Mostly Quiet on the Western Front

Since the run of Osprey sightings, it has been hard going on the peninsula. I’ve tried most days at the usual local hotspots but have consistently failed to find anything other than the very common, with the exception of a juvenile Marsh Harrier at Anthorn on 1st. A leucistic Oystercatcher was unusual and has been present for a few days, but even this individual has proven hard to photograph. I’ve seen the odd Sparrowhawk, and there were 5 Buzzards on show at once in front of the house at one point – young ones, I suspect. A summer-plumaged Knot was on show on 3rd, and on 10th the Ruff proved a little easier to photograph. It concerns me a little that I haven’t seen a single Little Stint or Curlew Sandpiper (since the one at Anthorn on 16th August), and that the largest Dunlin flock has only been one of c.10 birds…where is everything? Has the heatwave delayed migration? Has avian influenza had an effect even on the smaller birds? Dogwalkers galore at Anthorn haven’t helped; it’s virtually impossible to get close to anything around here, what with the lack of cover and almost constant disturbance. (Most of the shots below are heavily cropped thumbnails of the most photogenic of the birds on show and give a false impression of their proximity.)