Soil Hill; Isolation week 18

The weather this week was, at times, an absolute joke. Monday and Tuesday were both a write off for the Hill, but helpfully on the latter BS found a nice pair of adult Sanderlings on Fly Flatts so I went up to have a look. Despite the violently windy conditions, and with some excellent directions from Brian, I was able to get some scope views of the birds as they scuttled along the rapidly disappearing shoreline.

So what of the Hill. Despite being birdable on every other day during the week, the often blustery conditions made it a challenge to muster even the usual assortment of species. Add in the fact that its now nearing the end of summer and many species will be undergoing post-breeding moults, it was a fairly quiet affair all round. The farmers continued to cut fields in the area, so gull numbers continued to build up with Common Gull and Black-headed Gull regularly featuring in the recently scalped fields. Woodpigeons also increased rapidly this week, with well in excess of 100 birds in the bottom fields at times. In the bushes the birds were a challenge. The Sedge Warblers were seen on and off during the week, clearly expanding their range across the scrub at the bottom of the north slope, but the lack of access making it a challenge to view. Whitethroat and Reed Bunting are still present in good numbers, with Willow Warblers slowly increasing towards the end of the week. On the 29^th a pair of Crossbill flew East over the Hill calling often but I was not actually able to spot them.

On the Friday the weather changed with a sudden burst of high pressure bringing with it warm and stable conditions. With it came a reasonable fall of Willow Warblers, somewhere between 10 – 15 moving around the sites various bushes. Lots of Whitethroats and Willow Warblers were also present, and a flock of five Cormorants flew south. But the undoubted highlight was a grounded Tree Pipit, which showed very well at times on the ground as well as perched atop some of the trees on the edge of the Summit. This is the first time I have seen this species on the deck here, and I was able to get some very nice photos of it. A flyover Siskin capped off the morning nicely. 

-Tree Pipit

-Cormorant

-Reed Bunting

Species List:

Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Little Owl, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, European Greenfinch, Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet, Red Crossbill, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Common Reed Bunting, Western Roe Deer, European Rabbit,

Fly Flatts: Canada Goose, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Common Ringed Plover, Sanderling, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Kestrel, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Reed Bunting,