Patch Migrants

11/08/13

A momentous discovery in patch terms, i was very happy to find an adult SPOTTED FLYCATCHER flycatching off one of the hedges wedged between Lickhill and the riverside fields, a likely location for migrants on patch. I enjoyed a good period watching it, being my first patch SpotFly for around 5 years! The last record being of a juvenile around the same time of year.

However, been stationary at this one spot paid extra dividends when not long after the discovery of the Flycatcher i spotted a large raptor flying up from the south, towards me. As it got closer the long winged look got me immediately interested, and as it circled to the right flicked its wing up, revealing a long and forked tail.

RED KITE!

Not the patch rarity that is SpotFly, but a great bird to see, and one i always love to see on patch, usually on a yearly basis. I got a few minutes viewing before it circled off, and flew back south.

It was also great to catch up with a stunning singing Marsh Tit at a regular patch area, and i managed to get some stunning views as it fed around the Willows.

 15 Mandarins were still present along the river, of which 7 were drakes of varying ages (Juvenile males can be separated from females).

(One of the juvenile drake Mandarin Ducks)

 An impressive 25+ Chiffchaff were counted, but only 2 Willow Warbler and a single Whitethroat.

MB

Migration

31/03/13
I am fascinated by migration!
And i hugely look forwards to migrants on the patch. It breaths new air into the lungs of birding, which can get fairly repetitive during winter, particularly in a county without large diving duck flocks and big Gull roosts.
Today looked an ideal day for a spot of vismig, and i was fairly right, and i ended up spending around 5 hours on patch almost immobile sitting in the middle of the field counting vismig.
It was clear that Meadow Pipit were moving en mass, and i had around 100 birds fly over, all heading to the north. From these birds being funneled up the valley, a fair few were regularly dropping into the weedy field at Blackstone i was sitting in, sometimes giving fairly decent views as they flew around, at times down to a few meters, or perching up on young trees.

On a patch scale, i was also immensely happy when a pair of Greylag Goose flew south along the river, as said in a previous post, an incredibly rare bird on patch, and following so closely to the last record, which could indicate that they are still present nearby!

7+ Chiffchaff were also 'new in' for me, being my first patch birds of the year! 5c Redpoll sp were flying around, but seemed more to be remnants of the wintering flock than migrants. 1 Grey Wagtail flew north, as did 2 'alba' Wagtail and 30c Linnet. Raptors were also represented with 8 Buzzard going over (including some obviously migrating birds!), 3 Sparrowhawk and 1 Kestrel!

Away from vismig, a pair of Mandarin and a single drake Goosander were on the river.

MB