Saturday 5th October - Thrush-fest

After a challenging week at Portland, I had a bit of determination this morning to find a Ring Ouzel on Black Down, having not seen any on my last morning at Portland after two were reported in the top fields, and then 2 were reported on Black Down on Thursday, I needed to fix the losing streak.

Mornings are drawing in so it's nearer 7am now before any decent light, it was slightly overcast with a steady southerly breeze when I arrived. I had 10 Redwings fly over and at least 3 Song Thrush, as I started on the reservoir track 3 or 4 Meadow Pipits were flying around, but nothing further until I left this track, when I saw 4 Mistle Thrushes near the troughs, so I walked that direction seeing another 20+ Redwing fly through, but the Mistle Thrushes flew off as I approached. There are some Rowans next to the pines near the troughs and as I walked nearby something moved in the Rowans and on searching I found my first Ring Ouzel, an adult bird which tried to stay hidden.

I moved further on and saw 4 Ring Ouzels in flight which seem to drop in near the Rowans I'd just left. I continued to walk towards the southern end and whilst there had another 50+ Redwing fly through and another 5 Mistle Thrush then heard the 'chacking' of a Ring Ouzels and their calling notes as what I assumed where the same 5 flying with a group of Redwing, briefly landing within the canopy of a pine before eventually heading off seemingly flying south with the Redwing group

The thrush spectacle was great with the number of Redwings approaching 100, accompanied by the occasional Song Thrush (8 in total)  and a few Mistle Thrush (9 in total). There were also some hirundines moving south, only 12 Swallow but a count of 96 House Martins also 3 Pied Wagtails, 13 Chaffinch and then another surprise when I returned via the troughs as no thrushes but one of the Rowans held 25 Brambling, my first this autumn after low numbers last Winter. A decent return for the first couple  of hours this morning and returning home 2 more Redwing flew out of the Holly near the back door, another 4 House Martin flew over and a flock of 18 Goldfinch were present along with a single Chiffchaff, Marsh Tit, Grey Wagtail and a Grey Heron that was in the pond.

Ring Ouzel

Ring Ouzels

Ring Ouzels

Bramblings

Redwing.. showing why it is.

Stonechat

Grey Heron at home.