Thursday, April 21, 2005

Succumbing to the 'arch splitter'. 165 species in total

For the sake of comparability, I have succumbed to Chris's dubious taxonomic wisdom, and am treating Black Brant as a full species - at least we have both seen one!

Still parky of a morning - but two more pinned down. 164 species in total

Flippin' chilly this morning, in thick fog at times, and with a surprisingly chilly east wind. The 0500 wake up plan worked, and I was at Casbrook Common in the Test Valley by 0615, and hearing 2 singing Nightingales immediately on arrival - target species nailed instantly! One of them got very showy and sang right out in the open for several minutes. Also it was a relief (but hardly a surprise) to hear a Cuckoo singing distantly in the mist as the blood red sun got up.