mzSJX-uWRHXaMIfNWGxLM7izl7IIEf49MCAJSCYrKUnNzhzxDSGe5zgpNNFO44-0sRtE/w400-h293/Pec4.JPG) |
Majik |
A great wee bird! Twitching a fine wryneck this am surely brings this amayzing spell at Galley to an end? We shall see....
Still second last in the Golden mallard standings tho!