Wednesday 12th October 2011

An entertaining morning with the wind speed finally easing to make the birding more enjoyable. Vis mig so far this am included 1178 Goldies, 284 Siskins, 167 Linnets, 89 Mipits, 87 Swallows, 59 Skylarks, 54 Redpolls, 43 Greenies, 42 House Martins, 18 Pied Wags, 8 Reed Bunts, 6 Rock Pipits & a Woodlark that dropped in briefly late morning before moving off south. Fairly quiet in the bushes with single figure counts of Blackcap & Chiffchaff plus a single Whitethroat. 2 Tree Sparrows were with the House Sparrows by the cottage, a Rock Pipit was on the groynes in front of the Butts & 4 Wheatears were on the reserve. A Short-eared Owl came in off the sea & a Merlin went south. Offshore pretty deadly although a Bonxie went south & a Razorbill north. Spoladea recurvalis - first site record of this migrant moth.