Bolam Blank

Tried the old railway line this morning, the place other than Berkeley Square where the Nightingale sang in June 2009.

Green Woodpecker yaffling in the wooded area on the east side of the access road from the main road, and another to the NE.  The famous hay bales on the west side were gone, and the surface of the 'waggonway' is not now what it was when I was there last year (25th April 2010).  It looks like at some time a nice farmer with a fancy machine has taken the top layer off.  All the wild grasses and plants have gone to be replaced by dry earth and some of the bushes have been trimmed.  The 'rustic' charm has gone!

Birdwise, two Wheatears looking pristine, hods of Willow Warblers, Great and Blue Tits, Chaffinches aplenty and Yellowhammers too.

Alas, no obvious Redstarts, but one calling from the small copse to the north of the line, about half a mile along where the small, metal-railed bridge is.  Despite some loitering, it did not appear.

And no warblers either, such as Whitethroats.  All in all, pretty quiet.

Nice to see ya - to see ya, nice!

Quick walk north from Mayfair Cottage at Prestwick Carr this lunchtime; and well worth it too!

Two Whitethroats seen and heard, one 30 yards north on the east side, and another 30 yards further on on the west.

Groppers to the east (two heard), but no sight nor sound of the Redstart and the Owl was not in its usual placed (the second time I have drawn a blank).

n(Ice) Find

Strolled around St. Mary's this evening in the hope of a migrant or two.

It was dead; chilly, breezy and very quiet.  The wetland had a couple of Teal and a Mute Swan!

On the rocks in the south bay, with a flock of Herring and GBB Gulls, a juvenile Iceland Gull. 

It looked exactly like this.  The primaries were a buffy colour.

The camera was in the boot!