Thursday 4 April 2013

Absolutely Pathetic!

Well that's my view of the weather the last few months. Everywhere you go, you hear people talking about the bad weather, you turn the radio on and they are on about the bad weather and then you go out and surprise surprise, the bloody bad weather disrupts everything. Birding at Reculver as some will know is the not the best place to be when the wind is strong and its raining or snowing. I don't mind my fair share of getting blown around or a bit wet from time to time but nearly every session of late seems to be blowing a gale or snowing/sleeting or raining. This morning was no exception as I made my way along the seawall in another strong east wind, my eyes watering and my face numb with the cold temperatures. Half way along the seawall I could see the weather closing in and a few minutes later the snow/sleet was battering me again. I took the pounding and eventually it moved off to leave a cloudy dull morning. Would I prefer to be at work or out in this bad weather I hear you say. Well looking at it like that, I would have to choose birding in the bad weather. Moan over for now and the forecast promises me that by Sunday the winds will swing around to the south and the temperatures will rise. Back to this morning where I left home at 6am and a few minutes later I was scanning the trees for a Little Owl where it was once again in the tree I saw it yesterday. It was too windy for the other Owls I think so I parked up at Reculver and walked down the seawall to Coldharbour and inland out of the wind to Chambers Wall crossing before returning the way I had come. Birds noted were 2 Grey Heron, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Teal, c200 Brent Geese, 2 Red throated Diver, 15 Grey Plover, 4 Dunlin, 26 Ringed Plover, 26 Sanderling, 4 Turnstone, 6 Oystercatcher, 3 Redshank and 9 Shelduck. There were 2 Meadow Pipit, c250 Golden Plover, 1 Marsh Harrier and 5 Reed Bunting. By this time in 2012 at Reculver I had already added Garganey, Firecrest, Blackcap, Red Kite, Sand Martin and Swallow. This weather has really but a block on the birds arriving although I have managed to see Wheatear, Black Redstart and Ring Ouzel. With next week off work and the weather looking favorable I am hoping for some good arrivals, in the mean time I shall be out tomorrow looking for that Bluethroat again and whatever else decides to come my way, as long as its not bad weather! 

Redshank

7 comments:

  1. Sheppey was just as awful this morning Marc, with horizontal sleet/snow showers. The wind that hits us, comes unchecked by trees and hedgerows. At least you've had three summer visitor species.
    By the way, the wind is forecast to return to the east on Monday.

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  2. A superb and well warranted moan up Marc :-)
    I have just about lost the will to live now!

    However as you say, it still beats being at work - just :-)

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  3. Marc, I think the whole country commiserates with you, its the same up-North, biteing wind day in day out, not that I should complain having just spent a few weeks in Florida.
    Take care Mark it won't last for ever, Gordon.

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  4. I think we are well into 'serious' mode now Marc with the Weather v Migrants.

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  5. You can;t do anything about the weather so I just enjoy whatever nature has on offer. From Findlay

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  6. I cant get out due to my MS but if I could even I would moan it has been a miserable few months keep up he reports though I love reading what you are seeing. It wont be long before the summer migrants start arriving.

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  7. Luckily I've been away for a couple of weeks but I didn't expect to come back to this!! i thought things would have changed.

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