Rare October Redshank

When Geoff texted saying Redshank LFGP, I knew it was rare in this month, but when I looked it up, there has only been one other record, this was a staying bird in 1983, joined by another 21st, but no reports after.

So even if I didn't get time to look for Bittern, it was splendid to see Redshank in October and better when it flew to the SW corner and had a bath.

Also present were 2 Meadow Pipit on the shingle island, 3 Snipe, 43 Teal, with 2 flocks of 10+ Chaffinch over West.

Bittern still tricky

The car park field was fairly quiet bar 1-2 Skylark, 3-4 Redwing, 10+ Chaffinch over, 10+ probable Fieldfare West, but then I got onto a Peregrine, my third time this month, a compact, so probable male was swooping low and fast North over the landfill, no doubt scoping for a weakness in some poor victim, but it powered on North, then turned West after Lodge Wood, out of sight.

On to Bittern Hide, nice and calm and sunny, but no sign of any Bittern.

Later a text from Geoff, the Bittern was seen in flight landing at the far end of the island reeds, I was down in 10 minutes, but it had vanished into the reeds. Whilst there 2 Water Rail called, 1 was seen briefly.

Tricky Bittern

A 20 minute dusk visit was all I had time for last night, but it was rather windy, so turned a blank.

A 45 minute late morning look faired no better, again in windy conditions, present were 8 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 3 Pied Wagtail and 2 Snipe hiding well, but little else.

Hopefully the wind will die down soon, allowing a successful look for our Bittern, just the fifth to arrive in October.

Windy n wet

My usual car park 30-40 mins was not full of excitement, but there was more Chaffinch passage, 4-5 groups of 8-15 birds, so around 60 SW. A small flock of 9 Linnet seemed to land out of view near LFGP out of view from my car park field position. 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Siskin heard, 3 Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush East and in the car park field, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Nuthatch with tit flock.

A text arrived a short while ago from Steve saying someone had reported Bittern from Bittern Hide around 11:00, so if I don't get there shortly, I'll try later...if possible.

YBW pic

Here is the shot Geoff took, so well done for getting a shot at all and thanks to him for allowing me to publish it.

Wish I'd been able to capture a shot when it was at the top of the bare Alder, just after I found it, or perhaps been there when Trevor said it was in view for 20 seconds!

For my U.S. and wider audience

I am flattered to find I have people in other parts of the world checking out my blog, so I wanted to tell all of you that I will be starting a bird tour guide company shortly.

With Berkshire 5 minutes from Heathrow, I know I can offer extensive expertise of the birds and sites of Berkshire to anyone from outside the UK, so if you are planning a trip here, staying for just short while on business, just passing through, or even stuck here due to cancellation issues, I know I can give you quality time in the field and get you back to the airport with minimum effort and hassle.

I'll post a link as soon as I have built the site.

Regards
Fraser

Saturday & Sunday catch up

Another quite busy weekend, but managed to get in an hour very late morning Saturday, just car park field again, but added Mistle Thrush for the month, off North, then Coal Tit with the tit flock, plus a smattering of Chaffinch going WSW.

Today, I did an hour from 09:00 and could immediately see a good deal moving thru, c200 Redwing West, 11 Fieldfare SW over the landfill...the first here of the Autumn, 6+ Skylark on far landfill, 1-2 Meadow Pipit, small flocks of Chaffinch totalling around 60+ West, 30+ finch sp, very probably Linnet South, 7 more 20 minutes later. Starlings kept on heading SW and I wasn't even counting at first, but think easily 1000.

I accompanied Geoff to LFGP, about 25 Teal, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Red Kite, 2 Buzzard and a pipit somewhere to the SE called on two occasions, that had me thinking possible Rock, but despite several scans, could not find it....And no sign of Stonechat so far either.

Geoff gave me copies of his YBW picture, so I'll be scanning and uploading that tomorrow.

I think Dave Rimes took a couple of nice shots, posted on his blog (on the link below), the only comment I have is that with such a gap of 12 days, we cannot rule out this bird being a totally different individual.

 http://www.lookatthebirds.co.uk/blog/archive/2013/10/05/yellow-browed_warbler_in_berkshire.asp