Monday, 16 October 2017

√Bradshaw Soil Hill circular - hunt for Snow Bunt.

13:35 - 15:00

A real Campbell's Pea Soup morning did eventually turn to split pea soup by lunch and then clear soup later.

A text from B.S. alerting me to a possible Snow Bunting's appearance on Soil Hill, being brought down by the fog (other SB sightings reported elsewhere) had me take a hike up there this aft. once the fog cleared.

I had a good 50 minutes look-see but did not see a Snow Bunting alas.

A Kestrel was ' outside my front door'  as I left the house and another Kestrel was seen from Taylor Lane.

C30 Goldfinch were flitting about on Taylor Lane also.

Soil Hill 14:00 - 14:50.

A good stroll about with the wind strengthening brought with it:-
6 Goldfinch, 4 Meadow Pipit, c50 Lapwing with Starlings and Gulls were in the lower Shay fields. Possibly a Herring Gull in the mix?

4 (Common) Snipe flushed at different area of the footpath.
Each bird called once and flew a longish distance out of sight.

I did manage a distant photo of 2 of the birds -  but the Snipe are away in a breath.


I was hoping for Jack Snipe, following the sad demise of the Raggalds Flood Jack Snipe, pictured by DW, on BS's last evenings blog.

The behaviour of all 4 birds was that of a Snipe.

However, later ....  thinking of the flight behaviour of the 2nd bird - turning in a circle , makes me think about a Woodcock - but the picture ain't good enough for me to tell,  and maybe the bird flew too high for a Woodcock?

On the homeward journey I managed to eek out the Taylor Lane Little Owl from a distant tree.

The Bradshaw Lane Little Owl took some 'eeking' as well, but I did finally eyeball it!

Not a bad outing - bit breezy outside the house  at the moment through.

Sorry about the really poor photos - everything was miles off today.




Snipe  No 1 quickly leaving the scene


Cropped from above


Even more distant Snipe No 2


Cropped


Snipe No 2 on its way around Soil Hill


Cropped- looks a tad like a Woodcock




Taylor Lane Little Owl


Bradshaw Lane Little Owl



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