Duck-tastic

Rather less frequent than King Eider but, by fine timing, just two days short of two years since the last record.

No hirundines, warblers, wheatears, etc. yet......

69 species (=53.49%)
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Throats

How long has it been since I last posted? Must have been a while. Think it was pre-Bluethroat (on patch) and was certainly before I saw Red-throated Pipit and White-throated Robin (off patch sadly, out of the UK even - others of note in a recent UAE trip included Rufous Bush Robin, Turkestan Shrike, Isabelline and Pied Wheatears, Indian Pond Heron, 2 species of Roller, 2 species of Bee-eater, you get the idea). Back on patch finally added Swallow, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Yellow Wagtail but very very slow and still no Whitethroat

Long Live the King

Blackdog's mention in the 2013 BBRC report is secured early this year, the Ythan clearly not being to Elvis's liking.

A few other "spring" birds now filtering in with Reed Bunting, Linnet and Lesser Black-back helping the total on to an underwhelming 68 species (52.71%).

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Velveteen

Finally glimpsed the velvet scoter from de patch this am, which was a full fat patch tick (up to 194 now!), plus got iceland gull from de hoose this eve - 2 year tick day - gotta love it!

slacker

oops! haven't divulged me scores for ages! Oh well - although the spring has hardly arrived yet, I did manage wheatear, chiff, willow, blackcap and swallow before the end of March, and have added sarnie and purp sand in the last couple of days! Just need the easterly wind to drop a bit and there'll be all sorts to find! Old spoons found a velvet scoter just off patch a few days ago too and its still here - just need a calm day to nail it - patch gold!

Sandies' return

The abysmal weather finally relented earlier this week. It's still cold, but the sun has been shining, the wind dropping and temperatures slowly rising. At times, dare I say it, it even started to feel like spring.

And so I ventured out for a stroll to the lake on Wednesday evening, and there they were... three sand martins wheeling around overhead. There were a couple of chiffchaffs and a willow warbler foraging in the willows along the lakeshore too, and a small raft of tufted duck out on the water.

That little lot takes me to 63 for the year, putting me on 76.36%, and temporarily floating me back to the top of the leaderboard.

Goosed

Classy Goose doule-whammy last Saturday; first a Greylag flew over the rifle range and ditched down in a field where close inspection revealed 600 Pinkies also. Then, always a patch highlight, eight Canada Geese - sat on the sea for a couple of hours at least. Both less than annual species.

63 species (=48.84%)

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