Sunday 10 April 2011

Best spring day ever on the Orme?


Was this morning the best early spring birding session ever on the orme? If not, it's not far off. Dotterel, Short eared Owl, 2 summer plumaged Lapland Buntings, 2 Yellow wagtails, 2 Tree Pipits, 2 Ring Ouzel, Common redstart, Whitethroat, Grasshopper warbler, Garden Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 50+ Wheatear, 9 Golden Plover, Brambling, 2 Crossbill, 15+ Willow warbler, 10+ Chiff chaff. Wow!

Chris Bridge and Zac Hinchcliffe got a Red Rumped Swallow flying over the limestones too!

Throw into the mix the 3-400 Redpolls that flew over. Many birds landed too which contained some interesting birds - four or five as 'classic' as you can get Mealies were seen, as well as this extremely pale bird. Arctic was mooted as it had a white rump, very white tram lines and white under tail coverts. However, is it butch enough? Is the bill as punched in as it should be (looks ok in some pics but not in others)? Are there too many streaks and buff on the breast flanks?

The second bird was hudge - a monster of a bird (top bird here) . Big and dark with an extensive black face mask - could this be 'rostrata'? One bird from a group of Redpolls containing this bird, uttered a deeper sounding 'ch.ch..ch'. I'm pretty sure it was the above bird.

Very interested in people's opinions.


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