The day of the Wheatears

Light south-westerlies overnight coupled with the outbreak of rain early doors, produced an excellent fall of migrants at the Point of Ayr this morning.

As was the case a week last Monday, Wheatears were legion. The birds - grouped in flocks of ten to twenty - were concentrated around the area to the east of Presthaven Sands and also on the rocks near the old colliery site.

It is only a guestimate, but I counted a mighty one hundred and seventeen during a two hour walk, by far my highest count for a single site – smashing last week’s record to smithereens!

Two male Whinchats were good to find too, but star bird of the day was my earliest ever Spotted Flycatcher in the row of trees leading to the old hide. I really struggled to find one anywhere last year, so it was gratifying not only to discover my first for Flintshire, but see on at all – they really have crashed dramatically in recent years.

Plenty of warblers around too, with Sedgies the most conspicuous - singing from all types of habitat except sedge seemingly! Plenty of Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Willow Warblers in voice too, and more warblerly calls eminating from the many dense hawthorne bushes, indicated a fair few more.

There seem to be very good numbers of Wheatears passing through this year - last Monday sixty three were at the POA and I have had big numbers in the uplands this spring too, including thirty seven during one walk in Mynydd Hiraethog.

I only have four years of personal experience to draw upon, but these numbers seem exceptional, so I am interested to hear if anybody else has had good counts this year...

Point of Ayr 29.4.10

Wheatear 117
Whinchat 2 (both male)
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Sedge Warbler 6
Common Sandpiper 1
Greenshank 1 (over)

Until later.