Keeping true to the title of the blog… this week I have
mostly been drinking Darjeeling tea, mild but nice.
Anyway birds…
So the trees are
dropping leaves and the winds have turned fresh and from the north… autumn is
here and with the autumn comes bird movement!
So far it’s been fairly quiet with a good selection of
common migrants passing though. Lots of Chiff and Willow have been feasting up
around the mire loch before heading south.
Some of the Willow warblers are looking bright and fresh, much
nicer looking than the dull spring birds.
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| Nice and bright |
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Still
holding out for the Greenish or Barred to turn up though. St Abbs is such a big
place and full of dense bramble/gorse scrub, and mixed woodland… I wonder how
many have already passed though un-noticed.
Anyway the best of the crop so far have been;
Pied Flycatcher, single on the 16th
and single on 28
11 Whimbrel south on the 29th, 6
south on the 31st
5 Whearear around the lighthouse on the 30th
3 (possibly 4) young Stonechat
Family of 7 Heron roosting on a sea stack at
Petticowick
Good passage of Swifts, 300+ per hour on the
evening of the 29th and 150+ per hour on the 31st
Also recently around the Loch: 4 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Common
Sand, 2 Blackcap, 2 Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk, up to 5 Goldcrest, and 2 Little
Grebe.
I’ve finally had a bit of time to test out the new lens and
it’s doing alright…
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| On the house |
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| From the front door |
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| Lucky shot... (but not for the fly!) |
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| Curlews, note the moulting bird |
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| Sparrowhawk... no linnets harmed in the taking of this shot! also note the moult |
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| Juv Stonechat |
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| Chiff and micro moth |
I'm away for a weeks climbing/camping on Skye now so fingers crossed nothing turns up while i'm away.
