Thursday, 30th August 2012

It`s raining Wheatears!

Clear overnight skies were interupted by an intense downpour over the peninsular in the early hours of the morning which produced a fall of 200 Wheatears. It was clear from first light that Wheatears were all over the obs recording area, with particular concentrations of birds along the coast and beach, and lesser numbers filtering through to inland fields. Other migrants were involved in the fall too and the day ended with a Wood Sandpiper being found on the pools in the evening.

Offshore

2 Gannet west, 3 Eider, 14 Common Scoter, 8 Sandwich Tern and 1 Guillemot.

Visible Migration 

1 Sand Martin east, 21 Swallow east, 2 Meadow Pipit south, 1 Grey Wagtail south and 1 Alba Wagtail south.

Grounded Migrants

200 Wheatear, 3 Whinchat, 3 Whitethroat, 2  Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 8 Robins and 1 Spotted Flycatcher.

Others

1 Wood Sandpiper on the pools in the evening, 105 Ringed Plovers, 38 Sanderling, 6 Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 65 Knot, 185 Turnstones, 11 Med. Gulls - 5 adults, a 2 CY & 5 juvs and a Barn Owl.  

The Wheatears were everywhere and the following series of pictures show some of the locations of the grounded birds and the numbers involved.

 

 .........on the beach

 

 ..........amongst the dunes

 

 ..........on the sea wall

 

 ..........on every post

 

 ..........along the track

 

 ..........and with a Whinchat