Saturday 28th October - Halloween influx

When I got home from work on Friday about 7pm it was a calm starry night and at least 4 Tawny Owls were making a racket in the gully.  I woke this morning at 6.30am and  had planned in my mind to go out birding this morning possibly to the south coast, then it dawned on me that I needed to take Adie to and from Netball so the plans were scuppered. I decided to make the most of birding from home in between shuttle runs, the weather looked ok, although it did start rather misty but with a light win and it cleared to a mild and occasionally sunny morning.

I'm not in a major migration hotpsot by any means, South West of Blackdown and about 200m lower in elevation, in the lower Weald.  I have a view South West from the patio which looks over the Sheep's field to a tree stand of Alders, Hazel, Ash, Oaks, Beech, and a few Chestnut, with a small view beyond towards the Woolbeeding ridge. It is mainly wooded, no water and  there is no obvious flyway, but today birds were everywhere.

The first hour of daylight between 7.40am and 8.40 was astonishing, there were so many birds moving. I could hear thrushes as soon as I opened he back door and several groups of Woodpigeons were on the move. So I watched for the first hour, took Adie to Netball then watched for another hour between 9.30 and 10.30, then collected her , had another hour between 11.30 and 12.30 , then took Hannah to Witley and spent a little time outside between 2.30 and 4pm but also doing other jobs.

The species list was 46, which is probably the highest I've had in a day from home.

Ordinarily, Woodpigeons don't get a second glance unless like today they are moving in large flocks, the highlights were Over 100 Redwing, 3 decent size flocks of Fieldfare, large numbers of finches included a flock of 26 Brambling that pitched into the top of one of the Alders with the goldfinch, albeit for a brief stay. no raptors until after mid day then a Goshawk seen for about 5 minutes circling South and 9 Lapwing flew West, the first ones I've seen here for 4 years. The only thing missing was the big fat finch (Hawfinch)  that's been seen all over the South in the last couple of weeks and close to home but I have yet to add one to the house list.

The full list (why not !) - below, the majority were flying West

Woodpigeon   (528)
Stock Dove (6) - Although probably more in the Woodpigeon flocks
Redwing  (149)
Fieldfare (87)
Blackbird (7)
Mistle Thrush (9)
Song Thrush (8)
Starling (124)
Skylark (3)
Meadow Pipit (4)
Lapwing (9)
Jackdaw (84)
Carrion Crow (4)
Rook (2)
Magpie (2)
Jay (1)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (2)
Green Woodpecker (1)
Chaffinch (38)
Siskin (18)
Goldfinch (49)
Bullfinch (2)
Brambling (26)
Greenfinch (1)
Redpoll (4)
Pied Wagtail (6)
Grey Wagtail (2)
Nuthatch (2)
Firecrest (2)
Great Tit (4)
Blue Tit (12)
Coal Tit (2)
Marsh tit (1)
Long-tailed Tit (6)
Robin (3)
Dunnock (3)
Wren (1)
Black-headed Gull (2)
Common Gull (2)
Collared Dove (1)
Pheasant (2)
common Buzzard (4)
Goshawk (1)
Sparrowhawk (2)
Red Kite (1)
Mallard (2)

View from Patio.

Despite lots of birds this was the nearest I came to a Hawfinch

A few Redwings ended up in the nearest Holly

A well cropped Holly tree will probably be stripped bare in a few days.

The nearest beech tree is shedding leaves straight into the pond !