A great weekend as our good friends Rachel and Lee visited us and we enjoyed the sunshine. A visit to the patch on Saturday morning produced not a great deal, but Lee was happy getting a few photos. Highlights on Saturday included the drake Red-breasted Merganser still on the river and good old William the Whimbrel. An evening visit to the coast by Brandy Head produced 26 Common Scoter, a Peregrine and a winter Guillemot.
On Sunday, a visit to Thomas Cleeve Woods produced plenty of Siskin, 6+ Marsh Tits, a very brief view of a male Pied Flycatcher, and a Tawny Owl flushed by a dog walker as it flew through the wood. However, the highlight was an early singing Wood Warbler that showed quite well above the main footpath.
Highlight of the weekend however, was definitely our 50th entry on the garden list, as the Mrs did it again! A great sighting as she alerted me to a bird sat on top of the next door neighbour's TV aerial. I went for my bins, not really believing my eyes and there was not one, but two cracking male Wheatears! We spent the next 30 mins lapping them up as they sat on the chimney and ventured onto our roof and then into the adjacent park. Last seen sat in the top of a mature oak tree! An early evening visit to the coast by Brandy Head produced 27 Manx Shearwater flapping west in the windless conditions, a few Swallowsin off the sea, a summer plumaged Guillemot, 15+ Common Scoter and the highlight, 25 Pale-bellied Brent Geese sat on the sea.
The Lawn Bakery's Best Selection!
Brimstone at Thomas Cleeve Wood
Wheatear on next door neighbour's chimney!
Wheatear on our roof!
Fulmars near Brandy Head
25 Pale-bellied Brent Geese
Wheatear in your garden? How jammy is that!!!
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