Wednesday 25 April 2012

Drought

Since the annoucement of the above it has poured down, this has turned Tirley Sandpits into a avian desert, many birds absent or in very low numbers. So dodging the rain a walk round the patch produced much of the same birds as previous days. On the log today were 3 BLACKCAP, 3 SKYLARK 8 BUZZARD, 36 LESSER BLCK BACKED GULLS in ploughed fields. 4 SWALLOW OVER and 6 STOCK DOVE around varios nesting areas. 7 LINNET is in a increase on last years total, a rather soggy male KESTREL on wires. Just 5 PIED WAGTAIL today in the top fields, a YELLOWHAMMER in the usual spot, other migrants were thin on the ground with 1 WILLOW WARBLER, 2 CHIFFCHAFF,and a male REDSTART in the hedgerows. At least the RAF put on a show with a Hercules , Sea King and a Merlin anti submarine helecopter over low. Anyhow lets be more hopeful that things will get better over the next week.