Most of yesterday's birds had cleared out today from the lighthouse area and it was a much quieter day. Some overhead passage was noted including 30 Chaffinches and 12 Siskins flying east and 25 Meadow Pipits and 6 Skylarks west. Leasowe seemed to be by-passed entirely by the impressive winter Thrush movements seen elsewhere on the Wirral with not a single Redwing or Fieldfare recorded.
Birds on the ground in the lighthouse area included 8 Goldcrests, a Stonechat, 11 Song Thrushes and 4 Chiffchaff. One of the Chiffchaffs at the duck pond, probably the grey-buff one seen badly yesterday, was seen well by several observers and seen to have a full set of features corresponding to the Siberian race 'Tristis'. As it was not heard to call though it can only go down as being a 'probable' To complicate the issue one of the other Chiffchaffs showed intermediate features but called like the 'normal' collybita race. Observers; KAD, DH, MGT, EW.
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| Probable Siberian Chiffchaff. Not a great shot with some colour and shadow distortion. Some features can be seen such as the prominent pale buff super, cheeks, breast and flanks with no trace of yellow, the all black legs and bill and the buff-grey mantle. A faint greenish tinge on the remiges can be seen which in the field contrasted slightly with the buff-grey mantle. A faint wing bar can also be seen caused by pale fringing to the greater coverts. EW |
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