Wheatear Week

25th April

A few highlights from Seasalter today were; 8 whimbrel, 6 wheatears in the sheep field opposite the Sportsman, 2 Med gulls overhead, c.50 swallows, 54 turnstones roosting on the beach beyond the white post, another three wheatears by the huts again (might they breed), 6 mipits, 4 skylarks, 1 house martin and the lone rook seems to have made its return. 

 Is that a growth on the side of its bill

Skylark

29th

At Seasalter there were 9 wheatears in the sheep field opposite the Sportsman  plus three on the beach and one on the field along Seasalter Lane.  I went up onto Wraik Hill and looked down on the levels counting 140 corvids, didn't give much hope to the breeding lapwings and redshank ( I didn't actually notice any either), also 7 greylags and 4 Canada geese. I was pleased to hear a nightingale in the Wraik Hill car park plus 2 lesser whitethroats in full song and a buzzard  high up.  No yellowhammers along Pye Alley  but several whitethroats plus lessers and chaffinches.  Also two heavily armed helicopters flew over.  Returning, there was another nightingale singing half way down Foxes Cross hill.

 Goldfinches on the plots

30th April

A strong SE wind kept most things under cover plus all the wheatears bar one had cleared out, even the ones on the beach. I changed the plan and went to Oare finding Murray back on station plus a spoonbill was there to greet him along with a squadron of 28 knot, some in breeding plumage and a greenshank was flying about.