Sightings 7/9 - early afternoon.

1 Spotted Flycatcher (again seen as part of a large mixed and vocal tit/treecreeper/finch and warbler flock,
2 Treecreeper,
1 Whitethroat,
1 Common Sandpiper,
c10 Linnet (including a bird in song),
Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs still present.

Small numbers of presumably migrant Skylarks heard passing over the valley all afternoon. The valley's summer visitors of this species having long since departed.

A Hare sunbathing was an lovely sight and an added bonus! Watched it for ages - didn't see it applying any Factor 24 though!

Cheers,

Bill.

Regarding sparrowhawks chasing kingfishers.
Ihave always been told that kingfishers were so brightly coloured as a warning because they dont taste nice, stil Ive never tried one and obviuosly niether has the sparrowhawk!!. Or maybe its not the reason, has anyone out there ever tried kingfisher???.
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Oopps!!!!!!, two things;
just noticed my lack of spelling ability and realised that this post should probably be in the general birding sectshun, sorry.

-- Edited by Ian Campbell at 16:58, 2007-09-06

Hi Graham,

It was nice to meet you the other week - hope you managed to catch up with the Whinchat? I keep records of all sightings at Piethorne and I hope that it is OK that I have made a note of your sightings - many thanks for taking the time to update this post. Your Kingfisher record is really interesting - there have been 2 around the lower valley in late August and like yourself on 28/8 I watched as a Sparrowhawk made an attempt in a few minutes not to take just one but to take both of them! It was real "heart in the mouth" viewing as it almost took the second one, which only managed to evade capture by being more flexible that the Sparrowhawk and flying very, very low over the water and turning sharply several times so that it's wing tips clipped the water surface as it tried to throw off the Sparrowhawk.

Cheers,

Bill.

At Piethorne today (3/9) - 2 Redstarts seen - a male at the western end of Ogden Reservoir and I am sorry to say Paul that a female was foraging from the hedge that we spent a good while watching on 31/8! Sorry! This is the 5th consecutive calendar month that this species has been recorded in the valley this summer.

Also a Nuthatch was seen today. Not much to shout about you think but this would appear to be the first ever sighting record of this species in the valley. Although one was thought to be calling from the same plantation on 28/8 and Neil Calbrade has had in previous years vocal records but where no bird has been seen.

Also warblers still about - a female Blackcap and both a single Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were still singing. Am I the only person in GM to hear these two species still in song? .

A Wheatear (female) was the first in the valley for weeks. The 2 Whinchat and the party of Stonechat were still in situ.


Cheers,

Bill.