Thursday 10th October - More Ouzels

I returned to Blackdown this morning with Paul Bowley to try for Ring Ouzels again. It looked like today would be the only clear day for several to come with strong winds and rain predicted through to early next week.

We walked the length of the reservoir track with a few Meadow Pipits being the sum total before we saw a Ring Ouzel rather distantly fly and perch at the top of a pine. We continued wandering seeing a few Redwing but not really adding much more although the back end of 6 geese disappearing over the tree tops looked interesting, but without a better view I opted for safe assumption that they were Greylags. It was an hour later when we finally came across what must have been this mornings feeding bush, as a single Whitebeam on one of the back paths suddenly had a lot of activity and we spent quite a while watching at least 10 very flighty Ring Ouzels feeding in this bush along with Redwings and a couple of Blackbirds. We could never get very close and several times they were spooked by dog-walkers, so scope views were best.

We added 5 Bullfinch, 4 Skylark and 4 or 5 Stonechat with 3 Dartford Warbler including one surprisingly in full song.

Another good morning. Back at home in the brief sunlight a Small Copper, Red Admiral, Small White and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth added some interest.

Tuesday 8th October - Ouzel Dawn

I had intended to go to Blackdown yesterday morning but it was wet first thing, so I stayed at home and kept an eye on birds moving outside. More thrushes were evident with 258 Redwing, 13 Song Thrush and 4 Mistle Thrush, also 10 Meadow Pipit, 25 Goldfinch, 3 Siskin, 5 Pied Wagtail and 1 Grey Wagtail unusually 13 Black-headed Gulls went West all of which made for an interesting hour whilst having a coffee.

I did visit Blackdown this morning, arriving close to dawn, but not anticipating that it would be foggy, the first wander up the reservoir track and into Borden Door Bottom, produced very little other than a few Meadow Pipits, Redwing and a Linnet. When I returned to the pines near the Parrot pool the first 'chacking' was heard and a Ring Ouzel flew up to a birch tree followed by 3 more then another 5 appeared with some Redwing quickly flying out calling, a further two then appeared from the pines with more Redwing. The next hour was spent in a slower wander around this ridge where I was seeing Ring Ouzels constantly in flight, my final estimate was 16 birds, which hopefully was conservative There were c80 Redwing, 20 Meadow Pipit and 8 Linnet. Also my first Brambling of the autumn calling in another birch with 3 Bullfinch and 2 Woodlark were in the area. Local birds were represented by 3 Stonechat and 2 Dartford Warbler and a few newly appeared toadstools added to the autumn feel although it is still mild.

Ring Ouzels

Part of a group of 10 birds

Looks like a 1st year Ring Ouzel

Fly Agaric

Puffball sp

Sunday 6th - Autumn beginnings

Its been fairly mild for the past few weeks with a general westerly airflow and in the last 10 days some welcome rain, as the ground has been dry, but only a few leaves have started to fall as there has been no really cold nights yet.

This weekend did have a little autumnal bird movement at home, yesterday the first 15 Redwings seen with a Woodlark flying over. This morning first thing 2 Hawfinches flew over quickly and silently and a count of 132 Redwing between 8.30 and 10.30 with several Song Thrush also on the move. I was unable to get up to Blackdown this morning which I'm sure would have yielded a Ring Ouzel, so maybe tomorrow !

Tuesday 1st October - Outing to Spurn

I've just returned from a few days birding in Spurn, staying at the ovbservatory. The weather was a major factor, being extremely unpredictable, although not cold it ranged wildly with high winds veering from West to North to South and long periods of rain including tropical downpours.

Despite this the birding was great, and dawn til dusk wandrings had several highlights which included, masses of waders at the high-tide roosts on the wetlands, movements of skuas and auks on the sea, a mass-movement of passerines on Saturday, plus some interesting individual species with the highlights being the following

Rustic Bunting - First seen briefly on the morning of the 30th, then a better view late in the day creeping through thistles until dusk.
Red-rumped Swallow - Flying south along the Humber shore on the 28th during a signficant movement of migrating birds.
Yellow-browed Warblers - At least 3 individual birds seen on 29th and 30th.
Short-Eared Owl - One in-off the sea on 29th
Merlin - At least 2 birds seen most days
Hobby - Seen on 2 days
Caspian Gull - one 1stWinter on 28th.
Great White Egret - one south on 29th
Ring Ouzel - One heard on morning of the 30th
Barnacle Geese - 8 migrating south on 30th
Arctic Skua - Over 100 birds South on 29th
Arctic Tern - 1 on 30th
Pink-footed Geese- Early arriving birds c50
Spotted Redshank - one on Kinsea wetlands
Meadow Pipit - 8,000 South in 3 hours on 28th
Linnet - 2,500 South in 3 hours on 28th
Tree Sparrow - over 100 moving South 3 days.

Other migrants included Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Redstart, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher and on the 30th my first Redwings of the autumn as c30 birds dropped in.

Knot, Redshank and Dunlin at Kilnsea wetlands roost

THen a trpical rainstorm !

Luckily I was sitting in a hide

1CY Caspian Gull

Caspian Gull

Bar-tailed Godwit with Redshank

Redshank

Hebridean Sheep

Arctic Skua

Short-eared Owl over the sea

Common Swift

Hobby

Tree Sparrow

Reed Bunting

Yellow-browed Warbler

Yellow-browed Warbler