I finally managed to track down a Garden Warbler this morning, my first anywhere this year. It was singing well close to a path that I seldom use at the top of Redisher Wood. Also 2 Whitethroat and good numbers of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap.
An excellent finch morning! 2 mixed flocks encountered, with the first containing 4 Siskin, 7 Bullfinch, 5 Goldfinch and 2 Brambling. The second contained 2 Siskin, 3 Bullfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 12+ Goldfinch, 1 Goldcrest and 3 Lesser Redpoll.
My first site Brambling record since October 2018, and the first Redpoll since May of this year. Also:
1 Raven, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 6 Stonechat.
-- Edited by Roger Halsey on Thursday 21st of October 2021 04:00:29 PM
2 Green and 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, all in different places.
Big (for here!) movement of Redwing south/south west with at least 250 birds over. Also 10 Mistle Thrush mixed in with the Redwing on the east side of the moor.
Another day of contrast between the east and west sides of the moor. The west was very quiet and wet, with only singles of Raven and Kestrel of note.
The east was sunny and alive with birds! Finches predominated again with lots of Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch, with at least 3 Bullfinch and 3 Siskin mixed in. About 12 Swallow and a lone House Martin flew south.
The main finch flock appeared to have moved through this morning, but still 6 Mistle Thrush and 1 Song Thrush in the same tree. Also large mixed tit flock that included 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Treecreeper and 1 Goldcrest.
42 Pink-footed Geese flew south.
Also 1 Kestrel sheltered from the rain in Harcles Quarry, 1 Stonechat, and 10 Jay .
-- Edited by Roger Halsey on Friday 24th of September 2021 01:55:58 PM
An interesting contrast this morning between the exposed western side of the moor and the sheltered eastern side. The western side was very quiet, with only 4 Kestrel and 1 Stonechat of note.
The eastern side was alive with birds in a loose large mixed species flock. Most numerous were the finches, with 50+ Goldfinch, 10+ Greenfinch and 5+ Chaffinch. Also 7 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Skylark, 8 Meadow Pipit, 1 Coal Tit and 1 Chiffchaff , with a few Blackbird, Starling and Blue Tit mixed in.
6 Kestrel hover hunting in a line along the western side of the moor. 2 Sparrowhawk passed through and indulged in a period of aerial combat with the Kestrel.
1 Green Woodpecker called 3 times, but remained unseen.
c10 Swallow, 15 House Martin, 2 Skylark and c25 Meadow Pipit moving through.
An interesting mixture of migrants on the west side of the moor this morning included 20+ Swallow, 20+ Meadow Pipit, 1 Stonechat, 2 Skylark and 2 Greenfinch.
On the east side of the moor a loose mixed flock included Treecreeper, Nuthatch, 4+ Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest and 5 Siskin.
6 Lapwing plus at least 1 half grown young. I was particularly pleased to see these birds as the usual field was cut about 6 weeks ago and the birds all abandoned that area shortly after. Today they were in a field that I had not been to before, but it looks likely the birds all relocated.
5 Stock Dove.
At least 7 Mistle Thrush.
Still 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling intermittently.