Out before first light this morning in an attempt to catch up with yesterday's bluethroat at Ripagården. Nothing doing on the bluethroat front though, despite a good kickabout. A few migrants on the ground including a tight flock of seven blackcap and one garden warbler, two lesser whitethroat, two whitethroat and single sedge and a few reed warblers in the reedbed. As I turned to leave a calling bird flying over low got my attention pretty quickly - an ortolan bunting. I have listened to the flight call 158 times according to itunes and finally it has paid off!
Nipped back to feed the team and packed them in the car for the short walk around the Killeröd loop track. This walk was really birdy today, producing a hatful of birds that I do not see so often. Jays (6) were calling in abundance and we even managed a single nutcracker (and perhaps another later) flying past a clearing with a bulging crop. Bird flocks contained crested, willow and coal tits and even a few migrants.
Checked the ploughed fields around Ljungbyholm in the afternoon. Huge numbers of wheatear (69!), as well as golden plover (135), red kite (2), a zippy merlin (1) and bizarrely an adult osprey resting in the middle of one huge field.
Hi Phil,
ReplyDeleteOrtolan, nice one! Me i'm hoping for Lap Bunt but might have to wait for an Oct flyover! Strangely been getting Ortolan and Lap flight call drilled into my skull recently just in case! The joy's of ipod! What is going on with Wheatear this Autumn, must have had a good breeding season! Still coming through here and also on new plough, tho playing 'chicken' with the Tractor boys!