October 2005

30th October

An early morning movement of birds into a moderate to strong southerly wind produced 447 Goldfinches, 152 Greenfinches, 11 Siskins and 96 Stock Doves. In the area were 2 Ring Ouzels, 1 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaffs, 33 Goldcrests and the odd lingering Swallow and House Martin. A seawatch later on gave 3 Red-throated Divers, 1 Arctic Skua and up to 1800 Black-headed Gulls.

29th October

A poor day with very few birds except 1 Wheatear [probable Greenland race], 6 Ring Ouzels, 2 Chiffchaffs and 30 Goldcrests. In the Bay there was 1 Red-throated Diver, 550 Black-headed Gulls and 1 Meditteranean Gull.

28th October

A two hour seawatch in the morning gave 3 Red-throated Divers, 1 Black-throated Diver, 337 Gannets, 14 Common Scoters, 19 Auks and an adult Sabine's Gull all going south.

Around the area were 11 Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Wheatears, 4 Stonechats and  a Short-eared Owl flushed from the Freedown

27th October

A small trickle of Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Linnets and Swallows [30+] flew into a light southerley. In the hedges around the Farm were 6+ Ring Ouzels.

26th October

A small movement of birds into a light south westerley produced 265Greenfinches, 118 Goldfinches, 172 Redpoll, 105 Linnets, 9 Tree Sparrows, 30 Skylarks and 1 Shore Lark.

On the clifftop was a Black Redstart and 2 Stonechats.

25th October

Although visibility was better today, in two and a half hours of seawatching, very few birds of note were recorded. However there were 2 Red-throated Divers,3 Great-crested Grebes, 50+ Gannets, 53 Brent Geese, 4 Arctic and 3 Great Skuas and 30+ Kittiwakes all moving down channel.

24th October

A morning and late afternoon seawatch, when the visibility was reasonable between rain squalls, produced 1 Red-throated Diver, 30+ gannets, 77 Brent Geese, 10 Common Scoter, 3 Arctic and 2 Great Skuas, 3 Mediterranean and 39 Little Gulls, 20 Auks as well as 1 Little Auk and a very close Sooty Shearwater going down channel.

23rd October

The sunny weather produced a steady stream of birds with 420 Greenfinches, 690 Stock Doves, 15 Tree Sparrows, four Bullfinches, 27 Reed Buntings, 7 alba Wagtails, 18 Bramblings, two Coal Tits, 10 Fieldfares, three Short-eared Owls, four Sparrowhawks and single Marsh Harrier and Merlin. In the area there were 10 Chiffchaffs, 16 Ring Ouzels, two Firecrests, four Blackcaps, 10 Wheatears and a Tawny Owl. The non-avian highlight was three Hornets flying in during the morning.

22nd October

In the first two hours after dawn 3338 birds flew SW along the clifftop. Of the 25 species involved most numerous were Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Linnets, Redpolls and Stock Doves, of which there were 952 during the day.

Other birds in the area were one Short-eared Owl, 42 Tree Sparrows, 21 Ring Ouzels, three Crossbills, eight Chiffchaffs, 45 Goldcrests, three Wheatears and 10 Golden Plovers. Two Harbour Porpoises were also seen from Hope Point.

21st October

The only birds noted today were three Ring Ouzels.

20th October

More movement along the clifftop with 400+ Goldfinches, 320 Greenfinches, 37 Redpolls, 110 Linnets, 36 Tree Sparrows, 15 alba Wagtails and 71 Stock Doves. A Short-eared Owl and Black Redstart were the only other birds noted in the area.

19th October

One Yellow-browed Warbler was still in the Farm Wood, together with nine Chiffchaffs, three Ring Ouzels, 76 Goldcrests and a ringtail Hen Harrier moving SW.

17th October

Fewer birds today with 150+ Goldcrests, seven Chiffchaffs and one Ring Ouzel, although there were three Yellow-browed Warblers in the Farm Wood.

15th October

A good movement of birds first thing, with 660 Redwings, 200+ Song Thrushes, 21 Fieldfares, 92 Blackbirds and five Ring Ouzels, together with180+ Chaffinches, 25 alba Wagtails, 123 Bramblings, 32 Reed Buntings, 58 Redpolls and 569 Brent Geese moving south. In the area there were six Chiffchaffs, six Blackcaps, nine Crossbills, one Firecrest, one Black Redstart, three Hawfinches, and two Yellow-browed Warblers in the Farm Wood. In was the 661 Goldcrest that were the most amazing part of the day - they were everywhere.

11th October

There were very few birds left after a clear night, most Meadow Pipits had gone from the fields leaving a few Skylarks and Linnets. At dawn there was a small passage of 250+ Goldfinches moving into a light southerly breeze. The only birds of note around the farm were three Coal Tits, ten Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, one Wheatear and three Bramblings.

10th October

Fewer birds today with four Wheatears, 11 Chiffchaffs, one Firecrest and a single Tree Pipit grounded with 150 Meadow Pipits.

9th October

More vis-mig in the first hour with 76 Goldfinches, 41 Siskins, 35 Linnets, 76 Greenfinches, 13 Yellowhammers, 22 Redpoll and eight Reed Buntings.

Another reasonable day in the area with seven Wheatears, 39 Chiffchaffs, 11 Blackcaps, two Firecrests, four Common Buzzards, eight Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and a Merlin chasing the Meadow Pipits in the Big Field. The two Yellow-browed Warblers were still present at McSwiggans and in the churchyard.

8th October

A good movement of birds first thing with 314 Goldfinches, 127 Linnets, 251 Greenfinches, 21 Siskins, 10 Redpoll, 57 Reed Buntings, 39 alba Wagtails and five Pink-footed Geese.

Birds in the area included six Blackcaps, 19 Chiffchaffs, one Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Wheatears, one Ring Ouzel, 45 Coal Tits and a Long-eared Owl. There were two Yellow-browed Warblers today: one in McSwiggans and one in the churchyard.

A heard-only Red-throated Pipit was near the wood, but frustratingly, never relocated.

7th October

An increase in warblers today with two, probably three, Yellow-browed Warblers in the Farm Wood, with 31 Chiffchaffs, 12 Blackcaps, two Firecrests and 21 Goldcrests in the area together with 108 Coal Tits, one Black Redstart, 3 Wheatears and a late Swift.

Thrush numbers were down on yesterday with 72 Song Thrushes and 30 Blackbirds. The Big Field still had 200 Skylarks and 450 Meadow Pipits, together with a grounded Tree Pipit.

6th October

In the first two hours after dawn good numbers of thrushes arrived from the east with 292 Song Thrushes, 79 Redwings, 88 Blackbirds, one Ring Ouzel and 4 Fieldfares. Also, 258 Goldfinches, 55 Chaffinches, 16 Brambling, 5 Redpoll and one Tree Pipit moved north. Numbers of warblers were low with 21 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps and a Yellow-browed Warbler.

Other birds in the area included 84 Robins, one Black Redstart and 500+ Meadow Pipits in the Big Field.

4th October

In the first hour after dawn 582 Goldfinches flew north but little else was moving. Most of the warblers had moved off overnight apart from 10 to 15 Chiffchaffs in the Farm Wood and the Radde's Warbler that still showed extremely well around the Bluetail Wood

3rd October

Another good movement of birds north with 311 Starlings, 406 Meadow Pipits, 1517 Goldfinches, 132 Siskins, 22 Redpolls and 15 Reed Buntings. The first Redwing of the autumn was seen in the Paddock and in the area there were 47 Chiffchaffs and 17 Blackcaps. A single Yellow-browed Warbler was seen very briefly in the Farm Wood.

The star of the day was a Radde's Warbler, found by Phil C. in the Bluetail Wood.

2nd October

Another movement of finches etc. at dawn with 166 Goldfinches, 46 Siskins, 87 Redpolls, 2 Grey wagtails and 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Less warblers today with only 25 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps. A brief seawatch produced 30 Common Scoter, single Great and Arctic Skuas and our first 2 Sooty Shearwaters of the autumn.

1st October

A reasonable start to October with a movement of 1200 Swallows, 1500 House Martins, 295 Meadow Pipits, 195 Goldfinches, 75 Linnets, 61 Siskins and 13 Reed Buntings along the clifftop in the first hour after dawn. An adult male Marsh Harrier came in off the sea and flew north and 2 Common Buzzards were seen all the morning. The area also held 79 Chiffchaffs, 14 Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats and 3 Wheatears.