A Brit abroad

Visible migration

It's been a while since my last entry. This is part lack of motivation after birding my brains out in the US, partly down to the abysmal weather (rain every day since I got back), and mostly due to catching up with sleep and work! Last week I joined an unsuccessful twitch of 2 Caspian Terns (Sterne caspienne) at St Quentin-en-Yvelines (I was seeing hundreds a couple of weeks back!), but was rewarded with several Black Terns (Guifette noire) among the hordes of Black-headed Gulls (Mouette rieuse). Migrants included abundant Chiffchaffs (Pouillot veloce), hirundines and a lone Common Swift (Martinet noir). Many White Wagtails (Bergeronnette grise) were hanging around the wooden docks, including this calling adult and juvenile.

Yesterday morning I did my usual walk around the block, and was pleasantly surprised by a visible passage of at least 10 Yellow Wagtails (Bergeronnette printaniere) overhead. Other patch ticks included a very vocal Hobby (Faucon hobereau) and this female Hen Harrier (Busard Saint-Martin) (yes, I know it's an awful shot but I was frankly amazed to even get an image of this distant bird).

At least 20 Grey Partridge (Perdrix grise) were looking rather like lost sandgrouse in the middle of a feshly ploughed field (I caught them as they were running for cover).

A family party of at least 6 Stonechat (Tarier patre) was still on territory - here's one of the juves...

... which soon came to feed on the roadside with a flock of Greenfinches (Verdier).

It felt good to get back out there, and to see that migrants are evidently on the move, even in my local spot. Who knows what surprises the next couple of months will bring?

Posted by rjhall at September 3, 2006 8:40 PM