Up early this morning, off to Cogden, and once again loads of overhead movement. Love it! I counted 46 Siskins, 1 Grey Wagtail and 2 Redpolls. The latter were together, and again I captured a recording. Who knows how many Siskins there really were? A couple of times I could hear but not see them. It almost seems fatuous to write '46 Siskins' when that is nothing like a true record of their number. Things I didn't count include a horde of hirundines, a mass of Mipits, and a big bag of bits and bobs. Instead of counting, I just bathed in it all. Watching wave after wave of small birds move steadily into a stiff ENE wind, calling to one another occasionally, is a humbling experience. As they pass overhead, and to the left and right, in unquestioning obedience to some inner driving force, movements like this are one of my favourite birding spectacles...
And then I was shaken out of my reverie by a ringing telephone. It was Mike, telling me that two Great White Egrets were heading W from Bex, just offshore. They soon appeared, glaringly white against the blue sea. Once or twice in the past I've thought I might have a GWE in my bins. On such occasions it's always been a Little Egret. When it's a Great White, you don't think, you know. The ponderous, lollopy wingbeats are unmistakeable...
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| Two Great White Egrets moving W off Cogden at 07:50. Photo taken at approximately 1km range. Yellow bills nicely on show. |
I also had a Little Egret go past nice and close, also this Heron gave me an opportunity to imagine it was a Purple job, and to see what kind of flight shots I'd have got if it was...
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| Quite satisfactory ones... Grey Heron |
There were even more Chiffs in the bushes than yesterday, and I counted 34. Also 14 Blackcaps, plus a Spotted Flycatcher which had somehow found a sheltered spot, right where the Wryneck was last week. No Wheatears or Whinchats at all though. At 08:54 I heard a couple of piping calls which may have been one or more invisible Golden Plovers, but upon reviewing the morning's recording I discovered that the batteries had amazingly run out at 08:53!
A fun couple of hours.
I am very conscious that this blog has a modest number of regular readers. I assume that most will also be birders. They will no doubt have noticed that I am currently on a birding high, with regular outings and some 'success' in the shape of good birds now and then. NQS inevitably reflects this happy situation, and of course I hope very much that it continues. However...
Be warned. The winter is coming, a season which tests the mettle of every NQS reader. Because there will be gulls. A lot of gulls.
Finally. A gardening tip from the rubbishest gardener on the planet...
A few weeks ago I realised that our back garden buddleia had completely shot its bolt. Every single flower was finished and gone to seed. So I carefully clipped them all off. All of them. Lo and Behold! It has miraculously grown a whole new swathe of flowers, and the butterflies have been delighted. This afternoon our rejuvenated buddleia received the lepidopteral gold seal of approval, and I managed to badly photograph the occasion...
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| A Hummingbird Hawkmoth approves |
Gavin, I don't DO gulls. I've tried, I really have, largely inspired by your posts and your enthusiasm. But despite that, I look forward to winter and your gull posts. Once again I'll think "Ah, yes. Now I've got it." And then I'll go out in the field again and look at a gull and think "Oh, dear." – Malcolm
ReplyDeleteI sympathise, Malcolm. But if I'm honest, I really hope there will be loads of excuses for gull posts! 😄
DeleteGav, as someone who has cut down plenty of Buddleia, like you I've discovered it's one plant which regrows with vigour. Nettles will do the same after their initial growth cycle has finished.
ReplyDeleteMind you, Hummingbird Hawk moths I've recorded only twice. I did however come across a female Wasp Spider the other day - that was a first.
Nice, Ric. Not seen Wasp Spider yet.
DeleteDon't apologise for the HHM pics, they must be one of the hardest creatures to photograph with such manic wing beats and their tendency to move about around plants. I haven't seen one this year but a few years back we had a good year - I even evicted two from my house.
ReplyDeleteYou have had an awesome year's watching, no pressure for '21 then. I'm now sitting back in readiness for some gull lessons.
Thanks Dave. Yes, it's already been an amazingly good year, and anything else will be icing on a very rich cake. Though I wouldn't say no - I have a sweet tooth. Plenty of the autumn left yet...
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