Wednesday 29 August 2012

Wood Sands

Out on the patch again, in pretty horrid conditions - flat calm and very muggy, after about 2 hours, all I could manage to find was 1 Willow Warbler and 2 Swallows - pretty crap really ! And then it started to rain, and thunder, and lightning - not the best time to be on the clifftops ! A quick dash to the back of the Loch for some shelter and within 20 minutes 2 Wood Sandpipers, a Black-tailed Godwit and 5 Ruff had dropped in, plus a Grey Plover flew over and landed on Little Holm. Now soaked and no sign of the weather letting up it was time to head home, just as I walked through the gate a Spotted Redshank flew over - house tick !
Probably the worst Wood Sand photo ever !

Sunday 26 August 2012

Black Wits

Despite a northerly wind, got up this morning to find Willow Warbler and Pied Flycatcher in the garden, inspired by this went out and checked the rest of the patch - sod all ! The only things of note were 12 Black-tailed Godwits and a single Wigeon (the first returning bird of the autumn).
Black-tailed Godwits

Thursday 23 August 2012

Beach Bums

Checked all of the beaches and pools late afternoon, on the strength of having a Greenshank fly over the house. Nearly every beach I went to had somebody on it, walking dogs, chucking rocks, sword fighting with kelp fronds or building rock castles (there is no sand on this particular beach !). I did manage a total of 76 Sanderlings and 2 Common Sandpipers though, despite all the disturbance.
A beach full of Sanderling
Sanderling up close

Monday 20 August 2012

Pied Flycatcher

Just did the gardens and thistles around the patch today, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 8 Willow Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat.
Pied Flycatcher
Willow Warbler

Sunday 19 August 2012

More Waders

Waders on the patch today included 1 Whimbrel, 10 Ruff, 3 Common Sandpipers, 9 Black-tailed Godwits and 60 Knot, migrant passerines present were 5 Willow Warblers, juv Crossbill and a Garden Warbler.
Black-tailed Godwits (with Knot)
Common Sandpiper

Saturday 18 August 2012

Huge Knot Flock

Well huge for Scatness anyway, a total of 128 Knot on Sanblister Beach ! along with the Knot were 2 Common Sandpipers and 3 Ruff. Passerine wise it was just 4 Willow Warblers and a Garden Warbler.
Interestingly there was a white Polecat/ferret hunting rabbits around Stinky Geo.
Polecat/ferret
Knot
Ruff

Friday 17 August 2012

Barred

The only bird of note today was a stunning Barred Warbler in the garden this morning.

Thursday 16 August 2012

Black Wits

After the fog had cleared, went out onto the patch, and there were new birds in. 7 Willow Warblers, 1 Whinchat, 1 Garden Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat were around various gardens, and a Ruff, 2 Common Sandpipers and 6 Black-tailed Godwits were on the beaches.
Black-tailed Godwits

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Waders

The only migrant passerines on the patch were 6 Willow Warblers and a Garden Warbler, so it was off to check all the beaches for passage waders, not too bad really with 18 Sanderling, 36 Knot, 4 Ruff, 2 Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper, not to mention over 100 Ringed Plovers.
Ruff
Willow Warbler


Tuesday 14 August 2012

Migrants

Still south-easterly, but now with a few more birds - 2 Pied Flycatchers and 2 Garden Warblers ! not much really. Still a lot of waders about including 12 Knot, 15 Sanderling, 8 Ruff and a Common Sandpiper.
Garden Warbler
Pied Flycatcher

Monday 13 August 2012

Reed

With south-easterlies blowing all night, checked the patch and got the first signs of proper autumn movement with a Reed Warbler in Stinky Geo. Other bits and bobs were a Common Sandpiper, 24 Knot and a Ruff.
Reed Warbler

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Wader day

Spent a few hours on Moast Beach, photographing the tame (ish) waders
Sanderlings
Turnstones

Sunday 5 August 2012

Wader year ticks

Being as waders seem to be pouring through all over, went around the patch looking for Ruff, managed to find 2 on the rocks near Moast Beach and also 5 Greenshank. Other waders of note were 11 Sanderling and 7 Knot.
Greenshank
Ruff, Knot, Turnstone and Dunlin