Monday 13 October 2014

Fogbound

Having heard about all the great birds that were bouncing around everywhere I was chomping at the bit to get out on Sunday having missed out on Saturday due to family commitments .So when I opened curtains and saw a real pea souper it brought me down with a bump.
We went out anyway as you never know there could be a really salacious bad ass bird out there ready to been seen.
The first thing I noticed was there were Robins ticking away in the hedges and a count of 25 plus were logged. The last vestiges of summer hung on with 3 Chiffchaff and a male Blackcap that was feeding on elderberries.
The usual haunt held a Bullfinch and a couple of Jays were heard screeching from the undergrowth .
Overhead some birds still moved over below the fog bank with a flock 17 Linnet heading south .A rather unruly gang of Starlings fed briefly on Hawthorns ,they looked as if they were migrants and a count of 100 plus was made. Skylarks were heard overhead but in the fog I only saw 9 ,likewise just 20 Meadow Pipits but I am sure there were many more about, I just could not see them in the fog ! .A small flock of 6 Greylag Geese circled over ,lost in the fog calling.
Wagtails were on the move with 5 Pied Wagtails seen and then a flock of 12 which passed over south west ,one bird sounded and looked like a good candidate for a White but in the fog I could not be sure (would of been number 86 for the year) .
The best bird seen was a superb male Stonechat on a wire fence by some rough ground ,the second bird of the Autumn for the patch .
There had been an arrival of Blackbirds overnight with at least 20 plus seen in the hedges ,also a couple of Song thrushes dropped out of the fog.
The best of the rest were a Raven, Green Woodpecker, Stock Dove ,2 Red Legged Partridge .
The high light of the week for me was the late surge of 21 Swallow on Thursday ,the first birds seen for at least 2 and half weeks ,it was great to see the last of the summer "gang" before they left for the winter.  Good luck on your journey my old mates see you next year Amigos .Lets hope the next week starts with a bang ,maybe a Great Grey Shrike ? .