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Monday, April 30, 2012

bit windy out


Bloody ‘ell sheila! Its been nothing but strong northerlies for the past two weeks and up until this weekend, spring had all but stalled! However a singing sedge warbler on thurs night was a sign that birds were getting through de wind, while on saturday we actually had a pretty big fall by Galley standards – upwards of 20 blackcaps and 50 willow warblers, plus cracking views of a grasshopper warbler. All the birds seemed to be just fresh in and were moving along the hedgerows into the stiff northerly wind. Shame I didn’t have time to get round the whole patch!
Sunday was a similar story, with fewer caps and willows, but a stronger wind so maybe birds were just keeping lower? A few wheatears were in evidence, another gropper at the light (though missed a reed w there), and a collared dove was at Shite Lane. Best of all was a wind-blown cuckoo late afternoon – cracking views as it struggled to cope with the conditions – only my 5th here in 9 years, and first one since ’09 – good to get another one (91).