Friday, 11th October 2013

Today continued on from yesterday with another large Thrush movement. The birds were coming up the peninsular from the south and veering east/north-east. Another good find was a Black-throated Diver off the scar this afternoon and it was watched on and off for 15 minutes before being lost.

 

 Redwings

Offshore

45 Common Scoters, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers east, 1 Black-throated Diver, 8 Red-throated Divers west & 2 on the sea, 1 Great Crested Grebe east, 4 Little Gulls east, 1 Sandwich Tern east, 1 Arctic Tern west, 1 Guillemot, 3 Razorbills and 11 Auk sp. west.

Visible Migration

8 Whooper Swans east & 2 south, 134 Pink-footed Geese south, 3 Skylarks east, 2 Swallows south, 708 Fieldfares east/noth-east, 5,070 Redwings east/north-east, 5 Mistle Thrushes south-east, 1 Grey Wagtail south, 4 Alba Wagtails south, 12 Meadow Pipits south, 123 Chaffinch south, 5 Bramblings south, 10 Greenfinch south, 9 Goldfinch south and 5 Linnets south.

 

 Pink-footed Geese

Grounded Migrants

2 Goldcrests, 4 Coal Tits ,2 Chiffchaffs, 16 Blackbirds, 9 Song Thrushes and 3 Wheatears.

 

 Wheatear

Others 

12 Whooper Swans, 1,297 Pink-footed Geese, 58 Teal, 92 Wigeon, 15 Little Grebes, 1 Peregrine, 44 Ringed Plovers, 145 Sanderlings, 320 Turnstones, 3 Med. Gulls and 3 Rock Pipits.

Ringing

3 Blue Tits, 1 Great Tit, 7 Redwings, 1 Dunnock and 3 Chaffinch.

 

 Redwing

 

 Chaffinch

Thursday, 10th October 2013

After strong overnight northerly winds an unexpected large movement of Redwings occurred today. The birds were coming from the west & south-west then heading east and turning south-

east down the peninsular; in total 6,545 were recorded .Other 'vis' highlights today included a large movement of Pink-footed Geese, the majority flying south at high altitude, plus the first Whooper Swans, Fieldfares, Brambling and Snow Bunting of the Autumn.

Offshore

2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese west, 21 Common Scoters west, 1 Red-breasted Merganser east, 4 Red-throated Divers west, 1 Guillemot west, 2 Razorbills west and 23 Auk sp. west.

Visible Migration 

5 Whooper Swans south, 1,738 Pink-footed Geese south, 1 Barnacle Goose south with Pinkies, 6 Magpies south-east, 23 Jackdaws south, 26 Skylarks east, 3 Fieldfares south-east, 4 Song Thrushes south-east, 6,545 Redwings east/south-east, 3 Grey Wagtails south, 11 Alba Wagtails south, 42 Meadow Pipits south, 75 Chaffinch south, 1 Brambling south, 19 Greenfinch south, 6 Goldfinch south, 3 Siskins east, 12 Linnets south and 1 Snow Bunting west.

 

Redwings

 

 Pink-footed Geese

Grounded Migrants 

6 Goldcrests, 2 Coal Tits, 1 Chiffchaff, 15 Blackbirds, 6 Song Thrushes, 4 Wheatears and 1 Siskin.

 

 Wheatear

Others

250 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Little Egret, 2 Buzzards, 1 Peregrine, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Med. Gull and 1 Barn Owl.

Wednesday, 9th October 2013

Offshore 

1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose west, 11 Wigeon west, 3 Pintails west, 29 Common Scoters west, 1 Red-throated Diver west, 3 Kittiwakes west, 1 Guillemot west and 17 Auk sp. west.

Visible Migration 

1 Alba Wagtail south and 12 Meadow Pipits south.

Grounded Migrants 

2 Goldcrests and 1 Wheatear.

 

 Wheatear

Others

100 Teal, 1 Little Egret, 73 Ringed Plovers, 7 Knot, 345 Sanderlings, 31 Dunlins, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 415 Turnstones and 1 Med. Gull.

 

 Turnstone

Tuesday, 8th October 2013

Offshore 

35 Common Scoters west, 1 Red-breasted Merganser west, 3 Red-throated Divers west, 1 Gannet west, 2 Kittiwakes west, 1 Guillemot west, 4 Razorbills west and 10 Auk Sp. west.

Visible Migration

6 Skylarks south, 1 Grey Wagtail south, 7 Alba Wagtails south, 17 Meadow Pipits south, 18 Chaffinch south, 8 Greenfinch south and 5 Goldfinch south.

Grounded Migrants

6 Goldcrests, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps, 15 Blackbirds, 6 Song Thrushes, 7 Redwings and 1 Wheatear.

 

 Wheatear

Others 

1 Peregrine, 68 Ringed Plovers, 33 Golden Plovers, 600 Lapwings, 315 Sanderlings, 38 Dunlins, 23 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 Bar-tailed Godwits.

Ringing

1 Goldcrest, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Blackcap, 1 Wren, 3 Chaffinch and 1 Greenfinch.

 

 Chaffinch

Monday, 7th October 2013

Offshore 

2 Wigeons west, 21 Common Scoters west, 1 Gannet west, 1 Great Crested Grebe west, 1 Guillemot and 7 Auk Sp. west.

Visible Migration

1 Golden Plover south, 2 Snipe south, 3 Alba Wagtails south and 6 Meadow Pipits south.

Grounded Migrants 

4 Goldcrests, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Wheatear.

 

 Wheatear

Others

800 Pink-footed Geese, 3 Buzzards, 1 Merlin, 2 Water Rails, 63 Ringed Plovers, 270 Sanderlings, 23 Dunlins, 12 Snipe, 280 Turnstones and 1 Barn Owl.

 

 Sanderlings

Ringing:

1 Goldcrest.

 

 Goldcrest

Sunday, 6th October 2013

Offshore

6 Wigeon west, 58 Common Scoters west, 1 Red-throated Diver west, 4 Gannets west, 2 Great Crested Grebes west, 1 Sandwich Tern west & 7 south, 2 Guillemots, 1 Razorbill and 12 Auk sp.

 

 Guillemot

Visible Migration

47 Pink-footed Geese south, 11 Carrion Crows south, 41 Jackdaws south, 15 Skylarks south, 7 Swallows south, 7 Starlings south, 7 Mistle Thrushes south-east, 3 Grey Wagtails south, 26 Alba Wagtails south, 199 Meadow Pipits south, 1 Rock Pipit south, 58 Chaffinch south, 29 Greenfinch south, 57 Goldfinch south, 2 Siskins east, 15 Linnets south and 9 Reed Buntings south.

 

 Greenfinch

Grounded Migrants

5 Goldcrests, 3 Chiffchaffs, 5 Song Thrushes, 2 Wheatears and 3 Reed Buntings.

 

 Wheatear

Others 

650 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Little Egret, 1 Buzzard, 2 Peregrines, 77 Ringed Plovers, 266 Sanderlings, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 250 Turnstones and 2 Med. Gulls.

 

 Pink-footed Geese

Ringing

3 Blue Tits, 1 Great Tit, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Wrens, 3 Chaffinch and 2 Greenfinch.

 

 Chiffchaff

Saturday, 5th October 2013

A skulking Locustella Warbler was flushed from some grass by the seawall this morning and it was seen a few times in flight and once well on the ground by Ian's feet! It turned out to be the Observatory`s latest ever Grasshopper Warbler but it did give us a scare for a while!!

Offshore

1 Shelduck east, 10 Pintails west & 6 south, 106 Common Scoters west, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers west & 1 east, 2 Red-throated Divers west, 10 Gannets west, 2 Great Crested Grebes east & 1 north, 2 Sandwich Terns west, 3 Guillemots, 5 Razorbills and 31 Auk sp. west.

 

 Guillemot

Visible Migration

1 Snipe south, 10 Golden Plovers south-west, 34 Skylarks south, 1 Grey Wagtail south, 21 Alba Wagtails south, 306 Meadow Pipits south, 9 Chaffinch south, 2 Greenfinch south, 17 Linnets south and 12 Goldfinch south.

 

 Meadow Pipit

Grounded Migrants 

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Goldcrests, 2 Coal Tits, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Grasshopper Warbler - the latest ever record for the Obs, 13 Blackbirds and 4 Wheatears.

Wheatear

Others

420 Wigeons, 70 Teal, 4 Pintails, 1 Peregrine, 1 Water Rail, 51 Ringed Plovers, 26 Golden Plovers, 115 Sanderlings, 120 Dunlins, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Spotted Redshank and 5 Med. Gulls

Ringing

4 Blue Tits and 2 Great Tits.