Bogey's, birdies, eagles and an overdue dose of green

Week 15, 09 April 2013 -  Golf Club Birding (Click to enlarge image)

You would be forgiven if you thought this was a golf report, it is but not about the golf itself. My son was having his lesson, playing 9-holes at Golf Club just off 6th Ring Road (I cant put the name of the Club, as it gets tagged with an unwanted pop-up - very annoying) and I lagged behind checking out the migrants that were enjoying the lush green fairways and very fast greens.

By far the most predominant passerine were Red-throated Pipits with almost all in their breeding plumage.

Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)

I did find the odd bird that was still in non-breeding plumage

Non-breeding plumage Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)

The odd Tree Pipit was also seen.

Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)

I have never seen so many Whinchats in previous spring migrations, they seem to be everywhere

Male Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)

A stunning male Northern Wheatear almost jumps out of the frame with the soft background bokeh

Male Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

Normally Willow Warblers are seen foraging and gleening in dense bushes, but on the course they were foraging on the fairways, like all of the others.

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

There were a few Shrikes seen, but only this Woodchat Shrike allowed me to get close enough for an image, looking very debonair

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

After the Red-throated Pipits, Yellow Wagtails made up the second largest numbers - mostly a mix of beema and feldegg

Here is Sykes Wagtail in breeding plumage

Sykes Wagtail (Motacilla f. beema)

and non-breeding plumage

Sykes Wagtail (Motacilla f. beema)

and Black-headed Wagtail in breeding plumage

Black-headed Wagtail (Motacilla f. feldegg)

this could be either Black-headed or Grey-headed in non-breeding plumage

and a distant Grey-headed Wagtail

Grey-headed Wagtail (Motacilla f. thunbergi)

On the 17th I saw a male Crested Lark trying to woo a pretty disinterested female

Displaying male Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

On the 18th, I was surprised to see a Spotted Crake skulking around the rocks on the waterhole.

Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana)

Oh, and how was my son's golf you might ask? I was also pleased that my son made a par on the 18th and obviously didnt lose his ball in the water trap!