Wednesday 13th
Yesterday there was a slight blip in the hot dry weather cloud, some rain and a distinct change in the feel. I noted a high count of 110 Starlings in the village Starling tree (a dead oak at the back of someone's property that sticks out above the houses, lets hope they don't decide to clean up and remove the tree). At the back of the sheep field a bird flock led by Long-tailed Tits included a couple of Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap and a Firecrest and the surprise was a Spotted Flycatcher , my first at home this summer. There was also small movement of Meadow Pipit with 18 counted flying North.
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| This was the corner the Spotted Flycatcher was in. |
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| view back to house from corner |
Thursday 14th
The weather returned to the hot and dry status we've had for the last couple of weeks. I went to Black Down still with the hope of finding some decent migrants but again was left with a fairly quiet site. There was a particular highlight as I approached the central pines, a cacophony of chattering from the pines that I could hear from a long way down the path. It was Siskins, and not just a few but in excess of 200 birds. Difficult to count as they were spread between around 5 of the Scots Pines but some darting between the trees. A few moved to feed on a nearby Silver Birch. Definitely the largest number I've had locally. I think they must have roosted overnight having gathered together on-route to somewhere.
Otherwise the best I could find was a single Spotted Flycatcher and 3 Redstart, c15 Chiffchaff, with c20 Meadow Pipits flying through.
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| A small fraction of the Siskins - there are 10 in this picture. |
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| Siskin Feeding on the Silver Birch catkins |
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| Chiffchaff |
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