Tuesday, 11th October 2016

A very frustrating morning as the potential bird of the Autumn, a Red-throated Pipit, flew straight through! IG was doing a vis count on the embankment by the Obs tower when he heard `peeez` coming from behind (he knew exactly what the bird was as he is familiar with the call from several years birding in Asia). As he turned round the Pipit seemed to be coming from the area around the 16th tee where there were several golfers walking around. It gained height and flew east calling about every three seconds, a distinct thin drawn out `peeez`.Unfortunatley this is the pitfall of regular vis counting on the coast, every so often you pick a rare bird up on call and watch as it flies straight over and off into the distance.There's nothing you can do except forget about it and carry on!

Offshore 

11 Shelducks east, 6 Wigeons west, 2 Teal west, 25 Common Scoters west, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers west, 1 Red-throated Diver west and 1 Auk sp. east.

Visible Migration

117 Pink-footed Geese south, 24 Jackdaws south, 24 Skylarks south, 11 Fieldfares south-east, 3 Song Thrushes south-east, 214 Redwings south-east, 1 Grey Wagtail south, 12 Alba Wagtails south, 33 Meadow Pipits south, 22 Chaffinch south-east, 31 Greenfinch south, 4 Linnets south and 3 Reed Buntings south-east.

Grounded Migrants 

20 Goldcrests, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap, 6 Song Thrushes, 75 Redwings, 1 Stonechat and 6 Reed Buntings.

Others

330 Wigeons, 65 Teal, 6 Pintails, 4 Shovelers, 7 Little Egrets, 43 Golden Plovers, 500 Lapwings, 41 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Ruff, 75 Dunlins, 550 Redshanks, 1 Med. Gull, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Cetti's Warblers and 150 Goldfinch.

 

 Yellow-legged Gull

Ringing

4 Goldcrests, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Wren, 1 Redwing, 1 Robin and 1 Reed Bunting.

 

 Above is the British race of Goldcrest and below is a 'continental' bird.

Both were trapped and ringed today. The continental bird is noticeably

paler and brighter than our own birds. Note that it is much greyer 

around the head and neck, and the mantle is greener and brighter.