Northern Greenland Wheatear and Other news.

My recorded notes in regards to Northern Greenland Wheatear. (please click over illustration to enlarge)

Yesterday Tuesday 23rd April 2013 saw the arrival of six "Northern Greenland Wheatear" to their usual place on "Wheatear Plain" on the upper Dalton Crags.  There were 5 males and 1 female.  4 of the males had the usual sooty blue plumage whilst one of the males had a slightly lighter plumage.
I checked the area thoroughly again today (Wed 24th April 2013), but no sign of them anywhere so presumed they have moved on.
They are bang on with their arrival date and I would expect more to call in over the next week or so.

Scroll down for latest sightings etc

Wednesday April 24th 2013 (Burton In Kendal)

0600hrs - 0700hrs (Wind: 10mph S)
Noticed today that all Swallows which were back on territory over the past few days seem now to be absent.  I get the feeling that because conditions are so windy and cold, that they have perhaps temporarily moved to better local feeding areas and hopefully will be back very soon.  Just the odd Willow Warbler part calling, certainly no Chiffchaffs calling as yet....

0830hrs -0930hrs (Wind: 20mph SW and increasing) (Plain Quarry to Trig Point)
Very strong winds yet again, with occasional light drizzle and visibility down to about 30 yards at best on top, checked out Dalton Crags (upper) thoroughly but no signs anywhere of the "Greenlands" which I can only presume will have moved on, so now I am eagerly awaiting the next batch coming in.
Blackcap calling from back of Plain Quarry, a couple of Willow Warblers but generally the Warblers are well subdued. No hirundines seen today.
Checked out the "Early Purple Orchids" which are still only showing a small basal rosette and probably looking at this would say that they are at least 3/4 weeks behind their norm, (normally by now just about starting to flower).

Thursday April 25th 2013 (Burton In Kendal)

0600hrs-0700hrs (Wind: 6mph E) 
Heard no Chiffchaffs in song this morning and just a couple of "song struggling" Willow Warblers.  I will be off up Dalton Crags shortly to see if anymore "Northern Greenland Wheatear" have arrived.  One Swallow seen hawking above Green Dragon Farm.

1445hrs-1630hrs (Wind: 15mph NW) (Plain Quarry to Trig and return)
Been raining all day from 0700hrs and just finished at 1430hrs and brightening up was the rain stopped.

Just the odd single Willow Warbler in song.  Four Tree Pipits in Dalton (upper) squabbling and chasing one another, just one gave a part song, but plenty of "contact" calls between them.  There was more tree pipit "song" coming from Sky the lark, than the actual tree pipits.

Nice to see the six "Greenland Wheatears" are still here (and they are the same ones which came in on Tuesday).  No idea where they where yesterday.  But definately the same birds, instantly recognized five males and one female, and the give away was the single male in very light colour much like our Eurasian birds plumage, but the top of his head and forehead was of a very light bright silver blue which stood out a mile, in fact this was quite noticeable on Tuesday last also.  They were there on my way up starting from the "Line of Trees"  and worked their way up past "The Gully" and as I walked up they kept going forward to the point where I last saw them at the "Shrike Tree" area.  I looked all around for them on my way back, around the Trig areas on the Common, the Crag House side but just could not find them again.

Friday April 26th 2013 (Burton In Kendal)  "Toothwort"

0600hrs-0700hrs (Wind: 15mph NW)
Noticed Tanpits Song Thrush feeding, so he/she is still about.  Still several Chiffchaff missing and the only call this morning was a very very "weak" call from Lee at (Thornleigh), and nothing from the Willow Warblers.  A Swallow seen going to nesting area at Green Dragon and also a pair returned and sat on the telegraph wires at Russell Farm, Dalton.  Just when are these winds going to abate?

0845hrs-0945hrs (Wind: 20mph NW) (Plain Quarry to Trig and return)
Wind strengthening, sunny intervals, rain later.
No Greenland Wheatear seen this morning.  At least three "very weak" singing Tree Pipits. Several Willow Warblers in full descending crescendo singing.  No Chiffchaffs or Blackcaps calling. One Swallow singing overhead.

Toothwort colony near Challon Hall
(Click over photo to enlarge)

0945hrs - 1400hrs (Wind: 25mph WSW) (Thrang Wood, Eaves Wood and Haweswater Nr. Challon Hall.

Went with friend over to the West side checking out the usual sites for Toothwort. Thrang Wood down to about 4 sprigs, In Eaves Wood found the usual sites with up to 50 sprigs set out in about four areas along a 50 yard stretch. Near Challon Hall we found over 100 sprigs set out in about five areas along a 75 yard stretch.

Saturday April 27th 2013 (Burton In Kendal)

0630hrs-0800hrs (Wind: 6mph N)       "Garden Warblers"
Cold, heavy frost this morning, hard to scrape on windscreen.  Came lovely sunny later. House Martins flying above Dalton Lane Near Green Dragon Farm. Also first Garden Warblers calling from the Thornleigh area. Never heard a Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler.

0900hrs-1030hrs (Wind: 18mph N) "Two new Greenland Wheatears"
Two (one male and one female) new Greenland Wheatears have arrived in Dalton (upper) and located just below the "Line of Trees" on the boundary wall to Crag House side.  No Warblers or Tree Pipits singing, One very late Meadow Pipit crossing over to the North and about eight blogging birds around the Trig Point.