Village Bird Race

I use the word "race" in its loosest possible sense!

Anyway, I stuck to my promise and had a go despite the dodgy weather forecast. Many teams around the County out and about. I started down Snakey pre-dawn but no Owls showed. I did pick up both winter Thrushes and Corn Bunting. A return home netted GS Woodpecker plus the usual stuff on the feeders. 

9am and time for a Seawatch. I headed for Cliff Farm but the fishermen had blocked the track (I did add Curlew) so I returned to the Village and marched up to Mill Hill. In an hour I saw one bird in a strong "north-easter". It was a good one though! A Fulmar. I left before I got blown off the cliff!

The wind continued to increase and killed any chance of a decent total but I decided to continue anyway.

A Song Thrush in the paddock was a nice surprise. A couple of Stock Doves flew over as I was looking for Bullfinch and Mistle Thrush.

Nothing special was seen in the rest of the daylight and beyond. I sneaked a last-gasp Buzzard on Snakey at 3.50 but couldn't find any Partridges?

The day was more notable for the omissions from my predicited list! Waders and coastal passerines were understandably keeping a VERY low profile...and the sea was dead.

Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Common_ Scoter (Melanitta nigra)
Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)
Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix)
Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Little Owl (Athene noctua)
Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)
Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Stonechat (Saxicola torquata)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Coal Tit (Parus ater)
Common Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)
Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)
Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

My total was a extremely modest 37 sp. Still enjoyable...to an extent. I plan to have another go in more favourable conditions. Whenever that might be!