The highlight of today's trip was an Osprey drifting south, just offshore, as I walked along the Tillage Field wall on the Upper East Side Path. I heard callling gulls in the distance and looked across to see masses of them in the air over towards Pondsbury. I scanned around for a possible raptor, but couldn't see anything. Then a gull started alarm-calling much closer to me and I glanced up to see the Osprey coming in from the north and flying straight past me! It maintained a constant south-bound course, over the Landing Bay and Lametor and on towards Hartland Point, only flapping its wings when it circled upwards a couple of times (already well south of Lundy) to gain more height, before disappearing as a distant speck on a heading just east of Hartland Point radar dome.
Another nice bird to see was an adult Common Tern flying around the Landing Bay and Rat Island as we stood on the boat waiting to sail at the end of the day. Other migrants during the day included five Willow Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, three Whitethroats, a Blackcap and a Spotted Flycatcher. Alan and Sandra Rowland also picked up a Kestrel.
Insects included dor beetles, Migrant Hawker dragonfly (Millcombe), three Blue-tailed Damselflies (Quarry Pond), 30 Red Admirals, 5 Painted Ladies, a dozen Small Tortoiseshells, 10 Small Heaths, a Peacock, 10 Meadow Browns and several Green-veined Whites.
No comments:
Post a Comment