Sunday 21 September 2014

Not a bad day...

After all the easterlies last week, I have been hoping to have a trip up to Holy Island, and when Saturday came round I was hoping some of the birds seen on Friday might still be there.

We started on the Snook and eventually we found a Yellow-browed Warbler and 2 Redstarts at the Half Moon Slack. At the Snook House a Barred Warbler showed briefly.

As pulled up in the main car park, we got news that the Siberian Stonechat was still at The Lough, so we made our way there via the Crooked Lonnen, where a juvenile Hen Harrier did a nice flyby. On reaching The Lough we found the great first-winter male Siberian Stonechat on view, and before long it was joined by the Red-backed Shrike, which at times sat right alongside the Stonechat. From the hide a stunning Firecrest was showing just outside the hide windows. 2 Whinchats were also on the same fence as the Siberian Stonechat.

We continued round to the Straight Lonnen, where two more Redstarts were in the willows at the north end, with another at Chare Ends.

The Vicar's Garden was a hive of activity with at least 3 Spotted Flycatchers, a Pied Flycatcher and plenty of phylloscs in it.

On the way back to the car another two Pied Flycatchers were in the village along with a calling Yellow-browed Warbler and a Brambling.

Here's the full counts from Holy Island...

1 Siberian Stonechat
1 Red-backed Shrike
1 Firecrest
1 Barred Warbler
2 Yellow-browed Warbler
1 Hen Harrier
2 Whinchats
5 Redstart
3 Pied Flycatcher
3+ Spotted Flycatcher
1 Brambling
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Whitethroat
3 Song Thrush
2 Blackcap
1 Reed Warbler
4 Willow Warbler
2 Siskin
5 Wheatear
7 Goldcrest
8 Robin
10 Chiffchaff

On the way home we stopped at Low Newton where a very active and vocal un-ringed Red-breasted Flycatcher was behind the Tin Church. Unfortunately I managed to mess up what could have been a decent photo of this bird.







Siberian Stonechat (with Red-backed Shrike and Reed Bunting!)

Firecrest

Red-backed Shrike

Yellow-browed Warbler


Spotted Flycatcher

Hen Harrier




Red-breasted Flycatcher

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