A chat, a shank, an orchid, and a warning.

Stonechat Ana Minguez 

Since the beginning of 2014 I've collected 69 individual Stonechat records of wintering, migrating, and some with evidence of breeding birds. Only 7 of the 69 are my own records, a clear indication that in the areas I cover the Stonechat has made little and in some cases no return at all since the harsh winters of 2009/10 and 2010/11, but it is good that these records show that something of the opposite has taken place elsewhere.

Some of these records I have collected from the various local websites, but the majority have been sent in to me all of which I am very grateful. The latest set of records I have recieved were sent to me by a contact who has collated an excellent 36 territories within our recording area and for which I must add my appreciation.

There's no doubt the two harsh winters brought considerable mortality to our resident Stonechats which would bring about the ascendency of the migrant population which will maintain and increase numbers until the sedentary population regains the advantage which usually happens within 3-4 years following prolonged severe spells, and according to the records I'm collecting we're seeing that this is happening now, the irony here being....not in my territory it isn't.

The Shank.

Spotted Redshank Arkive 

The Spotted Redshank I predicted in my last post would soon return to be with the Redshank I counted on Thursday at Conder Green had apparently arrived the following day Friday 27 June, having only been absent from here for a mere eight weeks, and will probably winter here until the end of next April. The Common Sandpiper at Conder Green will also build to a double figure count over the coming weeks too, an area only usually surpassed by the Shard Bridge area for the species count on autumn migration. 

The Orchid.

  Common-spotted Orchid. Pete Woodruff.

On a wander through our local Williamsons Park recently it was good to find a decent show of Common-spotted Orchid on Fenham Carr where a wild meadow has been planted out.

The Warning. 

You've seen my post The Disappearing Act and seen some of my band of excellent photographers images deleted from Birds2blog, so here's the warning. If you keep your pictures in and use Picasa, before you decide to clean up your computer and delete any of the pics you think you no longer need to keep in Google + Photos, make sure you read the following info....

Doing so will remove the album and its photos from all Google products, including Picasa Web Albums, Blogger and others.