What to look at while migrants are scarce

Wain's hill vizmigging has continued to be dire with literally ones and twos of Siskins, Mipits, Redpolls and Chaffinches most times when I have tried. The high background noise has also not helped with recordings.

The local Peregrines and Sparrowhawks keep trying though. This young falcon has been having a go at everything from Ravens to Blue Tits, without success as far as I know.



How it thinks it can take a Raven down is beyond me




There have been at least a couple of Sparrowhawks dashing through bushes too. I've noticed that the Magpies are happy to mob the Sparrowhawks but not the Peregrines, which seems a wise move.




Down at the seawall I had the good fortune to come across a relatively tame Bar-tailed Godwit this week which allowed a couple of photos




They are dangerously close to being sharp.


Another trip to the levels was needed to confirm that the cafe at the Avalon Marshes Center, near Westhay village, really was as good as it seemed last week. It was with an excellent steak pasty and americano. Either side of the cafe I managed to fit in a few hours at Ham wall and Westhay reserves. The former actually turned up my first Bittern for weeks, albeit a bird flying high over the path.


Westhay again proved an excellent choice with a quiet 90 mins on the path finished off by great views of a party of 6 to 10 Bearded Tits that appeared in reeds nearby then moved through the bushes into a second reed bed.


I was pretty pleased with a couple of my pictures



Today was back to migrant hunting with a trip to Brean Down. Suffice to say that 2 chiffchaffs and two blackcaps were the total haul.

Patience is again called for I fear.......

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