Grafham Water - 29 October 2012

Covered the dam and adjacent areas for three hours from 06.45 initially quite cloudy then brightening up considerably.

Three windblown adult Kittiwakes one of which was just below the dam wall and a Firecrest at the south end of the dam were the highlights.
Thrushes were still on the move though in reduced numbers, 780 Fieldfares SW in sporadic large flocks though only 93 Redwings were counted. Other species on the move included 2700 Starlings west, 240 Lapwings South, 32 Skylarks south, and 40 Meadow Pipits south. Otherwise there were 9 Goldeneyes, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Rock Pipit on the dam and 1 House Martin and 2 Swallows at the Model Farm.

overflying Fieldfare

adult Kittiwake

Toseland Fields - 28 October 2012

Wandered around the fields west of Toseland from 1500 hrs until dusk.

The best bird of the session was seen on arrival, a female Merling flying low west over the stubble fields toward the Ouse Valley. Thrushes were still on the move with 950 Fieldfares SW and a nice flock of c400 alternating between a berry laden hedge and the stubble fields in company with c 160 Redwings, c 60 Song Thrushes and c 80 Blackbirds. 17 Robins was a higher count than the normal density for this kind of habitat and must have included continental immigrants. 8 Tree Sparrows and 16 Siskins flew south.

Fieldfares heading south-west 

Little Paxton Balcony vis mig - 28 October 2012

Following yesterdays howling northerlies during which the highlight was 11 Whoopers that flew SW along the Ouse valley at 10.10 am a return to winds with a south-westerly element I spent the morning intermittently vis migging from the balcony 07.30 - 11.00 hrs.

Thrushes were moving in numbers today with 1,800 Fieldfares SW, c. 1100 Redwings SW, 230 Song Thrushes SW. Starlings were also on the move with 2000+ flying west. Otherwise 6 Bramblings SW was the highlight.

Toseland Fields - 24 October 2012

Still murky with mizzle and a keen north-easterly, the sort of week to be in the field every day,
could only manage a couple of hours from 4 pm locally today.

Thrushes have clearly moved on from the coast - 420 Fieldfares through SW, Redwing c 170 SW,
18 Song Thrushes SW, and 7 Reed Buntings flew high S. 3 Golden Plovers looked and sounded lost calling heading low over the stubble fields and landing in a nearby winter wheat field. A Barn Owl along the valley at dusk was a fitting end to the afternoon.

Nene Mouth - 22 October 2012

A visit to this area which in my view is a good migration watchpoint with a variety of habitats including fen fields, copses, hedgerows with narrow reed fringed pools and the impressive atmospheric backdrop of the vast bleak wilderness that is The Wash.

Ideal fall conditions of thick murk, mizzle and north-easterlies the hour or so drive from home couldn't pass quickly enough, I spent the morning from 08.00 to around midday slowly working the area...

Good numbers of thrushes dropping in, some seen and many others only heard as they passed overhead, difficult to quantify the numbers but c 60 Song Thrushes, c 310 Blackbirds, c900 Redwings (possibly double this number), c 700 Fieldfares and 6+ Ring Ouzels. Other notable species/numbers included c 140 Robins, c 150 Goldcrests, 2 Black Redstarts near Lodge Farm, 4 Swallows through south, 4 Chiffchaffs  all of which looked like abietinus, c 600 Starlings. Non-passerines were represented by c. 60 Brent Geese,a male Merlin, a ringtail Hen Harrier, a single juvenile Arctic Skua along the river and 16 Snipe which dropped in. Marvellous stuff, leaving the camera at home was the only negative though photography on a day like this would have been problematic and time consuming in any case, a day to enjoy.

Grafham - 21 October 2012

Wandered along the dam and watched the gull roost build up from the Marlow area for a couple of hours in increasingly gloomy dour conditions until the rain set in from 17.30.

The laridae highlights were limited to a single first calendar year Caspian Gull, 7 Yellow-legged Guls (4 adults, 2 first calendar years and a second calendar year) and at least 12 striking argentatus Herring Gulls with very limited black and extensive white on the wing tips.

Otherwise 3 Goldeneye circled the reservoir in the gloom and a Short-eared Owl across the fields east of the dam were about it.

Balcony migration - 21 October 2012

A two hour watch from 0700 from the Little Paxton balcony  in initially calm and misty conditions with a northerly breeze picking up.

Still a fair bit of movement today though lower numbers than yesterday

Rock Pipit 1 SE calling, Meadow Pipit 21 SW, Song Thrush 13 SW, Blackbird 7 SW, Redwing 4 dropped in, Goldfinch 21 S, Chaffinch 26 WNW, Brambling 1 W, Linnet 16 SW, Tree Sparrow 4 S.