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2007 -
MARCH SIGHTINGS
March 31st:
Best sighting today was found (and identified) by Brian Wilson outside his
house at Houll a
Great Tit!
A Linnet
at Barkland was also new in whilst
Bonxie,
Woodcock,
Merlin
and
Stonechat were other highlights.
March 30th:
Nice weather but not a lot of bird movement although a
Pink-footed
Goose has joined the (55 strong)
Greylag
flock and single
Greenland White-fronted Goose.
Six Teal
was the highest count so far!
March 29th:
Highlight was the welcome sight (at least amongst Obs staff!!) of the first
Bonxie
of the year!! Three
Grey Heron and a
Puffin
were in Mavers Geo. A wander around the south produced 60
Purple
Sandpiper, 40
Meadow Pipit,
250
Skylark, 4
Pied Wagtail,
2 Grey
Wagtail, 2
Black Redstart,
4
Chiffchaff, 4
Goldcrest,
2 Siskin
and a
Chaffinch.
March 28th:
A female
Peregrine spent the day
spooking everything. The
Jackdaw and
Black Redstart
were seen.
March 15th 27th:
Three Wigeon on 17th, were followed the next day by 3
Teal plus a Red-throated Diver, Cormorant and a Dunlin.
Highlight of 19th was the unexpected arrival of an adult
Mute Swan in South Haven only our 8th
record. It was still present the following day when a flock of 21 Curlew
arrived and a party of 30 Snow Buntings. A Mistle Thrush at
North Light and the first Puffin offshore at South Light on 21st
were welcome additions. The 22nd dawned calm, bright sunny and
warm, the best day of the year so far, and commenced with a report of 3
Killer Whales off South Light. There
were lots of Guillemots & Razorbills ashore plus the first few
Kittiwakes back on ledges. Nine Whooper Swan flew past and
counts included 24 Lapwing, 95 Snipe, 130 Turnstone, 42
Ringed Plover, 75 Greylag Geese (plus the Greenland
Whitefront), 7 Wood Pigeon, 280 Skylark, a Rook and
53 Snow Bunting. A sole Pied Wagtail was the best of 23rd
and the following day the first Goldcrests (4) arrived plus 4
Golden Plover, a pair of Stonechat, a Jack Snipe and
Skylarks reached 330. New on 25th was a Grey Wagtail
and increased numbers of Skylark (380), Pied Wagtail (3),
Meadow Pipit (16) and Blackbird (25) were logged. There were two
highlights on 26th, with the first Chiffchaffs (2) seen
and a male Hen Harrier floating through.. The following day saw
another two additions to the year list with a cracking male Lapland
Bunting and the first northbound Brambling. Five Chiffchaffs
were counted and a few more Robins (10) were evident.
March 1st-14th:
A first-winter
Glaucous Gull opened the month whilst
mealy Common Redpoll numbers remained high with a flock of 40
frequenting the Havens area on 2nd, but began to dwindle from 4th
and down to just 5 lingering around the Obs by 7th. A total of
some 90 (including one Lesser Redpoll) have been ringed between the
Obs and Barkland!!!
The first Skylarks were heard singing on 2nd
amid a large movement of this species and there were also 100 Lapwing,
20 Ringed Plover and a couple each of Pied Wagtail and Rook.
A flock of 21 Rook (third highest ever count) went through on 3rd
whilst Lapwings increased to 180, Ringed Plovers to 24 and 6
Stonechats and the two first-winter
Iceland Gulls were seen. Two first-winter
Glaucous Gulls were the highlight of a
stormy 5th, with one remaining the following day when a
second-winter Iceland Gull was seen
loafing in South Harbour, Ringed Plovers peaked at 47 and just a
single Stonechat was logged.
The first Frogspawn was found in a ditch at Setter also on
6th.
A count of 235 Skylarks was made on a pleasant 7th
with 128 Greylags, 43 Ringed Plover, a small increase in
Song Thrush (11 counted), 7 Wood Pigeon also noted. A quiet few
days ensued until the first Meadow Pipit appeared on 11th,
accompanied by 5 Stonechat and a Teal. The 12th
produced 210 Skylarks, 180 Turnstone, 41 Ringed Plover,
the 2 Iceland Gulls, 6 Wood Pigeon,
5 Stonechat and a Chaffinch. The wintering female Shoveler
was present throughout.
Deryk Shaw
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