Migrants, plural,... just

One of two proper incoming migrants today, the other, a spanking male Wheatear was much better looking but much further away. The take home message dearest birds is, if you don't come close, you ain't gonna be famous,... think on Mr. Wheatear, think on.

Whilst the Chiffchaff and Wheatear were trying to sell the 'spring is sprung' line, a female Merlin sat atop a Hawthorn oozing sang-froid amongst the alarm-calling Redshank, doing her best to bring a wintry (or wintery,... your choice) feel to proceedings. Rather predictably, given the woeful height of the 'high' tide, wader numbers were crap: one Spotted Redshank, one Black-tailed Godwit and 34 Avocet.

That was *not* that

The difference a bit of sun makes. Chris relocated the Yellowthroat and, as it was on the way home, I popped in for another viewing. Always nice to have a UK mega all to yourself for a few hours. It showed really well, down to less than ten feet, but 99% of the time on the deck and in deep cover. Piece of piss to photograph now though.

Earlier at Goldcliff Pools, top quality wildfowl (as shown above) and a smattering of waders including: 2 Ruff, 2 Knot, 1 Turnstone, 1 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank and 23 pwetty ickle Avocets,... aaah. No migrants yet though.

That might be that

Spent four hours at a grey, breezy and slightly damp Rhiwderin this morning without any joy, well I saw Treecreepers, Goldcrests, Nuthatches, lots of finches, etc., but no little yellow-throated bundle of yankee joy. I'm not saying it's not still there but, as far as I know, the last confirmed report was for last Sunday (reports on Monday may have been the result of a late posting for Sunday being misconstrued elsewhere in the interwebosphere).

Awaiting spring

A day and a night in the field haven't exactly been heaving with birds (borderline heaving with foxes). Most of the wildfowl and waders appear to have got up and gone. Have bumped into Barn, Little and Tawny owls, Woodcocks and, on the move, Stonechat and Siskins.

Still no Sand Martin,... or Wheatear.

Oh look, this is where you type the title

A few days in the field this week; up-country it's all singing Skylarks and passing Curlews plus the odd Short-eared Owl feasting on unwary Redwings; down-country it's mainly fog and a dwindling number of waterbirds.

Had a couple of colour-ringed Curlews further up the estuary today,... worth checking any you come across.

[NB. Sightings should be sent directly to Dr. Niall Burton (Head of Wetland & Marine Research at the BTO) at niall.burton@bto.org. In addition to the combination and positions of colour-rings, they would also like date, time and location (ideally a six-figure grid ref.) plus the proportion of colour-ringed birds in any flock, i.e. the numbers of birds colour-ringed and the numbers of birds checked for rings (not necessarily the total flock size).]

First contact

A little bit pea soupy along the Severn this morning, and viewing conditions weren't great, but I'm pretty sure aliens have landed, not seen to leave their capsule but they're in there,... oh yes, they're in there alright.

The last lap

Probably the sighting of the trip, two nights of 'moderate' (KP 3-4) aurora. This view was accompanied by intermittently calling Whooper Swans,... nice. [NB. This is a composite image, the aurora only needed half the shutter speed the island in Paatsjoki required.]

Probably bird of the trip,... what a little b-e-a-uty. [Apologies for the less than subliminal message.]

The road to Nellim. Driving on snow is sooooo fun, basically Super G in a VW Golf. Word to the wise though, don't be too polite and move over too far on meeting fast-moving, oncoming traffic in the dark; there is a steep drop at the edge of the road surface; the snow-filled ditches are surprisingly deep; the world looks funny at a 45° angle; and excavating your car from the snowdrift, trying to push it out, realising it's on the sump, awaiting a tow and paying the JCB tractor driver €50 to remedy the situation is probably only entertaining once per holiday,... but the driving is sooooo fun.

The slightly Willow Grouse heavy display at Ivalo airport, the birds I saw showed very well,... but not quite this well.

Whiter than white,... even whiter than Ptarmigan,... just.

Yellowthroat information for the weekend

Parking locations/arrangements for Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th Feb:

1 Rhiwderin Community Centre – along A468 past the Friendly Fox and take the 1st right immediately after the Rhiwderin Inn onto Pentre Tai Road. Go over the level crossing and the Community Centre is on the left. Please park carefully in the grounds. Entrance gates are a little narrow.

2 Bryn Hedydd – turn left off the A468 into Caerphilly Close (1st left after the Friendly Fox), then 1st right into Cwm Cwddy Drive and 1st left into Bryn Hedydd. This road leads to the local primary school, parking is available up to, but not within the school gates. Please park sensibly.

3 Caerphilly Close - continue as far down Caerphilly Close (left off the A468 as above) as possible. This is a dead end, parking at the far end is least likely to inconvenience the local residents. Please park sensibly and respect the local residents privacy.

NB. It’s been pointed out to the landowner that a number of (Lazy? Tight? Just plain dull?) birders have been using a gap in the hedge to access the site (near the bus stop along Cwm Cwddy Drive). This is not to be used under any circumstances. Treat yourselves,... use the stile.

See map below (click on it for the full size version).

Three toes better than four

Awoke to -20°C, Pine Grosbeaks and the air sparkling with ice crystals; ended the day with 90 minutes of constant Three-toed Woodpecker action, at times it hammered away down to three metres and at knee height. Probably the longest and best views of any individual woodpecker I've ever had. The birch bark was still flying at dusk,...

SB900 and the 'Better Beamer' to the rescue,... he didn't give a monkeys.

Northerly wintering Whoopers

Open water at -12.5°C = Whooper Swans wintering at 68°39′35″ N. Interesting huh.

PS. I should point out it dropped to -21°C a few hours after this photo was taken and two weeks ago it was -38°C (-44°C with wind chill) and the swans are still here. Double. Hard. B*stards.