Ian and I went to the 'obs' yesterday and it was very quiet and it felt for the first time that autumn was really slowing down. We had the nets up in the dark and hoped for a few Thrushes to be tape lured own, but all we caught was a single Redwing. We ringed 24 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):
On my way home I called at my feeding station on Rawcliffe Moss to put some more seed out. I wasn't sure whether there would be many birds using it and I was surprised to find 70 Tree Sparrows there even though it was late afternoon. Accompanying the Tree Sparrows were 7 Chaffinch and I heard a Brambling call but didn't see it.
Tree Sparrow
To the west of the feeding station on the neighbouring farm were 3,075 Pink-footed Geese that kept getting flushed and lifting up. Coming from the same direction were a group of 16 Skylarks and I had a further 5 as I walked along the edge of the 'big field'.
Along the hedge and ditch were 6 Reed Buntings and I didn't record anything more of interest on my short walk round.
I'd set the recorder on the TV to record the Moto GP from Malaysia this morning as I was hoping to be out birding, but the weather was pretty awful at first light, so I decided to watch the Moto GP live instead.
The Moto GP world lost what was one of it's greatest talents in Marco this morning when he was killed on the second lap of the race. I felt sick to the 'core' and my heart goes out to his friends and family. At only 24 years old he had the 'biggest balls' in the Moto GP paddock and had buckets full of talent; a future Moto GP world champion without doubt (he already had the 250 cc crown). Sunday afternoons won't be the same without watching him weave his magic on two wheels. Very sad and sorely missed already.
I was looking for the near impossible this morning, some shleter on a north facing coast from the 15 - 20 mph southerly wind with some elevation so I could count the vis and keep my eye on the sea! I did actually find a nice depression on the north side of the dunes that was really sheltered and high enough for me to peer over the top towards the south to count any vis. And vis there was, mainly in the form of Chaffinch.
Chaffinch
With the wind in the south and the fact it is late October I knew that there could be quite a few Chaffinch around this morning and I wasn't wrong as I had 754 move in a general southerly direction (anywhere between south and west). The supporting cast was 4 Meadow Pipits, 45 Starlings (including 16 in-off the sea), Rock Pipit, 2 Carrion Crows, 2 Bramblings (or should I say 2 Brambling calls; there is a difference!), 4 Linnets, 4 Skylarks and a single Alba Wag.
As the tide dropped waders flew in to feed and I had 323 Oystercatchers, 8 Knot, 131 Sanderlings and 90 Turnstone. The sea was quiet with just 26 Cormorants, 6 Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, 31 Common Scoters, 3 Auk sp., 5 Shelducks and 40 Kittiwakes.
A juvenile Merlin gave a cracking display this morning. It dropped onto the beach with prey, although I couldn't see what it had caught, and then it was flushed so it headed back along the beach east. It later came past me again, before doubling back once again.
Not a gripping morning, but nevertheless interesting.
I'm off to see the folk duo Show Of Hands tonight. You have probably guessed that I am more of a 'rocker' than a 'folkie', but I do indulge in a bit of folk sometimes. Below is a clip of Show of Hands performing Country Life in which they lament the change in the British countryside. Enjoy!
It was also raining the usual 'wet stuff' when I was heading to the obs this morning. In fact when I got there I had to sit in my car for five minutes until it stopped before I could put the nets up. I was on my own this morning, so I only put three nets up, but that was plenty as I became very busy! At first light the wind was southerly, perhaps just about 5 mph with virtually full cloud cover, but by the end of the morning the skies had cleared an the wind had swung round to a 10-15 mph NNW.
I ringed 73 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):
I also controlled two Greenfinch; TR20075 and TR90261 anyone?
Greenfinch
There was some vis this morning, but I was so busy ringing that it was virtually impossible to count anything. So the following totals are huge under estimates for certain species: 2 Redwings, 3 Song Thrush, 5 Bramblings, 27 Chaffinch, 19 Meadow Pipits, 2 Fieldfares, 3 Alba Wags, 5 Goldfinch, 3 Grey Wagtails, Reed Bunting, Siskin, 3 Skylarks and 2 Rock Pipits.
Other than the vis I had 570 Pink-footed Geese dropping onto the farm across the road to feed. The weather is looking a bit mixed over the next few days and I have just been pleasantly surprised to see that there might be a window on Sunday morning for some more ringing and vis migging. Fingers crossed!
.........or did they recognise the man with the green bucket? It's that time of year again when I start feeding at my farmland bird feeding station on Rawcliffe Moss. I called yesterday morning to put the first lot of seed out and there were two or three Tree Sparrows hanging around the feeding station area and after I put the seed out within ten minutes there were 25!
The first seed drop
After I put the seed out I had a bit of wander. I had two Yellowhammers in the hedge close to the feeding station and as I walked along the '97 hedge' I had 4 Skylarks and a Crossbill called heading north. There were very few Thrushes and all I had were 4 Blackbirds, Song Thrush, 4 Fieldfares and a Redwing. Six Snipe flew south and it was then time to leave and head back to work.
I was back at the feeding station again this morning before I had to head off to the Yorkshire Dales as I wanted to put up two large nut feeders as 'reserve' feed. I use these to hold the birds if they finish all the seed before my next visit. This doesn't happen often, but when it does the peanut feeders certainly hold the Tree Sparrows.
It was very windy this morning and the flavour of the day were the Pink-footed Geese; I had 1,860 heading south. Skylark numbers had increased to 58 and Fieldfare to 18.
I got caught out in a heavy hail shower, but it produced a couple of spectacular rainbows that I managed to photograph. See below. I was hoping to get to the 'obs' Thursday morning as there seemed to be a window in the weather, but this has now gone and it looks fairly unsettled into next week!
Yep, another bunch of excuses as to why we didn't catch much this morning! Ian and I knew that it would be marginal at the 'obs', but based on the numbers of Thrushes that have been around we thought we would chance it. All we could get up were two nets and one of those was a bit 'iffy'. Redwings called in the darkness and as the first rays of the new rising sun (did you spot the Jimi Hendrix reference there?) hit the obs Fieldfares were moving too, but ignoring our MP3 players! A Barn Owl gave a great performance hunting over the meadow just in front of us, so that raised our spirits.
We only managed to ring 3 Wrens, a Dunnock and 3 Greenfinch before we decided to give up and call it a day.
Wren
Greenfinch
There was a good variety of 'vis' this morning if numbers were low and we had 9 Fieldfares, 48 Redwings, 3 Song Thrush, 38 Chaffinch, 3 Reed Buntings, 43 Meadow Pipits, 18 Alba Wagtails, 43 Carrion Crows, 17 Goldfinch, 12 Skylarks, 79 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Swallows, 3 Linnets, 30 Jackdaws, 11 Tree Sparrows, 3 Siskins, 61 Starlings, 16 Lapwings, 27 Greenfinch, Rock Pipit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Snipe, 2 Blackbirds and 3 Great Tits.
Blackbird
It's looking a bit marginal again tomorrow, but I'll be out birding or ringing, or both!
I shouildn't really have been posting this evening as Gail and I were due to see Joe Bonamassa tonight at Blackpool Opera House. However, he has come down with flu and the gig has been postponed. Have a look below at Joe below playing Sloe Gin from the Albert Hall. Stunning!
