Yesterday was very quiet in the bushes, I bumped into Mark and Lucy and watched a handful of Common Scoter Fly up channel from the cliffs near their house. News of Black Kite heading my way was exciting but I somehow managed to miss it. The same or perhaps Another flew West from Bockhill over the patch but despite my legging it up the cliff I couldn’t see it, well done to all involved however!
A change in wind direction over night and what was probably the best morning so far this April for migrants. My First Tree Pipit of the year flew over North calling as I climbed the cliff path at first light, around 6 Willow Warblers were between Langdon Hole and Foxhill down, where I met Rich B, We had a Ring ouzel calling from the thicket in the field north of the Radar station, which flew towards the castle. A few Swallows were around up top also. I left Rich to it as I had a date with a Car boot sale and he Had a Turtle Dove fly NW inland from the Lighthouse, and 2 Continental Coal tits at Langdon.
I spent an hour or two on the patch after the car boot and had my first Lesser Whitethroat of the year, a smart White wagtail in off and a Woodlark that seemed to come off the deck near the old lighthouse garden and fly around calling only to disappear towards the valley.
PERDIX BIRDER 