Pages

17 Oct 2009

Autumn is here.

Anyway, enough of the last few days frivolity. An early start for Hilbre this morning saw me walking Molly at the unearthly hour of 05.30. Still at least it gave me a chance to note the large numbers of Redwings that seem to be finally moving in our area.

As dawn broke it was apparent there had been a considerable movement of thrushes with brids being reported in their thousands from nearby Seaforth & Red Rocks. Hilbre weighed in with a small but significant number of grounded Blackbirds and Song Thrushes whilst a few finches and Reed  Buntings were also present or flew over. Several days this week there has been a good passage of Skylarks and today was no exception. Star birds were on the sea though with Dr Gavin finding a cracking Slavonian Grebe close into the east side and later relocated off the north end. Steve weighed in with a female type Long-tailed Duck whilst I found a male off the north end.

3-4 Rock Pipits were still present and one posed on top of one of the heligoland traps.






Cracking birds! Brent numbers have built up to seventeen and they performed a fly past for the camera.
















Large numbers of Great-crested Grebes and a smattering of Red-throated Divers were on a fairly calm sea whilst small parties of Common Scoter kept passing through. All in all a brilliant days birding on the N Wirral coast.

Meanwhile, closer to home, my local Little Owl has been calling in the early evenings recently and a quick walk across the fields to its favourite roosting tree last night meant I was able to see it fly as dusk fell.

No comments :