I did manage to sneak away for a couple of hours today for a low-tide count but that was largely dross with 4 Turnstone, 4 Mallard & 4 Oystercatcher the sum total of 7.6km walking. I did notice numbers of Herring Gulls picking up as they return to Hull to breed. Plenty of sub-adults were dossing on exposed mud banks in the river. The passerine assemblage behind the bank was quite horny with plenty of singing despite it being the middle of the day. An unusual song that I couldnt place immediately on a rooftop turned out to be a Linnet still in its winter dress. My head was saying finch but the fact it was on a roof I was trying to make it a buzzy Greenfinch. Eventually the penny dropped and I could get on with life. Even better than the out of place Linnet was the fact that I came across an addition to the avifaunal ensemble. Yes, the Chiffchaffs are back. 2 from my front door this morning and at least 2 on my walk today. I thought I heard one in sub song yesterday at home but I wasnt sure (and was on Dad duty). Its good to hear them although I didnt lay bins on any (a brief non-bin view of a small brown thing in a tree sufficed for the year tick). No Wheatears in the horse paddocks yet. Plenty of time.
The second part of this post relates to the Darvic ringed Black-headed Gull that I encountered a couple of times at Hornsea. Sadly it isnt a particularly interesting story but it does come from Denmark. It was ringed last spring by Kjeld Tommy Pedersen as a 3CY+ (making it now a 4CY+). It was refound at Kirkholme Point, Hornsea Mere in August and has been seen there about a dozen times. I will google map the movement when I have the chance (with a badly centred map of course).
Oh and Im going to Spain for 11 days in 10 days. Woo woo!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment