Grafham Water - 8 October 2012

A more lively morning with a light ENE breeze and low temperatures overnight combining to encourage migration...covered the dam and adjacent areas from 0645-0945

Jay - a group of 6 flying high and purposefully SW with a further 3 S later, 3 Swallows south,

8 House Martins S, Chiffchaff numbers down to 4, c 18 Goldcrests, 420 Starlings mostly SW, 20 + Blackbirds at the model farm gorging frenetically on berries were obvious migrants, 21 Redwings mostly south with 8 dropping in, c230 Meadow Pipits S with c. 300 grounded, 17 alba Wagtails S with <15 on the ground, c 35 Chaffinches S, 1 Brambling S, 2 Siskin S, Goldfinches moving in numbers with c 170 S, 16 Lesser Redpolls S, 1 Redpoll sp S, c 25 Reed Buntings, and an increase in Yellowhammer numbers to c 14.
9 Little Egrets and 4 Yellow-legged Gulls were the only notable birds on or near the water. 

Redwing heading over south

and a recently arrived Redwing