I can't believe that as I write this we are in early November. I know, of course, that there is still a little bit of autumn left, as finch passage can continue through to mid-November, and wildfowl movement at sea can be good in November as well. However, I have noticed that the contents of my notebook have decidedly changed to a more wintry flavour. It's funny how the warblers, hirundines, flowers, and insects slip off the pages, to be replaced by wildfowl and waders, and scrawly writing caused by cold fingers. It's not all doom and gloom, as winter can provide some delights, and it is important that we embrace every season, and enjoy what the natural world has to offer.
On the morning of the 17th October, Gail and I finally managed to complete a ringing session at Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park, the first since the 22nd September! We got there about an hour and a half before sunrise so we could get the nets up in the dark in the hope of a few Redwings.
We were kept busy, and ringed 35 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):
We were kept busy, and ringed 35 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):
Redwing - 5
Song Thrush - 1
Cetti’s Warbler - 4
Wren - 1
Blue Tit - 2
Chaffinch - 1
Reed Bunting - 1
Robin - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 11 (2)
Greenfinch - 8
Cetti's Warbler
Reed Bunting
One of the Long-tailed Tits that we recaptured, we had ringed on 10th October 2023. We cannot age Long-tailed Tits, other than when they first fledge, as both adults and juveniles have a complete moult in summer. So, all we can say is that this individual would have hatched, at the absolute latest, during the breeding season of 2023, making it at least three and a half years old when we recaptured it.
The typical life expectancy of a bird reaching breeding age is two, so our bird at three and a half, is doing well. Out of interest, the maximum age from a ringed bird is 8 years and 11 months, set in 2014.
We had clear skies, with a 10 mph north-easterly wind, and we noted some visible migration. When you are busy ringing, it is hard to keep track of everything going over, because you are walking to and from the nets, extracting and then processing the birds, all of which requires concentration, so a lot of things from a birding perspective get missed.
However, during the few minutes snatched between net rounds, where we could look and listen for a few minutes at a time, we recorded 17 Redwings, a Brambling, a Grey Wagtail, eight Chaffinches, 222 Jackdaws, eight Carrion Crows, two Goldfinches, 12 Skylarks, six Meadow Pipits, three Whooper Swans, 165 Pink-footed Geese, three Siskins, and a Jay.
However, during the few minutes snatched between net rounds, where we could look and listen for a few minutes at a time, we recorded 17 Redwings, a Brambling, a Grey Wagtail, eight Chaffinches, 222 Jackdaws, eight Carrion Crows, two Goldfinches, 12 Skylarks, six Meadow Pipits, three Whooper Swans, 165 Pink-footed Geese, three Siskins, and a Jay.
Jackdaws
It was Gail’s birthday on the day that we were ringing, so back home we had visits all day from our lovely family, and then we had a few drinks in the evening to celebrate, so consequently it was late the following morning before I got out.
I did my usual walk along the estuary from Jubilee Quay. Somebody had recorded a Black Redstart there yesterday, so I was pleased to see it fairly soon after I set off. It was a female/1st wint. male type, and it spent most of the time foraging amongst the rocks on the muddy shore, or along the quay wall. Black Redstarts are annual at the quay, with often a bird wintering between the quay and the old Fleetwood Ferry.
I did my usual walk along the estuary from Jubilee Quay. Somebody had recorded a Black Redstart there yesterday, so I was pleased to see it fairly soon after I set off. It was a female/1st wint. male type, and it spent most of the time foraging amongst the rocks on the muddy shore, or along the quay wall. Black Redstarts are annual at the quay, with often a bird wintering between the quay and the old Fleetwood Ferry.
Black Redstart (above & below)
Out on the mud of the quay were just 21 Redshanks, 11 Teal, 10 Mallards, and four Oystercatchers.
It was obvious that had I been out at first light, there would have been quite a lot of vis along the coast between Rossall Point and the Mount, as even by lunchtime there were birds going over the quay.
I recorded two Bramblings, a handful of Chaffinches, seven Whooper Swans, a couple of Grey Wags, 83 Redwings (mainly high east), five Skylarks, and my first Fieldfares of the autumn, with two birds heading north into wind.
I also had a Red Admiral and a Small Tortoiseshell on the wing.
It was obvious that had I been out at first light, there would have been quite a lot of vis along the coast between Rossall Point and the Mount, as even by lunchtime there were birds going over the quay.
I recorded two Bramblings, a handful of Chaffinches, seven Whooper Swans, a couple of Grey Wags, 83 Redwings (mainly high east), five Skylarks, and my first Fieldfares of the autumn, with two birds heading north into wind.
I also had a Red Admiral and a Small Tortoiseshell on the wing.
We only managed to run our Thornton Cleveleys garden light trap once during that week, on the 19th October, and as we expect at this time of year, we only had two moths of two species, Angle Shades and a Rusty Dot Pearl. There was also a species of Harvestman in the trap, which I think was Opilio canestrinii.
Over the 22nd and 23rd October, I tried to get out and record, and both days I got wet! On the 22nd I walked around Fleetwood Cemetery in the rain, and recorded very little, and in the Mount Park it wasn’t much better, but at least I had a Goldcrest and a Jay.
The rain eased, and I did my usual walk along the estuary from Jubilee Quay. Out on the mud of the quay were 92 Redshanks, 22 Teal, 15 Oystercatchers, three Curlews, and a Knot.
I enjoyed watching the Teal doing what I call ‘sledge feeding’ across the wet mud. The Handbook of the Birds of Europe the Middle East and North Africa – The Birds of the Western Palearctic – Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks, describes this as “walks slowly, filtering mud with bill, in water of a few centimetres”, which is exactly what they were doing.
They all had dirty bellies from ‘sledge feeding’, as they would stretch their necks out, rest their belly on the mud, and push themselves along with their legs & feet, moving their heads side to side to filter the mud.
The rain eased, and I did my usual walk along the estuary from Jubilee Quay. Out on the mud of the quay were 92 Redshanks, 22 Teal, 15 Oystercatchers, three Curlews, and a Knot.
I enjoyed watching the Teal doing what I call ‘sledge feeding’ across the wet mud. The Handbook of the Birds of Europe the Middle East and North Africa – The Birds of the Western Palearctic – Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks, describes this as “walks slowly, filtering mud with bill, in water of a few centimetres”, which is exactly what they were doing.
They all had dirty bellies from ‘sledge feeding’, as they would stretch their necks out, rest their belly on the mud, and push themselves along with their legs & feet, moving their heads side to side to filter the mud.
'Sledge' feeding Teal
A lovely adult male Sparrowhawk coasted across the embryo saltmarsh, but surprisingly it didn’t trouble any of the waders, but the Meadow Pipits and Linnets weren’t happy.
On the river, just off the muddy edge, were 12 Wigeon, and three Little Egrets fed in the shallow water as the tide ebbed. Towards the mouth of the estuary, near the old Fleetwood Ferry, a male Eider coming out of eclipse plumage was swimming amongst the pier legs.
On the river, just off the muddy edge, were 12 Wigeon, and three Little Egrets fed in the shallow water as the tide ebbed. Towards the mouth of the estuary, near the old Fleetwood Ferry, a male Eider coming out of eclipse plumage was swimming amongst the pier legs.
Little Egret
I returned again in the afternoon, hoping it would warm up sufficiently for a few late insects, but all I could find was a single Marmalade Hoverfly. On the way home I stopped to count the Pink-footed Geese in the fields at Fleetwood Farm, and they numbered 180, with three Curlews amongst them.
Marmalade Hoverfly
The following morning, I was back at the cemetery for a proper soaking. At first the rain wasn’t too heavy, and I was hoping that it might have dropped a few migrants in, but that wasn’t the case. Thirteen Chaffinches, with a single Brambling amongst them headed northeast, and seven Goldfinches were the only visible migrants, sort of.
Walking south across the middle of the cemetery, I heard some Long-tailed Tits calling from behind me, which I thought was odd as there is no cover at this spot at all, I looked round and there were 15 of them dropping down high from the northeast. They dived into the central Privet hedge, and were flying backwards and forwards to odd clumps of Broom, obviously very restless. They then took off, and disappeared to the southwest. Eight Blackbirds were noteworthy, and will have undoubtedly been migrants.
Walking south across the middle of the cemetery, I heard some Long-tailed Tits calling from behind me, which I thought was odd as there is no cover at this spot at all, I looked round and there were 15 of them dropping down high from the northeast. They dived into the central Privet hedge, and were flying backwards and forwards to odd clumps of Broom, obviously very restless. They then took off, and disappeared to the southwest. Eight Blackbirds were noteworthy, and will have undoubtedly been migrants.
We then entered a period of very wet and windy weather, and it was the afternoon of the 28th October before I got out, as the weather started to improve, and I had a mid-afternoon walk along the estuary from Jubilee Quay.
Just after I got out of my car, three Grey Wagtails flew over, chasing each other. The tide was starting to ebb whilst I was there, but there were still few opportunities for the waders to forage when I commenced my walk, so they were still roosting on a raised area of mud. With the 242 Redshanks were 12 Knot, and when I returned, they had dispersed, and were feeding on areas of exposed, wet mud.
Just after I got out of my car, three Grey Wagtails flew over, chasing each other. The tide was starting to ebb whilst I was there, but there were still few opportunities for the waders to forage when I commenced my walk, so they were still roosting on a raised area of mud. With the 242 Redshanks were 12 Knot, and when I returned, they had dispersed, and were feeding on areas of exposed, wet mud.
Redshanks
It was a little warmer and calmer than of late, and as a result, a number of Common Drone Flies, and a couple of queen Buff-tailed Bumblebees were on the wing.
I was back out again the following morning, and I was hoping for a bit of visible migration in the light south-easterly wind, with near complete cloud cover. I recorded vis over Fleetwood Cemetery, Mount Park, and Jubilee Quay, so I have lumped the totals together. The direction of movement was bit all over the place, with some birds moving east, west, south, and even north. As always, Chaffinches were frustrating, with lots of calls heard, but relatively few seen.
My vis totals were 53 Chaffinches, a Reed Bunting, 135 Pink-footed Geese, two Song Thrushes, 54 Starlings, six Skylarks, 592 Jackdaws, two Ravens, a Collared Dove, a Brambling, five Siskins, a Grey Wagtail, four Goldfinches, a Greenfinch, a Mistle Thrush, and a Rock Pipit.
There were few grounded migrants around, other than eleven Blackbirds, a Goldcrest, several Chaffinches, and three Redwings.
In the cemetery, I had a Great Spotted Woodpecker arrive from the east, drop into the tops of some Sycamores briefly, and then head off south. I even had a Magpie carrying nest material, which might seem odd, but they do carry out some repairs to nests during winter.
I was back out again the following morning, and I was hoping for a bit of visible migration in the light south-easterly wind, with near complete cloud cover. I recorded vis over Fleetwood Cemetery, Mount Park, and Jubilee Quay, so I have lumped the totals together. The direction of movement was bit all over the place, with some birds moving east, west, south, and even north. As always, Chaffinches were frustrating, with lots of calls heard, but relatively few seen.
My vis totals were 53 Chaffinches, a Reed Bunting, 135 Pink-footed Geese, two Song Thrushes, 54 Starlings, six Skylarks, 592 Jackdaws, two Ravens, a Collared Dove, a Brambling, five Siskins, a Grey Wagtail, four Goldfinches, a Greenfinch, a Mistle Thrush, and a Rock Pipit.
There were few grounded migrants around, other than eleven Blackbirds, a Goldcrest, several Chaffinches, and three Redwings.
In the cemetery, I had a Great Spotted Woodpecker arrive from the east, drop into the tops of some Sycamores briefly, and then head off south. I even had a Magpie carrying nest material, which might seem odd, but they do carry out some repairs to nests during winter.
Great Spotted Woodpecker (honest)
I was walking back along the sea wall on the estuary close to the old Fleetwood ferry, when I noticed a Kingfisher flying along the side of the wall, and it passed directly below me. It was a fantastic view looking down on it as it flew past, even though it was brief.
A few minutes later, I heard it, or another calling, but I didn’t see it. When I got back to the quay, I was stood on the wall adjacent to the wrecks, and I flushed a Kingfisher from the rocks below me. It flew up onto one of the wrecks, and then moved onto another wreck further away from me.
A few minutes later, I heard it, or another calling, but I didn’t see it. When I got back to the quay, I was stood on the wall adjacent to the wrecks, and I flushed a Kingfisher from the rocks below me. It flew up onto one of the wrecks, and then moved onto another wreck further away from me.
Kingfisher
I managed to get a few distant shots, and when it was on the furthest wreck it really amused me. It (she) was perched on the prow of this wreck, looking intently at the water flooding the embryo saltmarsh below her, and every time I zoomed my camera, the electronic noise of the lens extending would cause her to turn and look at me, and then she would turn back to concentrate on her fishing. I zoomed my lens in and out a couple of times, and each time she would turn to give me what was probably a glare!
As I was putting my gear in the car on the morning of the 30th October to go to Fleetwood, I had a flock of 38 Redwings head north over our garden, and I thought this might bode well for a bit of visible migration. It didn’t, although compared to the following morning, the vis was a lot better.
Again, I have just lumped my vis totals for three sites (Fleetwood Cemetery, Mount Park and Jubilee Quay) as follows; 41 Chaffinches, 212 Pink-footed Geese, 15 Carrion Crows, 130 Jackdaws, 61 Starlings, two Greenfinches, five Meadow Pipits, nine Rooks, five Skylarks, five Pied Wagtails, two Goldfinches, a Rock Pipit, a Reed Bunting, seven Linnets, and three Redwings.
Again, I have just lumped my vis totals for three sites (Fleetwood Cemetery, Mount Park and Jubilee Quay) as follows; 41 Chaffinches, 212 Pink-footed Geese, 15 Carrion Crows, 130 Jackdaws, 61 Starlings, two Greenfinches, five Meadow Pipits, nine Rooks, five Skylarks, five Pied Wagtails, two Goldfinches, a Rock Pipit, a Reed Bunting, seven Linnets, and three Redwings.
Meadow Pipit
One of the things that I like about this time of the year when out and about early in the morning, is the constant ‘fink-fink’ calls of Chaffinches that have dropped in to the tops of mature trees, and call excitedly to each other before moving on. At the cemetery I watched eight drop in to the top of some Sycamores, lots of ‘fink-fink’ calls, and then they threw themselves into the air, and continued south.
Moving on to Mount, I had two Song Thrushes, that were obviously grounded migrants, foraging in some short grass on the edge of one of the main paths. It was such a pleasure spending time in the company of these now not so common members of the Thrush family.
Song Thrush
Later on at Jubilee Quay, I did my usual walk along the estuary. Out on the mud of the quay were 82 Redshanks, and five Curlews. Out in the dock channel was an eclipse male Shoveler and the hybrid Pintail that I have seen at numerous sites around the peninsula. It has definitely got a fair amount of Pintail in it, with perhaps some Gadwall?
Eclipse male Shoveler
The following morning, I was back in the cemetery, but as I suggested at the start of this post, the visible migration was next to nothing. It started off bright and clear, but within less than an hour thick mist rolled in, bringing to an end what little vis there was.
A Dunnock dropped in high from the north, and 21 Long-tailed Tits moved along the western edge of the cemetery. The nest building Magpies were present once again, breaking branches off, before flying away. I have seen them nest building in December before, but never as early as this.
Later in the afternoon we had a good record for our Thornton Cleveleys garden in the form of a male Great Spotted Woodpecker. He was hanging very incongruously off one of the seed feeders, before switching to more Woodpecker-like feeding behaviour, searching for invertebrates on a mature Willow trunk, and then on the Apple tree.
A Dunnock dropped in high from the north, and 21 Long-tailed Tits moved along the western edge of the cemetery. The nest building Magpies were present once again, breaking branches off, before flying away. I have seen them nest building in December before, but never as early as this.
Later in the afternoon we had a good record for our Thornton Cleveleys garden in the form of a male Great Spotted Woodpecker. He was hanging very incongruously off one of the seed feeders, before switching to more Woodpecker-like feeding behaviour, searching for invertebrates on a mature Willow trunk, and then on the Apple tree.
Grandparent duties on Samhain prevented me getting out early, which worked in well as it was misty again. I headed to Jubilee Quay, but called in at one of my other local patches, Fleetwood Marine Lakes, where a Great Northern Diver had been found yesterday afternoon. I had great views of the juvenile Great Northern, and headed to the Quay. I think the last one on here was in 2010, and it was a bird that stayed around for quite a while.
Great Northern Diver (above & below)
Three Grey Wagtails were present, including one bird that was catching insects on top of the quay wall. Twenty-three Teal were ‘sledge’ feeding out on the mud, and 47 Wigeon were at the mouth of the dock channel.
Grey Wagtail
As it was the first of the month, I recorded all the plants that I could find that were still in flower. I like to do this at the start of the month at all the sites that I visit.
And that was October.
