So after the huge Woodpigeon migration on Wednesday , I was pumped about what was going to happen on Thursday so Willow and I were out by 8am , well you can guess what happened , I managed to count a whole 10 birds but I really think they were local birds and not migrants as I had hoped.
So having established that over head migration was not going to be like the day before Willow and I got down to finding what may have arrived over night .
In the hedges were 17 plus Robins, 16 plus Blackbird both were supplemented by obvious continental birds. It was great to see a pair of superb Bullfinch in the usual place, they seem to be here for the winter as are the 7 Redwing ,the numbers are really small and I am beginning to wonder when the large numbers we usually enjoy are going to arrive with us .A fine flock of 20 plus Long Tailed Tits was a great sight as they fed along the hedgerows.
The best birds seen in the hedges were 2 superb Stonechats which were feeding near a dung heap ,they really are glorious birds ,a bird of much wilder country than we have here ,where thanks to the local farmer most of the fields and hedgerows look like a landing strip .
Eventually a few birds got moving overhead with 20 plus Skylarks over along with 39 plus Linnet over to the south . They were joined by 16 plus Goldfinch and 28 Chaffinch which moved south , so it seemed as if a few finches were on the move . The tail end of the Meadow Pipit passage goes on and 14 plus were on pasture or moved over south ,likewise Pied Wagtail numbered 16 plus .The last overhead migrant was a Mistle Thrush .
We still have 4 Jays on site the usual Greater Spotted (3) and Green Woodpeckers were about. A skien of 32 Greylag Geese moved from the river meadows over head heading inland to feed and 4 Stock Dove were in the usual haunts.
The bird of prey count was 2 Buzzard and a female Kestrel .
Friday dawned another grey and mild affair ,a slight drizzle was in the air as we left the cottage, I have long since given up looking at the weather charts in the hope of a cold snap which might bring in something exciting.
So the hedges were still full of Robins gazing lustfully at each others winter quarters and I managed to count 15 plus this morning .There were a lot less Blackbirds today ,a big drop in numbers after the last few days. The small number of Redwings were still in the hedges with 20 plus been seen .A flock of very distant presumed 10 Fieldfares would be nice as yet they seem to have not arrived hereabouts but they were so far away it was difficult to really get a firm Id.
There was a small passage of Woodpigeons this morning with 135 plus birds heading due south the largest flock being 71 birds. It only lasted half an hour and I was getting ready for another onslaught but it seem to peter out just as it got going , however a huge count of 45 pus Stock Dove on stubble must of been migrants perhaps brought down by the drizzle.
Finches on the move were 28 plus Linnet and 20 plus Chaffinch which headed west. On the Finch front a good count of 5 Bullfinch was had today ,so my Bullfinch fan should be happy for the time being at least.
Meadow Pipits numbered 33 plus with some passing over south others feeding on pasture . Skylarks only got to 12 plus this morning but I heard others passing over. Only 3 Pied Wagtails today after a run of good days.
The first Ravens for a number of days were over the patch with 3 been seen today and a single Mistle Thrush was on station .
The best of the rest were 3 Jay, a male Kestrel ,Green Woodpecker and a Greater Spotted Woodpecker. Bring on the cold weather that's what I say.
