Monday 27 August 2018

Early Morning on the Patch

I haven't really ventured onto the patch much, but with a few migrants starting to pass through Paston Cliffs seemed a good place to visit after waking early on Thursday (23rd).

Arriving at 6.15am the site was very quiet, just a few Dunnock and the resident Linnet viable on exiting the car. I had walked only a few yards and a large spot of rain landed on my head. I had a quick scan of the scrub by the car and spent a few minutes rooting out a juv. Whitethroat before the shower forced me back into the car. I re positioned the car had 10 minutes sea watching while the shower quickly blew through, my reward a single distant Gannet and unidentified small wader.

Walking towards the Gas Terminal everything was rather subdued, with the highlight being a very smart Greenfinch unusual for the site. A few Swallow drifted east seemingly with purpose, and a Kestrel hoovered over the cliff edge. Back near the car a female Sparrowhawk cut along the hedge boardering the path coming within a few feet, and near the holiday chalets a male was also perched up (the reason for a lack of bird life?). A secretive warbler could not be teased out of the Blackthorn and I soon found myself back at the car, minus any early migrants. A further 15 minutes of sea watching gave up my first Manx Shearwater of the year, two Auks both almost certainly Guillemot and few distant Tern, a mixture of Sandwich and probably Common. With little passing within reasonable distance of the shore I headed home.

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