Merlin and 3 Ring Ouzel were among the superb birds i watched today on the Durham Moors. No Obs today it was the first of my two visits on the BTO BBS. Ive been surveying a square on the Durham Moors for a lot of years now it's always one of my favourite days of the year. It was cold 4.5 degs and a bit windy when i arrived for a first light start. I could have waited a few days but i like to keep as close to the original survey date as possible. It was obvious some birds were late in with the cold snap, Meadow Pipits were down and some of the waders such as Snipe and Curlew. Golden Plover and Lapwing were about normal.
Although my square is in a productive area i don't often get the sought after species Wheatear and Ring Ouzel but today both were present and a male Merlin shot through as well. With sightings of Common Buzzard and Red Kite it is a bumper year on my patch.
When i was done i decided to go looking for my Ringo, it had flown west out of my square and it wasn't long before i located it sitting in a bare tree by a brook. However it was not alone, not one but three were present in the same small tree. I managed some video but the light was poor and the wind up but you can see what met my eyes
In this same area i found another five Wheatear and a singing male Stonechat
A pair of Redpoll flew over calling and a bird i have not recorded up here before Robin. I staked out a small tree and both Stonechat and Ring Ouzel came into it but didn't hang about then this Willow Warbler
It's back to the Obs tomorrow morning but i can't wait for my second BBS
