Wednesday, January 01, 2020
It was a windy day that threatened rain, although in the end it stayed dry. A great northern diver on a restless sea at Ardmair was a welcome sight on January 1st.
A boggy walk above the Braes brought a large flock of siskin, and a smaller one of lesser redpolls. I heard the "dweeb" call which I've heard before and which I think is a contact call. The call we heard from yesterday's bird was different, also rising, but sharper; and is recorded on the xeno-canto website as an alarm call - which fits, as we were probably alarming it.
I doubt now whether the redpoll yesterday had a particularly "squashed-in" bill. It did have bright white underparts and a bull-necked appearance, but lessers can sometimes look like this. I think.
Coal tits were also present. I then listened and looked around for crossbills. I saw crossbills here first on 19th December, and they were still around two days ago. But today - not a peep of one! This. Is. Typical.
// posted by Christine @ 9:36 AM 
