Excellent Day on The Peninsular!

A brilliant day started with a wander from the Observatory towards the Desert. As I crossed The Moat 2 Ring Ouzels and 2 Redwing broke cover, overhead the first of several Brambling wheezed, Siskins were calling most unseen. In The Desert more Ring Ouzels, Redwings, Fieldfare, Song Thrushes and a Mistle Thrush flew over, also Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Redpolls, Reed Buntings more Siskins and Brambling and 100s of Swallows. In the bushes Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests, a few Blackcaps, Tits, including a flock of 17 Long-tailed Tits. I missed a party of 4 Continental Coal Tits were trapped just as I was tucking into a fry up. A male Peregrine put on an aerial performance chasing off  2 Ravens. This afternoon a flock of 5 Ring Ouzels(minimum of 15 for the day) dropped into The Desert and 2 more Short-eared Owls appeared. For full details of numbers see D.B.O.Web Site

Late afternoon at the ARC by the track to the Pines several Cetti's Warblers calling, both Green and Great-spotted Woodpeckers were seen, more Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests. Walking out to the airport Pits I flushed a Common Snipe, another Ring Ouzel flew towards the mirrors also several Redwings, at the pits a Merlin tried to catch a couple of large Bats, 2 more Short-eared Owls were seen and 4 Marsh Harriers roosted.  

 Short-eared Owls

 Ring Ouzel +DNA

Ring Ouzel