I started off just after 05:30 this morning with a look at the sea which was pretty quiet and then took a walk along the seawall up to Bishopstone and back in mostly cloudy conditions. Birds noted included 4 Shelduck, 2 Mallard, 1 Grey Partridge, 2 Pheasant, 24 Woodpigeon, 4 Collared Dove, 1 Curlew, 2 Turnstone, 13 Black headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, 188 Herring Gull, 8 Great Black backed Gull, 2 Lesser Black backed Gull, 4 Great crested Grebe, 2 Gannet east, 16 Cormorant and 1 Sparrowhawk. At Bishopstone, I found 1 Cuckoo (101) in cliff top bushes which is a scarce bird here so to see one perched was a real bonus. The Sand Martins were not happy with it and occasionally it flew along the cliffs to perch again. There were 2 Blue Tit, 8 Great Tit, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Peregrine, 4 Skylark, c80 Sand Martin, 38 Swallow (102) flying west in small flocks, 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Long tailed Tit, 8 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 7 Wren, 22 Starling, 1 Song Thrush, 7 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 4 Dunnock, 11 House Sparrow, 2 Meadow Pipit, 53 Chaffinch west, 12 Linnet and 81 Goldfinch west. Nocmig recording continues to be very quiet, the only notable bird recorded Friday night being a Coot calling.
Your Cuckoo stole the show, it is the second record I have seen re the species, a bit early I think Marc!
ReplyDeleteRegards....Pete.
A very good bird to get on the coast. Probably the only one i will get here all year. Take care.
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