Highlights today were:
Cuckoo - 1 called briefly at 18.40 at the southern end.
Wheatear -13 obvious recent influx including females, at least 10 on a single banking feeding with large Mipit flock.
Stonechat - 2 pairs, this is the most abundant I’ve seen of this species here with potentially 4 pairs.
Green Woodpecker 3+ - great views of 3 feeding together, potentially at least 5+ in the area
Tree Pipit 3 - 2 singing + 1 north
Redstart 1 singing
Raven 1 - calling as it returned to assumed nest site
Fieldfare 37
Meadow Pipit 100+ - single group feeding + widespread across region breeding
Kestrel - pair on territory
Finally, a possible Hobby flew west from Wharncliffe Craggs, across the valley to Stocksbridge Golf Course and over the horizon. Regrettably, I only saw it from the rear in the main but it’s profile, direct purposeful flight and size gave the jizz of a Hobby.
4 comments:
Hi Dave, great sightings today, particularly the Wheatear, which I've struggled with recently. Ive only seen single birds to the south of Roundabout Plantation this year. I made a special effort to find the true stonechat pair numbers, couldn't prove more than 4 (still the most I've ever seen on the chase), a pair that has been close to Wharncliffe Lodge was missing on the dates I tried, with the rest in other bracken patches.
Hi Andy, it’s good to hear from you.The main party of Wheatears we’re on the sloping west facing grassy banking just above the R’bout plantation. At one point I had 5 in my bins view (sorry). There’s often a few on the track that leads away from here towards the flash too plus a few on the grassy bank to the east of the flash (beyond the gorse etc). The Stonechats are fantastic and I’ve never seen them so much on here. As you know, they’re still hard to trace due to their nomadic tendencies but once you get them they’re great to watch. Recently I’ve encountered pairs at 4 locations but only two concurrently so your confirmation of 4 pairs chimes with this. The Cuckoo was a surprise but I’m gutted I didn’t get onto the possible Hobby earlier, if I’d spun round a second earlier I’d have got the facial markings etc. I’ve been hoping for Pied Flys and Grasshopper Warbs but none so far..
Andy - send me your email address and I’ll send you a map of WC where I’ve seen Stonechat pairs to see if they coincide with yours. Dave
Post a Comment