Calm, South Easterly days have been few and far between this year. They are my favourite winds in the warm weather months here and often produce fly over raptors etc. Today was no exception – I had fantastic views of a juv Hen Harrier very close just East of Fan bay, the bird moved at hunting level toward the tarmac path and as I got my phone out to text Colin I saw that he had already texted to say it was coming in off the sea near the Lighthouse.
August is a good time to see Hen Harrier here, Likely/evidently arrivals from Calais where they are numerous.
3 Whinchats, Wheatear, Willow Warblers, Sedge and a brief Grasshopper Warbler were all in the Fennel field near the lighthouse.
A dark female Honey Buzzard flew over the Harbour at 12.30, continuing west over our house, East cliff and inland – a great run of Birds over the street recently. I picked it up flying away from me, but saw it nicely before getting a few distant shots. Interestingly I’ve had birds appearing to arrive in off the sea in August with the same ‘spring arrival’ weather before…Today’s bird constitues my sixth HB of the year here at the coast.
An early start after sleeping out in a cave on the cliffs, waking to the sound of a singing Black Redstart, a slightly less familiar sound here recently. Followed by a walk around with Russ, c150 Swifts west, single Yellow Wag south, small numbers of warblers, I didn’t see a Wheatear but 2 slightly scruffy adult Tree pipits were in the fennel field, my first of the autumn.
PERDIX BIRDER 