Morton Bagot Birder: Thursday August 13

Thursday 13 August 2020

Thursday August 13 - good signs

After some spectacular rain through the evening I was keen to see whether this would prompt the arrival of migrants, and also how the flash might look. The morning dawned grey with a little hazy sunshine and a light north-easterly.

I headed straight for the flash field and was soon recording migrants, or rather not recording them. The first bird on offer flew over me giving a single call. Was that a Yellow Wagtail? This species normally gives a very distinctive call, but can also present you with a slightly different call. I wasn't sure. Either way I didn't see it and the doubts remained. Let it go.

Fortunately the next offering was a little more co-operative. A small passerine flew along the hedge line on the far side of the pool field, and I could see a white patch on either side of its tail. This meant that by the time it perched I was pretty certain it would be a Whinchat.

Whinchat

I've noticed that several Midland sites have been getting this species in the last few weeks, so it was nice to come to the party.

I got to the flash field and was relieved to see plenty of shallow water, and indeed it was occupied by 11 Teal. By the time I had moved on to the best spot something had flushed most of them, but the site was back to how it should look.

The water is back

Scanning around I started to see waders, and eventually counted 27 Lapwings, five Green Sandpipers, and five Snipe. I looked again and spotted something on the mud, but it wasn't a wader. The first Wheatear of the year (due to Covid wiping out the opportunity to cash in on the normally strong Spring passage) was very encouraging.

Wheatear

The walk back produced a big flock of at least 120 Goldfinches and a few Linnets.
I had been fighting my camera a bit all morning, and the reason became clear when I investigated further. I had forgotten to change the setting since photographing some moths this morning.