Little Owl

On an attempt to see if a Bittern was gracing Lavell's reed beds tonight, I had just heard a Water Rail squeeling at 18:45 in the flooded scrape and decided that would do. As I walked to the end of the screening I suddenly heard the familiar Little Owl call and it wasn't far away, somewhere beyond the Emm Brook probably not as far as Lea Farm, but in that direction. I thought I'd have to make a special effort and trapse the gold course in pitch black one night soon, so am over the moon to secure my 135th species for the year, 1 to go to equal my all time list of 136 set in 2010. So many things to hope for before we leave for a months holiday in November and when we get back I'll only have 3 weeks of the year left to add another.

Winter thrushes and finches in and over

Despite my later arrival around 10:00 allowing the fog to clear a little, it was quickly evident Redwings were here and moving thru in quite good numbers. First 40+ West, then 35+ at the bottom right of the car park field, around 10 or more Blackbird in their company. Then 25-30 from the left hand car park bushes, then 40 or so more West, plus a 10+ flying about. On top of this 2 flocks of around 20 Meadow Pipit, 3 flocks of around 15 to 20 Chaffinch flew NW. 2-3 Blackcap in the car park field, 1 Chiffchaff and with the fog hanging in the air, just 3-4 Swallows were visible, but heard only a few Pied Wagtails, Nuthatch and Treecreeper.

Odd falcon

I had been watching many Red Kites, Buzzards and a few Sparrohawk over the landfill from Ron's hide for over an hour yesterday afternoon, when I got onto a smallish raptor which was moving South at about 450-600 feet. It has already passed to my right so the light was pretty poor, but first impressions was a Hobby, due to it having sharp swept back wings and shortish narrow tail.
It wasn't too far away, approximately 250 yards, so was struggling to get it in my scope due it's height, meaning a steep angle and had to quickly lower my tripod legs to get on to it.
As I did get it in the scope, to my surprise it turned and hovered breifly, it looped flapped on further South, now over Lavell's and hovered again. This really perplexed me as it did not have a long tail and I have never seen a Kestrel hover at 500-600 feet, all I could make out in the light conditions, we a rich, or rufous brown, but too high up to pick up any detail.
It turned and continued South and must have been about over the Lavell's Island when it hovered one more time before suddenly folding up like a Sparrowhawk and went into a near vertical dive out of sight somewhere at the West end of Lavell's, or more probably Sandford.
I remain perplexed, but have read Red Footed Falcon does hover............I'll never know....unless we find one in the next day or so.

Very quick visit

A 30 min walk just at the sailing club and Lavell's car park was okay, new for the month was a Mistle Thrush flew in from the West over BSL towards DP centre, 40-50 House Martin and Swallow over the lake was indicative that passage for them is coming to an end, as was just 7 Meadow Pipit. Still 3 male and 2 female Blackcap in the car park field, a singing Chiffchaff, 5 Song Thrush, 1 Ring Necked Parakeet fighting with Jackdaw and a Coal Tit on the vegatation left of Lea Farm itself, which then flew towards Lodge Wood.

I forgot

When Trevor joined me to see the Common Sandpiper, we heard a Water Rail giving 'picking' calls, the first this Autumn, but based on the past records, it is likely to have been present a week, or two.
Additionally, I have re-read up on Sandwich Terns and of course adults in winter plumage have white foreheads. I can't say I saw dark feathers on the tails due to range, but I don't really care either.
Further post event note from yesterday, when 2 Coal Tits passed by in a small tit flock whilst we waited for the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker to come to roost.  On that note I wish to urge all that come to see the Lesser Spotted, use common sense and DO NOT PUBLISH THE LOCATION, OR EGG COLLECTORS WILL COME NEXT YEAR and I would hate to have to resort to threatening those that would harm our birds.

Sarnies for breakfast

The morning started well with c200 House Martin avoiding a Sparrowhawk over BSL 08:00, 1 bird sitting on the wires watching it all whilst warming in the sun. 30-40 Meadow Pipit went thru South in groups of 3-4, then the Swallows started coming thru, 5-10 every 3-5 minutes. Coal Tit flew over calling as I walked down the car park field.
As I scanned the sky and landfill at 08:40 I picked up 4 terns moving quickly South above the Loddon, switching to scope I could see large black bills and white forecrowns and confirmed they were my first Sandwich Terns since 1992. I stayed on them as far as I could see, they didn't stop at DP, they just kept going at least til they went out of view roughly in line with WSL.
Very happy I debated whether to quit for breakfast of go to Bittern Hide, I chose the latter and immediately picked up a Common Sandpiper and had to check it wasn't a Spotted as there have only been 5 other October records of Common.
A scan of the main island reeds revealed the first ever October Reed Warbler....all in all not bad morning!

Few visits, but catch up today

Visits have been few, short and sweet since 29th Sept. I managed 20 mins at Bittern hide 1st Oct around 17:45 and saw 4 Pochard, 6 Meadow Pipit over, 15 Pied Wagtail heading South to an early roost? Based on previous years at least 1 Water Rail is highly likely to be in, but requires a dusk visit. The month ended on 103 species.
This morning I was back out for 07:30 and the sky was fairly packed with Swallows and House Martins, probably in excess of 300 and a Coal Tit called nearby. The car park field didn't look too promising, but on closer inspection there were 3-4 Song Thrush, 5 male and 1 female Blackcap and lone Chiffchaff, 5 Meadow Pipit and Nuthatch calling. Nothing really to speak of at Bittern Hide, except 1 Wigeon and another Coal Tit called nearby.
At LFGP the sun was suitably low to make matters difficult, a Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal, 45+ Lapwing, a few Tufted Duck, 150 hirundines, Meadow Pipit and Skylark was about it, until I noticed a small group of about 15 medium sized, sharp winged birds some way East of the landfill, moving fast North, but I couldn't get enough on them to be sure they were Golden Plover. Along the Loddon 2-3 Siskin and 3 Chiffchaff were feeding avidlyin the Willows opposite the gate into Ron's hide. At Sandford the 4 Pochard were asleep on the oldest tern island.