Light Northerlies and some cliff top murk produced a decent morning up top. A Garden Warbler (one of 5 throughout the day) sang from one of the gardens on the seafront as I collected my bag from the car at 6am. A Black Redstart was singing from it’s usual spot but the first decent bird of the day called from the end of the tree line up on Foxhill down – a Wood Warbler, too dark to use the camera but close views of it low down as it called were enjoyable but brief, it quickly flitted away from me and then flew a considerable distance towards the castle, 25 mins of looking for it until the prospect of other things was too much and I gave in.
3 Tree pipits and 2 Yellow Wagtails flew over North as I moved towards Langdon, a Willow warbler and 4 more Garden Warblers were heard singing as was a Nightingale in Fan Bay. At lighthouse down I encountered the next highlight of the morning – a Red–Rumped Swallow which flew low down and close by with 4 House Martin and a Barn Swallow before continuing North over the valley towards Bockhill, a good view of it flying about against the white of the Granville apartments was nice enough though photos weren’t possible. A very similar scenario to the one Rich B and I had 2 years ago in the same spot.
My first Spotted Flycatcher of the year flew in over the cliff just after, perched briefly in a hawthorn then flew down into the valley. More hirundines moved through probably counting c30 Swallow, 10 House Martin and 5/6 Sand Martin plus some Swifts – 8 for me during the morning. I walked the cliff path down home and just as I reached my front door I picked up this slim winged Harrier gaining height above the house and about to fly over the cliff and out of sight.
The bird seemed to lack the diffuse dark primary tips and dark trailing edge of Montys, but could that be the poor back lit photos? An older (3cy) female Pallid Harrier could show a head pattern like this with no apparent boa, I’m told the commas present in the outer greater coverts are suggestive of Pallid, as are the bulging secondaries, but the very long winged look to a couple of shots gives a more Montague’s impression.
I Sent images to a few friends aswell some serious Raptor people who came back with mixed opinions.
The jury’s slightly out on this currently and I’ve been in both camps. Perhaps not id’able from these images. Frustrating but a really fun day to be honest.
PERDIX BIRDER 