On arrival at the bottom of the car park field I again picked up large numbers of Meadow Pipit, 120-150 birds mostly clustered together over the middle landfill, plus a few smaller groups. These are the largest flocks I have ever seen and indicate the landfill has a key role to play in these gatherings.
A short while after I could see larger birds also 'flicking' around and scoping them, realised they were Skylark, at least 8. This increase, or movement is slightly earlier than recent years, as it normally happens in the first week of October.
In the scrub left of Lea Farm were 2-3 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 of the latter and 5-6 Meadow Pipit and another Nuthatch, chose the overhead wires to perch on for a few minutes, until a Sparrowhawk flushed them. 3 Blackbird also perched for a moment.
Then overhead came 3 House Sparrow, unusual over this end of DP. Groups of 30+ Swallow and House Martin were trickling thru.
At Bittern Hide, there were 6 Wigeon, 3 Shoveler, 3 Teal and 2 Little Grebe, which I got a few shots of and they aren't to bad at all, if I do say so.
Scanning the main island reed bed, I picked up an acro and just about got onto it before it vanished into the reeds, it was a late Sedge Warbler, the latest was 17th October 2007.
Just before I left I had a Linnet over North and forgot to mention I had one yesterday as well. I also had a Grey Wagtail over.
So with so much on the move I remain hopeful we will get a Redwing before October, if we can get one more species we match the September highest at 104.
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