May began with a nocmig bonanza. Seven species of wader flew over on the first night of the month, some of them multiple times. There was a Lesser Whitethroat on the 8th, Tree Pipit on the 10th. Then a Nightjar on the 15th. Nocmig gold! However, from the 22nd, nine blanks in a row. Nine! But you just keep putting the recorder out, hoping. And then last night, a very unexpected Little Ringed Plover, my first this year. Bingo!
And that is how May has mostly been. Patchy, with some stand-out highlights. The numbers tell me that I've added eight species to the #LocalBigYear tally, clocking up 150 now. But really that figure should be 155, because my nocturnal 'sound trap' has caught the calls of Avocet, Tree Pipit, Nightjar, Spotted Flycatcher and LRP, for my ears to hear the following morning, just as effectively as a nocturnal moth trap catches moths for the eyes to see. And I have always been happy to add 'heard only' records to a year list.
Bird of the month? Woodchat Shrike.
Find of the month? Quail.
Beast of the month? Glaucous Gull.
Disappointment of the month? Nil Poms.
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| Long range, late evening, May Whimbrels on Cogden Beach |
June beckons, with her big bag of non-avian distractions...
That is a wonderful picture Gav, love it. Not a bad list either, but you rarely fail to provide.
ReplyDeleteCheers Dave. It was a lovely evening, and the camera captured it nicely. 😊
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