A Day to Remember

Today was an excellent day to take off work. A switch in the wind has cranked open the autumn migration floodgates. Cogden called, and I answered. To the tune of almost ten miles (18,417 steps apparently) split between a pre-breakfast session and another from mid-afternoon. I am pleasantly knackered, and have a really good tally of autumnal bits and bobs to show for it. Here it is in list form...

Yellow Wagtail 82
Willow Warbler 23
Whitethroat 21
Wheatear 17
Whinchat 8
Lapwing 5
Tree Pipit 3
Redstart 2
Spotted flycatcher 2
Garden Warbler
Turnstone
Ringed Plover

Fairly soon after arriving this morning, a Yellow Wag went over. My first of the autumn. 'Ooh, that's nice', I thought. And then 6 went past; then 12; another single; 11 more... You get the idea. Things were happening. In addition to the above, there was a constant stream of hirundines. It was brilliant. As well as the 82 Yellow Wagtails, so the Lapwings, Tree Pipits, Redstarts, Spotted Flycatchers and Garden Warbler were all my first of the autumn too. In fact the Garden Warbler was my first of the year!

It has to be said that the most exciting event of the day doesn't feature in that list. Shortly before 08:00 a rather smart falcon played an evil trick on me and earned itself a moment in the spotlight. But that's another story, and well deserving of its own post in the near future.

A few photos then, starting with Wheatears on the beach of course...

A stunning male

Sea Kale is such a weird glaucous blue colour...

More typical views

Another lovely male

And everything else...

For some reason Lapwing seem an incongruous sight in August

Whinchat at 06:57 in beautiful early-morning sunshine

This morning's elusive Tree Pipit. There were another two this afternoon, even less cooperative.

Lovely lemony Willow Warbler

The second of two female/juv type Redstarts. I couldn't decide which mediocre pic to include, so...

Spotted Flycatcher at the other end of the day, in the evening sunshine at 19:34

Before I left this evening, I took this last photo from the western end of Cogden, looking east. So much ground to cover, and I'm sure that list of birds above will be just the tip of the proverbial iceberg...