Sunday 2 May 2010

More detail on the GREY PLOVERS - and birding the Hills early Saturday morning

SATURDAY 1 MAY: Another great morning on the hills. Ivinghoe Beacon held the singing GRASSHOPPER WARBLER, still in the same area and singing more strongly now. I could actually hear it whilst stood near the Sheep Pens. Another decent number of Wheatear with 11 in the field/ slope South East of the Beacon. The vast majority of these ( if not all ) were probably Greenlanders, but at least half were for sure. There were 2 particularly bright males which had been Tango'd, and one of these was simply breathtaking. Yellow Wagtail over and a small flock of Corn Bunting as well as the singing males.

Back up on to Steps Hill where at the top of the slope I looked up to see 2 unfamiliar ( on jizz ) birds passing over. These turned out to be 2 GREY PLOVERS; I didn't see the front of them as they went over and away from me, but looked to be in S/P with black bellies and armpits. Their very obvious white rumps were still visible as they disappeared into the murk. They were on a direct course for Wilstone as I lost sight of them.

Near to Incombe hole there was a second reeling GRASSHOPPER WARBLER and at least 4 singing Garden Warblers remain in top scrub (Mike Wallen)

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