2 May 2012

Whinchats!

Overcast conditions and light north-easterly winds made for a great day at Staines Moor today, with plenty of grounded migrants. The highlight was a total of 5 Whinchats (2m, 3f) hopping around the anthills in the north-west corner.

Adult male Whinchat, on an anthill of course!

Female Whinchat on another anthill. Get the picture?


1st summer?



1 Cuckoo, 1 female Yellow Wagtail (around the cattle), 2 Lesser Whitethroat (1H) and 2 Garden Warbler were my first of the year. 18 Northern Wheatear (13m, 5f, including a possible Greenland bird) were concentrated in the north-west corner of the moor, and 1 Hobby, 50 Common Swift, 2 House Martin W, 13 Swallow N, 3 Common Buzzard over, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroat, and just singles of Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were the other migrants logged. 1 Redshank, 2 Canada Goose, 2 Little Egret along the Colne, 2 Gadwall over, 1 Kingfisher and a Sparrowhawk were also noted.

Female Cuckoo - prospecting for mipit nests?

Female Yellow Wagtail

Male Northern Wheatear

Female Northern Wheatear. Big, dark and buffy - Greenland?

Patch mega!!! Canada Goose!

Adjacent Stanwell Moor produced 2 more Cuckoo, 2 Redshank, 50 more Common Swift, 1 House Martin, 2+ Swallow, 2 Sedge Warbler (H), 5 Common Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap (2H), 1 Willow Warbler and just 2 Chiffchaff (1H).

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