October 30th 2009

Although there was still some overland migration this morning the low cloud and murky conditions made viewing difficult so gave up after an hour observing from the garden. The total count was 180 Starling, 90 Fieldfare, 80 Wood Pigeon, 25 Skylark, 10 Redwing along with a few finches and pipits. It had petered out by mid-morning as the weather improved.
5 Fieldfare greeted Dave on his arrival at my place at dinner time and we shot down to the pond to see the female/immature Black Redstart that Bob found on the roof of the sailing club. The bird was catching plenty of insects much to the annoyance of the local Pied Wagtail and Robin.

Black Redstart by Bob Hazell


Black Redstart by Max Silverman
The Lesser Scaup was off hensborough bank which was awake and feeding with 4 Shoveler and 8 Pochard nearby.

Lesser Scaup by Max Silverman
Back home and there was prolonged flight of gulls returning to the pond to roost, estimated around the 6000 mark going over the house and this was flitting around the kitchen.

Red Green Carpet

Richard