Random Birding 2008

31st October 2008
Visible Movement (06:35-07:55am)

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 11 (W)
Stock Dove - 20 (SW)
Woodpigeon - 627 (SW)
Skylark - 8 (W)
Meadow Pipit - 3 (S)
Blackbird - 1 (W)
Fieldfare - 794 (W)
Song Thrush - 5 (W)
Redwing - 653 (W)
Starling - 522 (W)
Chaffinch - 220 (W)
Brambling - 4 (W)
Greenfinch - 5 (S)
Goldfinch - 7 (S)
Siskin - 1 (S)
Linnet - 2 (S)
Reed Bunting - 4 (W)

30th October 2008
Visible Movement (06:35-07:55am)

Grey Heron - 2 (W)
Lapwing - 8 (W)
Black-headed Gull - 33 (W)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 4 (W)
Stock Dove - 5 (SW)
Woodpigeon - 502 (SW)
Skylark - 10 (W)
Alba Wagtail - 7 (S)
RING OUZEL - 1 (W)
Blackbird - 2 (W)
Fieldfare - 314 (W)
Song Thrush - 2 (S)
Redwing - 618 (W)
Starling - 383 (W)
Chaffinch - 44 (W)
Brambling - 14 (W)
Goldfinch - 35 (S)
Siskin - 4 (S)
Linnet - 9 (S)
Reed Bunting - 2 (S)

Also:

Common Buzzard - 1
Sparrowhawk - 2
Golden Plover - 1000+
Lapwing - 100+
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Goldcrest - 6 

29th October 2008
Visible Movement (06:30-07:45am)

Cormorant - 1 (W)
Grey Heron - 1 (W)
Black-headed Gull - 6 (W)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 20 (W)
Stock Dove - 42 (SW)
Woodpigeon - 1824 (SW)
Meadow Pipit - 1 (S)
Alba Wagtail - 2 (S)
Fieldfare - 1552 (W)
Redwing - 516 (W)
Starling - 579 (W)
Chaffinch - 171 (W)
Goldfinch - 7 (S)
Linnet - 2 (S)
 

28th October 2008
Visible Movement (06:30-07:45am)

Cormorant - 3 (W)
Golden Plover - 20 (W)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 6 (W)
Stock Dove - 54 (SW)
Woodpigeon - 1850 (SW)
Skylark - 3 (W)
Meadow Pipit - 3 (S)
Alba Wagtail - 10 (S)
Fieldfare - 9 (W)
Redwing - 82 (W)
Starling - 60 (W)
Chaffinch - 264 (W)
Brambling - 1 (W)
Greenfinch - 5 (W)
Goldfinch - 35 (S)
Linnet - 12 (S)
Reed Bunting - 5 (S)

Also:

Red-legged Partridge - 43
Goldcrest - 2 

19th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:05-09:05am)
Conditions were similar to the previous day, but with a much stronger westerly. Unfortunately it was a bit of a case ‘of day after yesterday’, and apart from the constant stream of westerly moving Chaffinches (mostly in large groups of up to 40 birds), there was little real reward.

Cormorant - 2 (W)
Mute Swan - 2 adults (NE)
Sparrowhawk - 1 (W at height)
Black-headed Gull - 56 (W)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 14 (W)
Skylark - 39 (W)
Swallow - 3 (S)
Alba Wagtail - 9 (S)
RING OUZEL - 1 (W)
Blackbird - 3 (W)
Fieldfare - 15 (W)
Song Thrush - 6 (W)
Redwing - 351 (W)
Starling - 112 (W)
Chaffinch - 737 (W)
Greenfinch - 29 (S)
Goldfinch - 5 (S)
Siskin - 15 (S)
Linnet - 19 (S)
Redpoll sp - 1 (S)
Reed Bunting - 3 (S)

18th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:05-11:05am)
Some low-level cloud at dawn, but with clear breaks, eventually clearing to virtually clear sky by mid-morning. Winds light to moderate south-westerly.

An absolutely manic but enthralling morning. The pre-dawn sky was full of Fieldfare and Redwing calls, and as soon as it became light, it was evident that both species were moving in large numbers along with Chaffinches. Parties of all three species moving west throughout the morning, with thrush passage only tailing off at about 10:30am, but with birds still passing in patchy groups up until the point when I left. It is very likely that many more birds moved through as the movement was on a broad-front, and for the first hour, the movement was so intense that only those birds on a vector directly to the north could be coped with! In addition the expected ‘thrush mode’ meant that many other moving birds were almost certainly missed.

Cormorant - 6 (W)
Mallard - 6 (S)
OSPREY - 1juv (SW between 10:25-10:35am)
SNIPE - 1 (W)
Black-headed Gull - 62 (W)
Common Gull - 16 (W)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 20 (W)
Woodpigeon - c.300 (SW)
Skylark - 97 (W)
Meadow Pipit - 2 (S)
Alba Wagtail - 6 (S)
Blackbird - 5 (W)
Fieldfare - 2345 (W)
Song Thrush - 6 (W)
Redwing - 4069 (W)
Jay - 2 (N)
Starling - 248 (W)
Chaffinch - 1339 (W)
Greenfinch - 15 (S)
Goldfinch - 25 (S)
Siskin - 5 (S)
Linnet - 3 (S)
Redpoll sp - 12 (S)
Reed Bunting - 3 (S)

The single best bird of a very good morning was undoubtedly my third Osprey at the site this year. The bird appeared over the M11 at about a miles range, and then proceeded to come much closer and moved southwest just west of the Viewpoint. The ATROCIOUS record shots below show just why I usually do not bother taking my camera to Coploe! Needless to say trying to digiscope 'handheld' a moving raptor is not the easiest of tasks....

17th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:05-10:05am)
A lovely clear morning with excellent visibility, and with only light to moderate westerly winds. An unexpected first major rush of Woodpigeons occurred with birds streaming southwards to the east of the Viewpoint, whilst at the same time good numbers of Starlings and Chaffinches were moving west to the north of the Viewpoint! Large numbers of all were certainly missed whilst juggling looking in both directions! A touch of quality was provided in the guise of a calling Woodlark that passed high west over the top of the ridge.

Cormorant - 1 (W)
Canada Goose - 2 (E)
Teal - 1 (S)
Mallard - 16 (S)
Tufted Duck - 4 (S)
Black-headed Gull - 106 (NW)
Common Gull - 9 (NW)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 49 (W)
Woodpigeon - 2447 (S/SW)
WOODLARK - 1 (W)
Skylark - 49 (W)
Swallow - 4 (W)
Meadow Pipit - 8 (SW)
Alba Wagtail - 15 (SW)
Fieldfare - 5 (W)
Song Thrush - 2 (S)
Redwing - 42 (W)
Mistle Thrush - 4 (W)
Jay - 2 (N)
Starling - 322 (W)
Chaffinch - 470 (W)
Brambling - 1 (S)
Greenfinch - 42 (S)
Goldfinch - 49 (S/SW)
Siskin - 2 (S)
Linnet - 38 (S)
Redpoll sp - 21 (S)
Reed Bunting - 8 (W)

Also,

Mute Swan - 2adults - into farm reservoir
Sparrowhawk - 2
Common Buzzard - 7
MERLIN - 1f
Red-legged Partridge - 70
Lapwing - 230
Golden Plover - 300
Goldcrest - 2
Jay - 2

16th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:15-09:15am)
Clear from first thing, with some very patchy cloud cover. Winds were moderate from a WNW direction. Movement was a bit of an anticlimax, though there was a constant stream of mostly single Chaffinches throughout the two hours. A couple of flocks of Redwings also moved through, but not the anticipated numbers given large movements on the coast the previous day.

Canada Goose - 2 (SE)
Mallard - 1 (W)
Black-headed Gull - 31 (S)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 10 (S)
Woodpigeon - 125 (SW) - first movement of the autumn
Skylark - 49 (W)
Swallow - 1 (W)
Meadow Pipit - 12 (S)
Grey Wagtail - 1 (W)
Alba Wagtail - 13 (SW)
Song Thrush - 1 (S)
Redwing - 152 (W)
Mistle Thrush - 2 (W)
Starling - 91 (W)
Chaffinch - 245 (W)
Brambling - 2 (W)
Greenfinch - 21 (S)
Goldfinch - 23 (S)
Siskin - 1 (S)
Linnet - 5 (S)
Redpoll sp - 11 (S)
Bullfinch - 1 (W) - at height, an interesting visible movement
Reed Bunting - 8 (W/SW)

Also:

Mallard - 18
Sparrowhawk - 4
Common Buzzard - 4
Lapwing - 95
Stock Dove - 50
Woodpigeon - 3000+ - several combined feeding/roosting groups
Goldcrest - 4+

15th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:20-08:35am)
Very dull and overcast, with showery outbreaks of fine rain throughout, and with a moderate westerly wind resulted in the slowest day of movement yet this autumn.

Cormorant - 1 (W)
Black-headed Gull - 9 (S)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 11 (S)
Skylark - 8 (W)
Swallow - 3 (S)
Grey Wagtail - 1 (W)
Alba Wagtail - 2 (S)
Meadow Pipit - 3 (S)
Blackbird - 1 (W)
Song Thrush - 2 (W)
Redwing - 1 (S)
Starling - 13 (W)
Chaffinch - 25 (W)
Greenfinch - 14 (S)
Goldfinch - 7 (S)
Linnet - 5 (S)
Reed Bunting - 2 (W)

Also:

Golden Plover - 70
Lapwing - 51
Woodpigeon - 1000+ - flock feeding
Goldcrest - 1
Corn Bunting - 1

13th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:00-09:30am)
Slightly overcast with some breaks, but with generally poor visibility and a moderate southerly/south-westerly breeze. A clear night the previous evening had given hope to some incoming continental birds, but apart from a small movement of Chaffinches and Starlings, this was not realised. The highlight was undoubtedly a superb Hawfinch that passed south-west over the ridge and disappeared towards Strethall.

Cormorant - 3 (W)
Grey Heron - 2 (1E, 1W)
Black-headed Gull - 8 (SW)
Herring Gull - 5 (S)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 22 (S)
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 (N)
Swallow - 24 (S)
Meadow Pipit - 13 (S)
Alba Wagtail - 17 (S/SW)
Blackbird - 1 (S)
Song Thrush - 1 (S)
Redwing - 47 (SW)
Mistle Thrush - 2 (E)
Starling - 181 (W)
Chaffinch - 193 (W)
Greenfinch - 56 (S)
Goldfinch - 30 (S)
Siskin - 2 (S)
Linnet - 50 (S)
Redpoll sp - 19 (S)
HAWFINCH - 1 (SW at 07:40am)
Reed Bunting - 4 (S)

Also:

Sparrowhawk - 2 - ad f & imm m
Common Buzzard - 2
Golden Plover - 50
Lapwing - 108
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Goldcrest - 2
COAL TIT - 1
Jay - 2
Bullfinch - 2

Strethall Fields
Linnet - 300+ - flock in stubble

12th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:00-09:00)
A very quiet day with just an extremely gentle southerly breeze. Visibility was much restricted due to low-lying mist over much of the area, though the sky directly above the ridge was clear, and all movement noted (of which there was little!) was from here.

Grey Heron - 1 (SE)
Black-headed Gull - 72 (W)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 11 (W)
Skylark - 5 (W)
Meadow Pipit - 23 (S/SW)
Alba Wagtail - 23 (S/SW)
Dunnock - 2 (W)
Song Thrush - 6 (S)
Redwing - 10 (W)
Starling - 23 (W)
Chaffinch - 77 (W)
Brambling - 4 (W)
Greenfinch - 31 (S)
Goldfinch - 36 (S/SW)
Siskin - 3 (S)
Linnet - 34 (S)
Redpoll sp - 1 (S)
Reed Bunting - 5 (S)

Also:

Sparrowhawk - 1m
Common Buzzard - 2
Golden Plover - 25
Lapwing - 35
MEDITERRANEAN GULL - adult - bearing white colour ring (of Belgian/Dutch origin) in ploughed field W of Viewpoint - the third new individual this week!
Black-headed Gull - 60
Common Gull - 2
Herring Gull - 1juv
Goldcrest - 6
Long-tailed Tit - 20
Jay - 1

Fallow Deer - 4 (including 1 white individual)
Stoat - 1

11th October 2008
Visible Movement (06:50-09:10)
Another clear morning with a stronger south-westerly breeze ensured that movement was much reduced over recent days, although a constant westerly stream of Chaffinches once again provided entertainment.

Cormorant - 3 (E)
Teal - 3 (S)
Lapwing - 5 (W)
Black-headed Gull - 6 (W)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 31 (W)
Skylark - 24 (W)
Swallow - 14 (W)
Meadow Pipit - 6 (S)
Grey Wagtail - 2 (S)
Alba Wagtail - 23 (S/SW)
Blackbird - 1 (E)
Fieldfare - 4 (W)
Song Thrush - 2 (S)
Redwing - 62 (W)
Mistle Thrush - 2 (W)
Jay - 1 (E)
Starling - 209 (W)
Chaffinch - 513 (W)
Greenfinch - 81 (S)
Goldfinch - 29 (S)
Siskin - 2 (S)
Linnet - 37 (S)
Redpoll sp - 2 (S)
Reed Bunting - 5 (S)

Also:

Sparrowhawk - 2
Common Buzzard - 2
Golden Plover - 210
Lapwing - 75
Goldcrest - 4

10th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:00-10:00)
Patchy cloud cover, with several clear breaks; winds were a moderate south-westerly from dawn.

The best day for movement yet this autumn, though mostly courtesy of a record-breaking Chaffinch movement. Birds were passing through on a broad front from dawn, and I could easily have missed twice as many seen as they passed either north or south (or indeed overhead) my position on the hill.

Cormorant - 11 (E)
Black-headed Gull - 200 (NW)
Common Gull - 8 (NW)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 16 (NW)
Skylark - 19 (W)
Swallow - 21 (S/SW)
House Martin - 8 (S)
Meadow Pipit - 13 (S)
Grey Wagtail - 2 (S)
Alba Wagtail -35 (S/SW)
Song Thrush - 5 (S)
Redwing - 117 (W/SW)
Mistle Thrush - 2 (E)
Jay - 2 (E)
Starling - 186 (W)
TREE SPARROW - 1 (W)
Chaffinch - 1376 (W)
Brambling - 3 (W)
Greenfinch - 119 (S/SW)
Goldfinch - 58 (S)
Siskin - 5 (S)
Redpoll sp - 11 (S)
Linnet - 66 (S)
Reed Bunting - 14 (S/SW)

Also,

Sparrowhawk - 2
Common Buzzard - 4
MERLIN - 1f
Golden Plover - 300+
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Goldcrest - 1
COAL TIT - 1

09th October 2008
Clear from the outset, with light southerly winds. Passage was mostly restricted to Finches, with a very good count of Greenfinches.

Visible Movement (06:50-09:20am)
Cormorant - 10
Lapwing - 30 (W)
SNIPE - 1 (W)
Black-headed Gull - 10 (W)
Common Gull - 1 (W)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 42 (SE)
Skylark - 21 (W)
Swallow - 22 (S)
Meadow Pipit - 33 (S)
Alba Wagtail - 18 (SW)
Song Thrush - 12 (S)
Redwing - 46 (SW)
Mistle Thrush - 3 (W)
Jay - 5 (N)
Starling - 35 (SW)
Chaffinch - 231 (W/SW)
Greenfinch - 176 (S/SW)
Goldfinch - 104 (S/SW)
Siskin - 10 (S)
Redpoll sp - 19 (S)
Linnet - 38 (S)
Yellowhammer - 2 (S)
Reed Bunting - 17 (S)

Also:

GADWALL - 1m - flying with Mallard over Fishing pits - first Coploe record
Mallard - 12
Common Buzzard - 5
MERLIN - 1f - presumably the bird from 06/10, in hunting mode, and then perched in hedge W of Viewpoint.
Red-legged Partridge - 20+
Golden Plover - 30+
Lapwing - 60+
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Goldcrest - 3
COAL TIT - 1
Yellowhammer - c.15


08th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:00-09:45)
A very clear morning, with no cloud cover, and with light but strengthening south-westerly winds. Passage was strong during the first hour, but after c.08:15, most birds were at such extreme heights that locating anything in the clear sky was very difficult!

The heaviest westerly passage of Chaffinches of the autumn, and a very good southerly movement of Greenfinches were the highlights of the morning. The first Brambling of the season went through, but as yet no Fieldfares.
 
Sparrowhawk - 1 (S)
Black-headed Gull - 1 (W)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 25 (W)
Skylark - 68 (W)
Swallow - 9 (S)
Meadow Pipit - 15 (S)
Alba Wagtail - 22 (SW)
Dunnock - 4 (SW)
Blackbird - 1 (W)
Song Thrush - 8 (S/SW)
Redwing - 282 (W/SW)
Jay - 6 (W)
Starling - 132 (W)
Chaffinch - 481 (W/SW)
Brambling - 2 (W)
Greenfinch - 127 (S)
Goldfinch - 27 (S)
Linnet - 30 (S)
Redpoll sp - 14 (S)
Reed Bunting - 27 (S/SW)

Also,

Sparrowhawk - 1f
Common Buzzard - 7
Red-legged Partridge - 60
Golden Plover - c.300
Lapwing - 60
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Goldcrest - 2
Jay - 1

Stoat - 1, in the pit reserve

07th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:00-10:45)
A surprisingly good day, despite the atrocious forecast! The morning started very slowly with lots of cloud cover and poor visibility, with a couple of squally showers in the first hour. However, after 08:00, visibility rapidly improved and a few breaks occurred in the cloud, with the quarter towards the Northwest being particularly clear. Winds were light, but strengthening southerlies as the morning progressed.

An interesting morning bird-wise. Most notable was the first decent movement of Redwings of the year, along with the first big westerly movement of Chaffinches. Small finches were down on recent days but still moving, with the highest count of alba Wagtails of the autumn so far.

Black-headed Gull - 40 (NW)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 23 (W)
Swallow - 10 (S)
Meadow Pipit - 49 (S)
Grey Wagtail - 1 (S)
Alba Wagtail - 28 (S/SW)
Song Thrush - 12 (S)
Redwing - 310 (S/SW)
Mistle Thrush - 5 (S)
Starling - 35 (W)
Chaffinch - 102 (W/SW)
Greenfinch - 57 (S)
Goldfinch - 39 (S)
Siskin - 6 (S)
Linnet - 53 (S)
Redpoll sp - 5 (S)
Reed Bunting - 13 (S)

Also,

Sparrowhawk - 4+
Common Buzzard - 5
Golden Plover - 224
Lapwing - 276
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
WHEATEAR - 1 (1w)
Chiffchaff - 3
Goldcrest - 2
COAL TIT - 2
Jay - 4
Corn Bunting - 4

 
06th October 2008
Visible Movement (07:00-12:15)
Following a clear night, there was a slight ground frost at dawn, but conditions were generally clear with little cloud and no winds. Some fog patches reduced visibility to the east of the Viewpoint. The cloud cover tended to build up as the morning progressed, with a light southwesterly wind developing. Passage was at it's heaviest in the first hour, with very little passerine movement after 9am, with the exception of Redpolls - which appeared to pick up in numbers. Most of the movement was along the eastern edge of the ridge.  

Cormorant - 9 (S)
Grey Heron - 1 (NE)
Greylag Goose - 4 (N)
PINTAIL - 4 (S) - distant but all appeared to be female/immature-types
HEN HARRIER - 1f (N) - moved N at height along the far ridge at c.07:20am constantly being harassed by a single Carrion Crow.
OSPREY - 1 (WNW) - making very slow progress between c.10:20-10:30am
PEREGRINE - 1f (NE) - a large female at 07:05am
Golden Plover - 30 (SE)
Lapwing - 121 (S)
Black-headed Gull - 103 (NW)
Common Gull - 13 (NW)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 92 (W/SW)
Herring Gull - 6 (SW)
Stock Dove - 2 (S) - at extreme height, possible migrants?
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2 (N)
Skylark - 19 (S)
Swallow - 2 (S)
House Martin - 7 (S)
Meadow Pipit - 214 (S)
Grey Wagtail - 3 (S)
Alba Wagtail - 15 (S)
Dunnock - 7 (S) - all moving at height over the top of the ridge
Blackbird - 2 (W)
Song Thrush - 7 (SW)
Redwing - 5 (S/SW)
Mistle Thrush - 5 (S/SW)
Jay - 11 (8N, 3S)
Magpie - 9 (W) - a single disjointed flock west at height
Starling - 129 (S) - most probably local birds moving to feeding areas
TREE SPARROW - 5 (S)
Chaffinch - 25 (S/SW)
Greenfinch - 67 (S)
Goldfinch - 168 (S)
Siskin - 32 (S)
Redpoll sp - 68 (S) - all appeared to be Lesser Redpolls
Linnet - 93 (S)
CROSSBILL - 1+ (S) - calls heard only, sounded like a single bird
Reed Bunting - 19 (S)

Also present:

Mallard - 20
MARSH HARRIER - 1m - appeared out of small copse opposite viewpoint at c.07:30am and then quartering fields
Sparrowhawk - 2 (1m, 1f)
Common Buzzard - 9+
Kestrel - 3+
MERLIN - 1f - lingering over the fields in front of the viewpoint at c.11:35
Red-legged Partridge - 30
Golden Plover - 290 - in ploughed field adjacent to the Motorway
Lapwing - c.200 - several flocks, difficult to estimate
Collared Dove - 42
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 3 - in scrub on ridge
Skylark - c.100 - in fields but not actively moving
Dunnock - c.15 - major influx
Blackcap - 1
Chiffchaff - 1
Goldcrest - 5
COAL TIT - 2 - in hedge by road
Starling - c.250 - feeding in ploughed fields
Yellowhammer - 20+
Corn Bunting - 9

Ploughed fields opposite viewpoint (15:00-16:15)
Large feeding/loafing gull flock, maximum counts of species during the period -

MEDITERRANEAN GULL - 1adult (different to Saturday's bird)
Black-headed Gull - 1116
Common Gull - 78
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 314
Yellow-legged Gull - 2 (adults)
Herring Gull - 15
Great Black-backed Gull - 1 (1w)

Great Spotted Woodpecker - One of five birds recorded from the Hill today - the highest ever day-total of the species at the site.