Tuesday 11 March 2014

A fall of Chiffchaffs

Lade - 0900hrs - cold, overcast, ne 4 - As me old dad would say today's weather could be described in a single word - "raw-bone", as a cold, nagging wind out of the east with bits and pieces of drizzle kept the temperatures down into single figures. Despite the uninspiring conditions the first singing Chiffchaffs were heard in gardens hereabouts, with several more in the willow swamp between the two lakes. However, the main focus of interest was on a small flock of Mipits and Skylarks on the desert at the south end of the lake where a short-tailed, bat-winged lark flew in, landed briefly and then headed off like a rocket back south. Unfortunately it didn't call and I failed to get any plumage details, but my instinct led towards a probable Woodlark. Wandering aimlessly back that way, by Kerton Road pit, did however deliver a stunning Firecrest in a patch of gorse as compensation.
Dungeness 1400hrs - A tour of the point found four Black Redstarts between the boats and the power station, another Firecrest by Westbeach and the `resident` Hume`s Leaf Warbler at the southern end of the Trapping Area. We flogged out across the desert and along the edge of the Trapping Area in a vain attempt to relocate this mornings lark but could only find a few Skylarks, Mipits and several singing Chiffchaffs in the willow scrub.
News came through late afternoon concerning a Green-winged Teal on Burrowes (per OL).

No comments:

Post a Comment