Osprey

Redwing - one of two late birds that were heavily streaked below - candidates for Icelandic race?

 

Today's best bird was my first Osprey of the year. I was sat in the back garden, enjoying a cuppa with mum, dad and Lu, when it powered upriver leaving a trail of Oystercatchers and gulls in its wake. It flew through at 1620.

A dawn visit to Orcombe was followed up with a brief afternoon 'whiz round' which produced just a handful of sightings - c20/30+ Linnet, 1+ Blackcap, 1+ Bullfinch, 4+ Chiffchaff, 2 or 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Wheatear, 2+ Meadow Pipit, 1 Curlew, 2 Redwing and my first Swallow of the year.

On the 29th - 1 Snipe and 1 Goldcrest seen on a late afternoon visit to Orcombe with 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose and 6 Dark-bellied Brent Geese off the Imperial.

A notable increase in Linnet numbers today.

This male Blackcap is singing on territory on Orcombe.

Always good to see the first Willow Warblers arriving on Orcombe - difficult to photograph though as they kept their heads down in the cold conditions.

Note the heavily-marked underparts with 'tear-drop' streaking extending down the flanks and strongly-marked under-tail coverts. 

 

 This last shot is of the second bird - another fairly swarthy individual.