The main couple of highlights for me, both came on 21/10 with a female Pochard appearing out of the fog. This was only I think the second sighting this year at Grimsbury. Another second for the year were a couple of Brambling that arrived from the north, circled briefly before carrying on south, calling loudly.
All in all, it's been fairly quiet. A male Blackcap appeared on 01/11, presumably a new arrival for the winter, rather than a late leaver. Other slight scarcities have included singles of Redpoll, Wigeon, an adult Yellow-Legged Gull, a flock of 35 Lapwing, a pair of Raven and small numbers of Siskin.
The expected rise in Great Crested Grebe numbers has seen them slowly creep up to 7 by today. A Wigeon was about on Monday
Bird movement overhead has slowed too, although this week has seen a few flocks of Fieldfare & Redwing moving through quite high and 1 or 2 Skylark are seen heading through most mornings.
The mild weather this year went well into October, drawing out the odd butterfly, as well as a pair of Migrant Hawker dragonflies on 22/10.
