Had a waxwing in the garden briefly this morning. After dropping everyone at school-work I went ot Segelstorpsstrand and had a kick about. Still two chiffchaff here, despite the sub-zero temperature, but my Sibe hopes are receding as the winter seems to be taking an early grip on the land. Vis mig was apparent this morning with plenty of chaffinch on the go, also a few skylark, brambling, greenfinch and yellowhammer in the mix. When it's cold like this morning you really get a feeling that these migrants are fleeing ahead of something bad, occasional hordes of jackdaw going south looked panic-stricken. The beach had one curlew and five redshank (the latter have been scarce in BK this autumn and this is the largest gathering I have seen for some time). Looking north on to Öllövsstrand produced one sorry-looking barnacle goose. Walking back to the car I bumped into another autumn flock of long-tailed tits (10).
Dodging the hail squalls I drove up to Torekov for a quick look at Påarps Mal. Had a great flock of 120 brambling on the ground feeding in a recently harvested maize field. They stuck close to the car and were spooky but still one managed to get taken by a sparrowhawk... Påarps Mal produced no shag, my main reason for going, but a black guillemot (1) and a black woodpecker (heard only) made the trip worthwhile.
Back on the school-run I had a blackcap at Förslöv (my latest patch bird but with me at home all autumn, I am sure I can do better).
Phil,
ReplyDeleteAll the press keep banging on about over here at the mo, is how a few Bewicks have turned up early at 'slimebridge' and that the U.K is in for another ice age this winter! Maybe their right! Roll on those 'hard weather movements!' Time to dig out my nerdy balaclava me thinks!! P.s Rockit on the patch today get in!! Still no bloody Lap tho!