REV in Dirk

Been easing back into Galley, adjusting to the severe changes in vegetation levels after Shetland. After a rainy morning, a pre-school pick-up wander down Dirk last monday was proving very fruitless, when all of a sudden, as if by magic, a red-eyed vireo appeared in the tree that I was scanning. Almost as quickly, it vanished again, and I was left wondering if I'd imagined the whole thing.

Luckily, after a few heart-stopping minutes, I managed to relocate it in the adjacent tree, and it did the decent thing, and performed in full view for a few seconds, before heading off again, towards the big clump of sycamores at the bottom of Dirk. I had to go and collect the wean from school, but on returning to the scene of the crime, complete with camera, I drew a total blank. It was like it had never happened - Dirk was back to normal again! After an hour, I could take no more, and headed home to celebrate!

So I never did get a photo, but here's a blurred and on the huh shot that Ross Geller took of the Mizen bird the previous day instead...

A red-eyed vireo yesterday by Ross Geller

As for Dirk, well, who knows what could be in there - if only there was a bit more cover to actually hold stuff!

Dirk Bay, yesterday

Anyone heard from Keith Flint recently?

He's been a bit quiet of late.

Still here

After a  long absence from the blog I am back. Unsurprisingly for the avian paradise that is Philpstoun there are no exciting (or even half exciting) birds to report. A meadow pipit this morning was the first year tick since July and as about as mega as it gets. This takes the year tally to 80, one off last year and 88.89% of the all time figure (don't have three years to compare against here yet). I'm sure you'll all be rushing here to partake in the ornithological delights but if you do please let me know so I can put the kettle on.

Smashing through 100%

Following the 100th species in early June there's been a steady trickle of patch birds with 8 new species in the last 8 weeks...

Swift 22/6
Coal tit - 29/6
Grey wag - 1/7
Great spot woody - 8/7
Greenshank - 30/7
Green Sand - 2/8
Manxie - 5/8
Ruff - 5/8

With autumn just around the corner things should start picking up.

108 species
101.89%

Happy days

Bushveld

Whinning

2013 was a good year for whinners. Andy Murray won Wimbledon, and Chris Froome won his first Tour de France (although we all know he could have beaten Wiggins in 2012). It was also the last time we recorded whinchat on our patch. A mega, partly due to the non coastal location, this species used to breed on the patch in the days when we released our first album. But no more. However, we were delighted to find a juvenile on patch on Sunday. That, plus fillers, brings us to 71 species, or 91.42%. Hopefully our career will return soon too.

A century up

100th species today... grey heron.

Sorted

Bushveld

Canada Goose

Yes... After five years... Canada Goose!