Iceland - 4th - 8th March 2022

Friday, 17 August 2018

A bit of movement

After the recent hot spell it was nice to get out and about and feel that "Autumnal Nip" in the air.  This morning I wandered around the Blueberry area where a "cream crowned" Marsh Harrier was hunting over the big field on the hill.  As I walked through the farm itself I was attacked by two puppies !!!  so I just had to stop and play with them and in doing so could hear a Common Redstart calling. I had to prise myself away and a male was calling and tail flicking in the hedge leading up to the house.  A further 2 Common Redstarts, this time juveniles were found in a different hedgerow on my walk round.
This afternoon I took my young collie to watch the harvest being gathered in but he wasn't at all phased by the giant combine harvesters and tractors etc.  The newly cut fields were a magnet for the hirundines, mainly swallows which swooped low over the fields and the Red Kites which came down to forage.  There was obviously a bit of movement as I came across 2 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear, another Common Redstart and at least 8 Whitethroat.  I also saw the same Marsh Harrier again.
A late evening visit produced a Barn Owl which is the first one that I have seen in the valley for a few months.

Eric has been birding at Titchmarsh again where he reports " plenty of young warblers around of at least 6 different species. An Osprey was again fishing on Elinor Lake and after two attempts at fishing it gained height and headed south,   perhaps that's it for another year ?. The 2 Great White Egret remain at the north end of Aldwincle. 

Regards Eleanor 





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