Going Cuckoo for a Courser!

Walking around the Orme in a state of disbelief this morning having received a text about the Hereford Cream Coloured Courser at 4am, I was brought to my senses by a singing Cuckoo. The bird showed well around the cemetery. Pete Alderson had another two birds in the limestone area, meaning there had been an influx of cuckoos overnight. 20+ Redpolls, Tree Pipit, Lesser Whitethroat and a handfull of Phylloscs were present too. Saying that, I may well have missed something as my mind was elsewhere........

Bleak morning brightened up by Short eared Owl

This morning was pretty bleak, cold and wet and I was about to give up when a super Short eared Owl was flushed from the enclosed grassy field above the cemetery giving some nice fly-bys. This field has had some Tree Pipits in over the past few weeks so I hoped over the gate to see how many I could find. It was a nice surprise that the first bird out of the grass was this lovely Owl. It was later seen at the north end. My latest spring Shortie on the Orme by a few weeks. Lesser Whitethroat and Tree Pipit the only other birds of note. Last night Wendy Mcarthy had a singing Cuckoo behind the cemetery. Excellent stuff!

Spot Fly fall.

12+ Spotted Flycatchers on the Orme this afternoon, the first of the year and the best numbers for a few years. 4 in the cemetery area, 4 along Powell's Well walk to Pink Farm and another 4 at Maes y Facrell (per Wendy Mcarthy). 2 Garden Warbler were near Powell's Well too. Pete Alderson had a Whinchat on the limestones while Wendy Mcarthy had Redstart at Maes y Facrell. Plenty of Wheatears about with Redpoll, Siskin and a single Crossbill over too.

Mealy Mêlée - Redpolls everywhere today

Excellent numbers of Redpolls over and on the Great orme this morning. I counted at least 400 birds through, which must have been a fraction of what flew over. At least two fairly standard Mealies were seen - white rumps, tramlines, cheek disks etc, while a number of birds were Redpolls that certanly weren't from around here. My guess is they are from somewhere North West of here - hebridies, Iceland? who knows. Other migrants included two lesser Whitethroats, a Tree Pipit, 40+ Siskin, 13 Collared Doves and 30+ Greenland Wheatear. A Golden Plover called from the fields (Pete Alderson had five Plover - either Golden or Dotterel fly from the fields too). Two male Peregrines gave a fantastic arial display when one wandered into the resident pairs territory.

A nice small Lesser Redpoll - a typical Welsh breeding bird

A large pale Redpoll - presumably a Mealy - it's rump and back had a lot of white.

A large Redpoll with a lot of white in the back. Warm brown tones were replaced by darker tones. Note the butch looking expression.

Two Redpolls seen very early on. For a start not many Redpoll make landfall on the actual limestone pavements but today a few did using anything as a perch. Note the butch appearance, darker tones and the white face disks. The front bird also had a lot of white in the back.

Collared Doves on the move today - 13 logged.

Lots of Greenfinches are breeding in the gorse.

I've never known such a good year for Lesser Whitethroats. They are in full song around the cemetery and one was showing on the limestone pavements today!

What a fantastic display by the Peregrines today - this male saw off another male and engaged in aerial battle - once he saw him off he sat overlooking his kingdom with pride.

Siskins were involved in the Redpoll movement today, but in much smaller numbers.

Nant y Gama

A walk on the limestone area between the two Ormes - Nant y gama this afternoon produced a nice selection of birds - Blackcaps, Common Whitethroats, Long tailed Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Buzzard and Nuthatch all holding terretory or breeding. Early Purple Orchids very much in evidence as they are on both Ormes. Two Greenland Wheatears on the tops too.

Cuckoos, Whinchats and Redstart - May 12th, 2012

Today's North Westerlies didn't bode well on arrival with a quiet, cold Orme at first light. However, with a bit of patience a few bits and pieces showed. Highlight was a couple of Cuckoos flying around. One on the southern end above Bishop's Quarry and the other above the cemetery. As ever, they were flighty and elusive but did give a couple of nice flybys. Two Whinchat showed well, a male and a female, while a single male Redstart sang near in the copper mines. Best of the rest were a Yellow wagtail, Tree Pipit, 50+ Wheatear, 4 Lesser Whitethroat (including a pair copulating!), 2 Whitethraot, 5+ Willow Warblers, Blackcap and a steady passage of hirundines and 4 Swift. A single Shelduck took advantage of a bathe in the pools created by the recent deluge of rain - a few have been flying around the limestones recently, but this is the firstI've seen on the ground for a while. Chris had 5 Crossbill over, while Pete Alderson had 2 White Wagtail.

A lone Shelduck in the fields had a bathe and a preen before flying off.

This showy male Whinchat was by the dung heap and flew on and off the wall.

Same Whinchat in a more usual pose.

This beautiful male Redstart sang its head off from deep down within the Copper Mine basin.

A Cuckoo - honest! Two birds today included a typical grey bird and one that had rusty tones to it (but not quite the hepatic form).

Pied Flycatcher tops the migrant list

Pete Alderson had a super male Pied Flycatcher was on the headland this morning between the farm and the pavements. Four Whinchats was an increase on recent days, while 2 Redstarts were still present. Plenty of Wheatears still present and Redpolls still on the move.