Thursday

A dewey, murkey start this morning with clear skies (above the rising mist as the sun tried to burn through) and a light N.E breeze. Spent a little time at the top of the track this morning, specifically looking for Ring Ouzel, no sign as yet, with 2 Wheatear being the only summer migrants seen. As I scanned more distant bare fields for the 'Mountain Blackbirds' I noticed a distinctive hunched blob through the murk, which I knew was going to be either a Sparrowhawk or a Merlin (my money was on the latter) Not daring to take my eye off it, it distinctly bobbed its head as the gulls started flying over it, then took to the wing on short pointed wings with a proportionately longer tail - a Merlin! I watched as it flew north then off west, no doubt to find and eat a Ring Ouzel!

Wheatear ( below shows where the name Wheatear originates from - White-arse!...that is true by the way!

PYL 80 Merlin