Good Day

Despite what it may seem like (no posts since August) I have been visiting fairly regularly by my own horrific standards. I made a few visits in early September without any headline birds. I have also snuck in a few short visits after school but it has always been too dark to use my bins (defeats the point really). This morning I made a long visit in the hope that the weather would send something of interest low over my head.

The moody weather always threatened to produce something good. A stream of Herring Gulls and the odd LBBG went over. I scanned the tit flocks thoroughly hoping for anything to take me to 106. There were several Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs amongst them (more than last Sat) and a few Goldcrests but not the elusive year tick I craved. All the while I watched them I felt as if there was something there that I just wasn't seeing. This feeling continued all day. A few Mippits went over and Linnets and Chaffinches on the Airfield are beginning to form the monster finch flocks of the winter (can't wait). Masses of Skylarks flicked about, I flushed 4 Red-legged Partridge and heard a Little Owl. Throughout this whole period, absolutely enormous quantitites of hirundines went overhead. When the sun came out, in excess of 500 were visible at the same time. It was some sight. I genuinely do not think (except for when the hobbies were about) that I looked into the sky once without seeing a hirundine. Huge movement. Numbers of the seemingly resident Wheatears remained steady with 9 (probably more) today.

Whilst watching a couple of the Wheatears, I noticed that the hirundines had stopped chirping above me. I looked up and noticed a large, distant, raptor being harried by Crows. As it came nearer I saw it was a rather bedraggled Red Kite, first of the Autumn. About ten minutes later a second bird went over. Both headed north/north west. The numbers of both Red Kite and Wheatear at WALBOC this year have blown me away. Astonishing counts, highest in a day being five for Red Kite and 26 (!) for Wheatear. Wheatear is more common than Collared Dove, Rook, Grey Heron amongst other common stuff.

At Boldermere, I yet again enjoyed superlative views of Hobby. They are such a brilliant sight hunting low over the lake (you can get easily within 10 metres of them). Wigeon numbers have built significantly in a short time. (I saw my first returning birds on the 2nd of September when there were two) with about 15 today. Cormorant, Gadwall and GCG also showed well.

For the first time in a while I recorded more than 50 species today (53). It was a great day's birding yet I always had the feeling that I was missing something, that there was something rare around that I was simply unable to get onto. With luck, I'll find it tomorrow.