Wednesday, 21 September 2016

A Red-Breasted Flycatcher Takes Me To 292 .... and more yellow-broweds

Wednesday 21st September strong S/SE Sunny intervals, some hill fog at times, short light shower.

A red-breasted flycatcher has been trapped at Gully. Brought back to the Bird Observatory it goes onto the Green Year list once it has been processed, rung and released. Bird number 292.

I know I must be on Fair Isle as a Lapland bunting lands on the road in front of me as I cycle.

Lee Gregory has seen a spotted crake at Da Water first thing and I decide to head south and bird the geos of the south west and the crofts and ditches.
Yellow-browed warbler and female blackcap on the cliff at Steeness as I hold onto a fence and the strong wind is at my back.
Five yellow-browed warblers are in the reeds of Meadow Burn with a willow warbler, a couple of the former are very vocal, calling repeatedly.

Single yellow-broweds are at both Upper and Lower Lough crofts and another is beside the road just north of here. The next one I see is at Burkle where two male blackcaps accompany it.
Otherwise the birding is of the expected birds and despite a text arriving stating a very tame lanceolated warbler is near to the Bird Observatory, my aim is to try for the spotted crake.
Cleaning a window in the Kirk, positioning a chair to lean on I watch Da water for three hours until the light is too poor to see anything as night falls. No spotted crake, the highlight is a moorhen!

After the evening log I pay my Lifer dues to the Bird Observatory for the Great Snipe. The idea is that one gives a donation to the obs for a lifer on a scale that increases the amount of cash the higher your life list is. Money into the pot. Money well spent.

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