ROBIN

The dull, damp, misty weather continued for my full patch walk this morning, a total of 47 species was recorded, which is a good tally for late October, however it doesn't tell the whole story, as the vast majority of that bird list was represented by either single birds or birds heard but unseen!

It was good to see three raptor species up hunting, single BUZZARD, KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK all showed well, also four Gull species, it's  not often I get four in the same visit, all flew over, most of these were BLACK HEADED and HERRING GULLS, but a singles of both COMMON and  LESSER BLACK BACKED also showed up.

Winter Thrushes were a bit more showy today, a flock of 18 REDWING, and 14 FIELDFARE flew over the Tree Nursery, but none of these winter migrants are stopping to feed on my patch yet, unlike the SISKIN, which at least 8 were feeding with the GOLDFINCH'S in the Greenhouse Complex Alders. 14 SKYLARKS flew up from the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, along with 6 MEADOW PIPITS, with 8 LINNETS seen out on the paddocks.

Over at the Lakes and Scrubby Woods, the water dripping from the trees made it feel even more miserable, nothing but the MALLARDS and MOORHEN were on the water, but a flock of LONG TAILED TITS brightened things up briefly. Only other thing of note today were the two CORMORANTS that flew over the main lake. The weather looks even more miserable tomorrow morning, but that's October!!

As yesterday, today was a dull, damp, and cloudy day, very uninspiring!!  Still, I made the effort and went round for a full patch walk, collecting 43 species in four hours, but with some notable species not turning up, it could have been better, the likes of Pheasant, Coal it, Grey Heron, and once again Greenfinch were not found today, where have all the Greenfinch gone ?

There were some nice species recorded however, a GREY WAGTAIL flew over the Tree Nursery, where 6 MEADOW PIPITS rose from the rough grass before dropping down again once I had passed. Whilst in the nursery 8 FIELDFARE with a lone REDWING flew over, as did a few LESSER REDPOLL there are more of this species this year than in any other I have recorded on my patch.

A flock of around 40-50 GOLDFINCH had at least 7 SISKIN with them, they were all feeding in Alder trees that form the boundary of the Greenhouse Complex with Migrant Alley, whilst further up the boundary in the tall hedge a CHIFFCHAFF was found, I wonder if it's a late one or an over winterer from the continent ? A YELLOWHAMMER and two LINNETS dropped down briefly into the same hedge, and a whole host of BLACKBIRDS were skulking there too.

Nothing has changed over at the Lakes and Scrubby Woods, a few of the MALLARD had returned, with at least 14 between the 3 lakes, and 4 MOORHENS joined them.The woods were rather quiet, but BULLFINCH, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH and the GREAT and GREEN WOODPECKERS all showed well.

Other flyovers seen today only included BLACK HEADED and HERRING GULL, plus a KESTREL, the only raptor of the day.

Chiffchaff

Back at home, at the garden feeders, the place was buzzing with Goldfinch's, with two coming to visit the heads of the Teasels that I planted back in the spring, it's fantastic to see them feeding naturally rather than in neat pairs down the tube of a feeder, and it didn't cost me a thing!  Other notables in the garden today were GOLDCREST, two Nuthatch, COAL TIT, Great Spotted Woodpecker, and WREN

Goldfinch On Teasel

More Goldfinch On Teasel