Saturday, 19th October 2013

The main feature today was an arrival of Wigeon, with many moving west offshore and a large flock of 500 on the marshes.

 

Offshore 

222 Wigeons west, 12 Teal west, 9 Pintails west, 274 Common Scoters west, 1 Velvet Scoter still present, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers west & 4 on the sea, 3 Red-throated Divers west, 1 Gannet west, 2 Great Crested Grebes west, 1 Arctic Skua west, 1 Guillemot and 7 Auk sp. west.

Visible Migration 

1 Buzzard south, 21 Lapwings west high offshore, 2 Skylarks east, 1 Starling 'in off', 1 Redwing south-east, 1 Grey Wagtail south, 3 Alba Wagtails south, 7 Meadow Pipits south/south-east, 3 Rock Pipits south, 23 Chaffinch east/south-east, 6 Greenfinch east/south-east, 6 Goldfinch east/south-east and 2 Reed Buntings east.

Grounded Migrants 

3 Goldcrests, 1 Chiffchaff, 10 Blackbirds, 2 Song Thrushes, 7 Redwings, 2 Wheatears, 1 Brambling and 1 Lesser Redpoll.

 

 Wheatear and Stonechat

Brambling

Others

500 Wigeon, 130 Teal, 6 Pintails, 41 Ringed Plovers, 22 Golden Plovers, 126 Grey Plovers, 200 Knot, 280 Sanderlings, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 300 Dunlins, 23 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Spotted Redshank, 280 Turnstones, 2 Med. Gulls and 1 Barn Owl.

Ringing

1 Wren, 1 Chaffinch and 4 Greenfinches.

 

 Chaffinch

Friday, 18th October 2013

Offshore 

1 Tufted Duck west, 33 Common Scoters west, 1 male Velvet Scoter seen again on the sea, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers west, 1 Red-throated Diver west, 1 Gannet west, 1 Guillemot and 8 Auk sp. west.

Visible Migration 

23 Pink-footed Geese south, 1 Carrion Crow south, 3 Skylarks east, 7 Blackbirds south-east, 6 Redwings south-east, 7 Starlings south, 2 Grey Wagtails south, 11 Alba Wagtails south/south-east, 13 Meadow Pipits south/south-east, 98 Chaffinch east/south-east, 3 Bramblings east/south-east, 16 Greenfinch east/south-east and 3 Goldfinch east/south-east.

 

 Pink-footed Geese

Grounded Migrants

6 Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Ring Ouzel - noisy bird flying around just after dawn and nearly trapped for ringing, 43 Blackbirds, 2 Fieldfares, 11 Song Thrushes, 33 Redwings and 1 Wheatear.

Others

16 Snipe, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Med. Gull, 1 Barn Owl and 1 Stonechat.

 

 Ring Ouzel

Ringing

3 Blackbirds, 1 Redwing, 2 Wrens, 11 Greenfinch and 1 Reed Bunting.

 

 Reed Bunting

Thursday, 17th October 2013

Offshore

52 Common Scoters west, 1 male Velvet Scoter - on sea by the coastguards before flying off west, 9 Red-breasted Mergansers east & 1 west, 4 Red-throated Divers west, 1 Great Northern Diver west (Monday`s adult again), 1 Gannet east, 1 Kittiwake west, 4 Guillemots west, 1 Razorbill west and 102 Auk sp. west.

Visible Migration 

3 Skylarks east, 3 Alba Wagtails south, 10 Meadow Pipits south, 17 Chaffinch east, 10 Greenfinch east and 2 Siskins east.

Grounded Migrants

5 Goldcrests, 35 Blackbirds, 4 Song Thrushes, 14 Redwings, 1 Stonechat and 2 Wheatears.

 

 Stonechat

 

 Wheatear

Others 

1 Peregrine, 4 Water Rails, 34 Ringed Plovers, 225 Sanderlings, 220 Turnstones, 1 Med. Gull and 1 Barn Owl.

Ringing 

1 Goldcrest, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Robin, 1 Wren and 4 Greenfinch.

 

 Grey Heron

Wednesday, 16th October 2013

Offshore

6 Shelducks west, 33 Common Scoters west, 2 Red-throated Divers west, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Guillemots, 1 Razorbill and 15 Auk sp. east.

Visible Migration

6 Whooper Swans east, 181 Pink-footed Geese east, 1 Sparrowhawk east, 14 Carrion Crows east/south-east, 10 Skylarks east, 26 Starlings south, 1 Blackbird south-east, 2 Fieldfares east, 4 Song Thrushes south-east, 26 Redwings east, 2 Tree Sparrows east, 1 Grey Wagtail east, 17 Alba Wagtails south/south-east, 27 Meadow Pipits east, 215 Chaffinch east/south-east, 7 Bramblings east/south-east, 24 Greenfinch east/south-east, 38 Goldfinch east/south-east, 2 Linnets south, 2 Redpolls east and 6 Reed Buntings east.

 

 Whooper Swans

Grounded Migrants

2 Goldcrests, 20 Blackbirds, 5 Fieldfares, 7 Song Thrushes, 55 Redwings, 2 Wheatears and 1 Reed Bunting.

Others 

300 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Peregrine, 32 Golden Plovers, 600 Lapwings, 1 Med. Gull and 1 Stonechat.

Ringing

3 Great Tits, 1 Wren, 1 Chaffinch and 2 Greenfinches.

Tuesday, 15th October 2013

The main feature today was a good 'vis' movement with the majority of the birds moving east, the highlight being a single Yellowhammer. A Black Redstart found in the afternoon was the first this Autumn.

Offshore

13 Teal west, 17 Eiders, 94 Common Scoters east, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers east, 2 Red-throated Divers west & 1 on the sea, 1 Gannet east, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Guillemots, 2 Razorbills and 41 Auk sp. east.

Visible Migration 

4 Whooper Swans east, 94 Pink-footed Geese south, 1 Little Egret east, 3 Snipe east, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker east, 19 Jackdaws east, 2 Rooks east, 18 Carrion Crows east, 43 Skylarks east, 4 Swallows south, 19 Starlings south, 1 Dunnock east, 1 Grey Wagtail south, 22 Alba Wagtails south/south-east, 71 Meadow Pipits east, 3 Rock Pipits east, 208 Chaffinch east/south-east, 6 Bramblings east/south-east, 67 Greenfinch east/south-east, 41 Goldfinch east/south-east, 7 Siskins east, 12 Linnets south, 1 Redpoll south-west, 1 Yellowhammer east and 36 Reed Buntings east.

Grounded Migrants

5 Goldcrests, 1 Chiffchaff, 26 Blackbirds, 11 Fieldfares, 10 Song Thrushes, 75 Redwings, 1 Black Redstart, 3 Stonechats, 5 Wheatears and 6 Reed Buntings.

Stonechat

Others 

600 Pink-footed Geese, 3 Pintails, 1 Peregrine, 1 Water Rail, 31 Ringed Plovers, 55 Sanderlings, 14 Black-tailed Godwits, 200 Turnstones, 3 Med. Gulls and 1 Barn Owl.

Ringing

1 Great Tit, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Wren, 1 Robin, 12 Chaffinch and 15 Greenfinch.

 Fieldfare

Monday, 14th October 2013

Strong northerly winds in Autumn are usually poor for sea-watching here, but today was surprisingly good. One of the first birds seen this morning was a Black Guillemot flying east and 5 minutes later a cracking Great Northern Diver flew east just offshore - the closest seen off here in 30 years of sea-watching at the site. A little later a superb male Velvet Scoter flew into the Bay.

Offshore 

4 Wigeon west, 1 Teal east, 1 Pintail west, 55 Common Scoters east, 1 male Velvet Scoter east, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers west, 6 Red-throated Divers east, 1 west & 1 on the sea, 1 adult Great Northern Diver east, 9 Gannets east, 1 juvenile Shag, 1 Great Crested Grebe east, 12 Guillemots, 5 Razorbills, 40 Auk sp. and 1 1st winter Black Guillemot east at 07:55.

Visible Migration 

14 Pink-footed Geese south, 1 Grey Heron east, 4 Alba Wagtails south and 7 Meadow Pipits south.

Grounded Migrants

2 Goldcrests, 2 Song Thrushes, 12 Redwings and 3 Wheatears.

 

 Wheatear

Others

225 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 1 Little Egret, 1 Peregrine, 9 Black-tailed Godwits and 1 Med. Gull.

Ringing

1 Goldcrest, 2 Blue Tits, 1 Great Tit and 3 Greenfinches.

 

 Goldcrest

 

 Greenfinch

Sunday, 13th October 2013

Offshore

84 Common Scoters west, 4 Red-throated Divers west, 1 Great Crested Grebe east, 1 Guillemot west and 14 Auk sp. east.

Visible Migration

147 Pink-footed Geese south, 3 Alba Wagtails south, 10 Meadow Pipits south, 6 Chaffinch south and 3 Goldfinch east.

Grounded Migrants

3 Goldcrests, 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Song Thrushes, 6 Redwings and 3 Wheatears.

 

 Wheatear

Others

320 Wigeons, 100 Teal, 2 Pintails, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Merlin, 2 Water Rails, 38 Ringed Plovers, 63 Sanderlings, 19 Black-tailed Godwits, 270 Turnstones, 1 Med. Gull and 3 Rock Pipits.