No two days will ever be the same; of that I am well aware. Yet, how can it be that Monday was a day of excitement and spectacle when the following two days have seen nothing close to the number of birds present/moving despite very similar weather conditions? Tuesday was dire, this morning has seen a slight improvement, but still nothing to come close to matching the sheer "viz mig" magic of that very special day.
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| A moody looking dawn sky above Newland's Farm |
I spent 30 minutes in the garden, on both mornings, attempting to gauge the likelihood of anything worthwhile turning up. Tuesday was a waste of time, I recorded, 1 each of, Swallow and Meadow Pipit plus a couple of Redwing. Today was to see a little improvement with 60-ish Goldfinches (two flocks) north, 5 Song Thrush SW, 3 Redwing W and a few Chaffinches in the hedgerow. I'm still decorating the bedroom, so after applying a second coat of vinyl silk emulsion, I headed off for a very quick check around the farm. I should have known better, almost as soon as I reached the end of Vine Close the rain started to fall.
I was out for less than forty-five minutes, my reward being 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 7 Redwing, 7 Song Thrush, 2 Cormorant - high SE, 5 Meadow Pipit and, the undoubted highlight, a Short-eared Owl. The owl was, high up, heading north from St. Luke's, but the attention of two Crows forced it east, over Ramsgate Cemetery, and I was unable to get anything more than brief views through my bins! Still it is a very good "patch" record, only my second ever and they've both been in 2015.
Your Monday counts were something that we can only dream of here on the Swale NNR, it has been so dire for months. This morning I did however get the first Wigeon of the winter, with a few Mallard, yet a around three miles away along The Swale they have been counting Wigeon by the thousands. As for Song Thrushes on Sheppey, well I've more chance of seeing a Desert Wheatear.
ReplyDeleteDerek, I agree that the arrival/passage of birds around my Newland's Farm patch was rather special and I was privileged to be able to witness that event. I have made mention, many times in my blogging, about the geographical location of Thanet and how much of an important role this plays during both Spring and Autumn migration periods. One of the most obvious features of Newland's Farm is that it is on some of the highest (if not the highest?) ground on the Isle of Thanet. This single factor is why I have been so lucky to have many similar experiences over the past 15 years. It is a very ordinary farm in an extraordinary position - and I live right next door!
DeleteHope that your autumn birding picks up - wild geese must be arriving soon? All the best - Dyl