you should never go to them...

You should let them come to you! So sang Morrissey and he should know. Sound birding advice too, if the last couple of days are anything to go by. Just 1 black redstart in the garden this morning when I opened the curtains. An hours wander round shite lane & the top lane in a cold easterly produced absolutely nothing, so I gave up and went back home, only to be rewarded by a sandwich tern on the lake, from the kitchen window - result! (78).

black reds

Two black redstarts were loitering with intent between Long Strand and Shite Lane this morning (77). Missed them last year, although they are usually pretty regular on the patch.  Nothing else around though.  Three black redstarts spent the afternoon knocking around the garden, allowing some poor quality camera work - new birds? could easily have been, though not far from this mornings sighting.

 

ear we go!

Finally got to grips with a nice male wheatear this morning, although i did have to twitch it (76). Should have been up earlier, as the finder took great delight in telling me! Did have a female merlin out by the lighthouse too, but there didn't seem to be much else about, as I gave all the usual haunts a hoof along the way, to no avail - maybe tomorrow!

hammer time

Another blank on the mig front but did happen across a male yellowhammer booting around (scarce here) and a flyover siskin heading north-east - unusual in the spring, so a good morning to be out (75). The first patch year ticks in over a month, so hopefully that signals the end of the winter lull!

nae migs

A three hour thrash round Galley this morning produced no sign of any migs. Did have a male merlin and the wintering whimbrel was still in Dirk, along with 72 (count 'em) red-throated divers and 7 common scoter (which I missed). At least another 29 red-throats between Galley and Long Strand giving a v high count of 101 (Bully's special prize!) I'd have swapped all of them for an 'ear though!