31 Oct 2019 - Brambling

Not many highlights for the end of the month, but it's been nice to have more waterbirds around than usual.

Steve went on the 25^th and had six Great Crested Grebes, 262 Canada and one Greylag Goose, 94 Mallard, a female Wigeon, five Mute Swan, 39 Cormorants and two Coot.

On the 27^th the number of Great Crested Grebes had increased to eight.

There was a good movement of birds on the morning of the 29^th I had a Brambling go over north-west and about 120 Fieldfare.

The morning of the 30^th there was also a lot of general movement but no big numbers. There was at least 11 Siskin over south, 11 Lapwing west and a Mistle Thrush in the trees along the river. Mike also had a pair of Stonechat up at the Borrow Pit.

On the 31^st Mike had three Coot (!) and a 3CY Yellow-legged Gull. 

Photos courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller

23rd Oct 2019: Woodcock

On the reservoir there was an unusually high number of waterbirds today, nothing terribly interesting but notable numbers for here. I counted 422 Canada Geese (which may be a record count for here) and one Greylag Goose and in amongst them were two Coot, a Little Grebe and a Tufted Duck.

In the woodland the Marsh Tit was around, which has been present and quite vocal for several weeks, but I failed to find any Chiffchaffs amongst the tit flock and I assume most have now moved on. Along the path near the canal, as I approached the end of the path near the cattle field end, a Woodcock flushed from the nettles about 1 m from the path! This is a good bird for here and only my second sighting on patch after seeing two fly over on a snowy day nearly 10 years ago.

21st Oct 2019: Thrushes!

Back in from a weekend in Norfolk (with John and Dan) where I'd seen some nice birds but not really witnessed the spectacle of autumn migration, the conditions were good for birds moving in from the east today (typical!). I should have gone up the hills but I opted for the reservoir instead.

On arrival nothing really seemed to happening and the only noticeable change was that there was now four Great Crested Grebes instead of two. However, that changed when I started noticing the high flying flocks of thrushes going overhead going towards to the south-west.

Most of the flocks were really quite high and the early flocks flew in and out of the base of the clouds before they cleared a bit later in the morning. It appeared to be mostly Redwings and overall I estimated c.750 birds in several large flocks and 10+ smaller flocks. There were some Fieldfares mixed in amongst them, but not many, although a flock of 40 birds consisting just Fieldfare did go over.

There was also a few small flocks of Starlings going over and a male Stonechat stopped briefly on the bushes on the western side of the reservoir too. There was clearly a good movement of birds today, so maybe I should have gone up the hills...

18th Oct 2019: October so far

So far this month there’s been a steady passage of Meadow Pipits and most days several Skylarks over. Not many highlights but a few notable bits and bobs.

On the 1st I had my first Redwing of the autumn, calling on it's decent into the trees just east of the river. Also a Common Sandpiper still and a Little Grebe along the river.

On the evening of the 04^th 15 Greylag Geese dropped in. Not a rare bird by any stretch but a good number for here. A Peregrine also went over.

On the 05^th John popped in and found a Mandarin and had a Siskin over.

On the 06th Dylan was up at the Borrow Pit and recorded 1 Wigeon, 5 Teal and 14 Tuftied Ducks.

On the 09^th I had a couple of Siskin and a Peregrine over. 

On the 12^th I had 2 Swallow over in the morning and John also had 2 Swallow in the evening.

On the 14^th I had a Yellowhammer go over.

Photos courtesy and copyright of JFT