Monday, January 19, 2015

Out and about on "the Patch".

Finally a day that had some prospect!!  Fine throughout but very cold.  A day to take advantage of before things change, although it does appear the forecasts are half reasonable for several days. After all it is January!!

A quick look over the first few fields within the Patchwork Challenge area showed a nice mixed group of Lapwings and Golden Plover, the latter showing up very "spangly" in rather weak sunshine. Other than a group of Grey lag Geese in rough grassland beyond Claddach Loch nothing else was in evidence in that area, which wasn't surprising as it is a little exposed and a rising breeze was sweeping all before it!!  Little else was on offer so it was over to the sea for a period. Northern Ireland was in view, but only as a smudge on the horizon across an expanse of grey, restless sea. Few birds were on the move. Odd Shags moved around inshore and a few Auks  (probably Razorbill ) moved south well offshore, but nothing else could be located. The small numbers of Fulmar were well tucked back on perches out of the wind and, curiously, none were found offshore.

Buzzard, Hooded Crows, a few Herring Gull , a Rock Pipit and the odd Blackbird and Song Thrush was about it until I found a small group of Meadow Pipit feeding in the corner of a part flooded field. And that was it ! Perhaps typical of a bleak mid winter day leaving much still to be discovered!

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