Saturday, 29th March 2014

Another big visible migration day today with a big push of Meadow Pipits moving through, another Osprey flew north late in the day and the first Swallow of the spring was seen. Offshore the highlight was the Black-throated Diver being seen again, but the rarest bird by far was the finding of two Grey Partridges. This species bred on the peninsula until becoming locally extinct in the late eighties. This is the first record at the Obs since three were seen in the hard weather of December 2010.

Meadow Pipit

Offshore 

2 Shelducks east, 2 Teal east, 7 Common Scoters west, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers east, 1 Black-throated Diver, 2 Red-throated Divers east & 2 on the sea, 1 Gannet west, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 2 Sandwich Terns east.

Visible Migration

1 Osprey flew north along the eastern side of the peninsula late afternoon, 1 Buzzard north, 3 Golden Plovers east, 7 Woodpigeons east, 12 Sand Martins north-east, 1 Swallow north-east, 38 Alba Wagtails east/north-east, 2,573 Meadow Pipits east/north-east, 1 Chaffinch east, 3 Greenfinch east, 29 Goldfinch east, 9 Siskins east, 24 Linnets east and 1 Redpoll east.

 

 Pied Wagtail

Grounded Migrants 

11 Sand Martins over the pools, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaffs, 37 Wheatears and 1 White Wagtail.

 

 Wheatear

Others 

14 Teal, 6 Shovelers, 2 Grey Partridges, 11 Ringed Plovers, 600 knots, 85 Sanderlings and 1 Cetti's Warbler.

 

 Small Tortoiseshell