Wednesday 15 October 2014

WEDNESDAY 15th OCTOBER 2014

15-25°C,Wind variable light,clear then with light cloud cover later,pressure at 06:30 - 29.83inHG and falling.

Im fascinated by the  efforts of the migrating Blue Tits. Its such a novelty to me and they seem too delicate and vulnerable for any long journey. I'm intrigued to know how far and to where they travel. And why East ? perhaps its milder in Bulgaria on the shores of the Black Sea ?

Liplje - migration watch from home 06:30 - 08:30

180 Chaffinch  117 over S, 20 over E, 25 over SE, 6 over E/NE, 9 over N
24 Hawfinch 6 over SE, 3+1 over W, 5+1 over E, 4+1 over NE,1 over NW, 2 flew in
10 Greenfinch 9 over E, 1 over SE
8 Siskin 2 over E, 3 over S/SE, 3 over S
10 + Great Tit over SE 
15 Blue Tit over E
28 Blue/Great tit 20 over E/SE, 8 over SE
3 Mistle Thrush 1 over SW, 1+1 over S
5 Song Thrush 2 over SE, 1+1 over N, 1 over NW
Blackbird over NW
2 Starling over W
3 Jackdaw over SE
7 Raven  3 0ver W, 4 over N
2 Wagtail sp. over E
8 Finch sp. over SE

11:20
28 Blue Tit 20 + 8 over E
Wryneck Calling

Sunday 12 October 2014

SATURDAY 11th OCTOBER 2014

Liplje - migration watch from home 06:30 - 08:30

The South bound Chaffinches were in flocks from 1 to 20 birds.Highlighted birds are notable as late migrants or because of there numbers. The Bramblings were the first this Autumn/winter.

Sparrowhawk female
Goshawk male
34 Common Wood pigeon  32 over over W/SW, 1 over SW, 1 over S
Collard Dove
2 Jay
Magpie
Jackdaw
2 Raven
2 Wood Lark over W
3 Barn Swallow over S
18 Great Tit  2+1+1+6+1+4+3 over S
9 Blue Tit over S
8 Long Tailed Tit
2 Nuthatch
Tree Creeper
Chiffchaff calling
9 Song Thrush  3 over NW, 2 over W, 2 over S, 1 over SW, 1 flew in
11 Mistle Thrush  2+2+7 over S
Yellowhammer over S
Cirl Bunting singing from same tree,The Walnut, as earlier this year
382 Chaffinch 370 over S, 6 over SE, 2 over E, 1 over NE, 3 over NW
2 Brambling over S
5 Greenfinch 3 over S, 2 over NW
4 Siskin 1+1 over S ,2 over E
2 Goldfinch 1 over SE ,1 over S
4 Linnet over E
62 Hawfinch 55 over S (9 flocks of 13 or less), 11 over SW, 2 over SE, 1 over NE, 2 over E, 4 over W
2 Tree Sparrow over E
20 finches sp. over E

Friday 10 October 2014

THURSDAY 9th OCTOBER 2014

Liplje - migration watch from home
07:00 - 08:30

Swallow over S
183 Chaffinch 153 over S (in flocks of 1-15), 10+12+3+3 over SW, 2 over N/NE
11 Hawfinch 1+5 over SW, 2+3 over S
8 Goldfinch over SE
3 Greenfinch 2 over N, 1 over E
7 Blue Tit 3+1+3 over S
16 Great Tit 1+1+6+5+3 over S
2 Blackbird over W
4 Song Thrush over SW
2 Wood Lark over S
19 Raven over W (single flock)
22 Wood Pigeon 10+6 over W/SW, 6 over SW
Hobby over N
2 Sparrowhawk (local)



Wednesday 8 October 2014

WEDNESDAY 8th OCTOBER 2014

11-21°C,Wind SE gusting up to 23mph.mostly clear and sunny, pressure 30.20inHG

Liplje - migration watch from home, 07:30 - 08:30
Took me a while to realise the Tits were ''moving'', as like the Hawfinches it was something I'm not familiar with. Realised I had missed some early on.

Swallow over SE
86 Chaffinch 71over S, 5 over E, 10 over SE
8 Hawfinch over S, 3 in from N
Greenfinch over SE
11 Great Tit 2 over SE, 9 over S
14 Blue Tit  10 over S, 4 over SE
Starling over NW
2 Skylark over SW
Song Thrush over S 




SATURDAY 4th - 6th OCTOBER 2014

Liplje - migration watch from home

Got the feeling these Hawfinches were on the move over the weekend hence the more concerted effort on Monday. Really good to see, not having seen anything like it in Blighty, always imagined them to be very sedentary. 99 Hawfinches in 3 days WOW !
Noticed the Cirl bunting change the pitch of its song going from the more typical rattle to a higher pitched trill and then back again.
Great Cormorants were first for Liplje
First Siskin this Autumn.


Saturday 4th
16 Hawfinch 12 + 4 over S

Sunday 5th, 07:10 - 08:00
4 Song Thrush over S
23 Hawfinch 19,1,1 over S, + 2 over NW
4 Chaffinch over S

12:52
15 Hawfinch over E/NE

17:32
Siskin over S

Monday 6th, 06:55 - 08:13
4 Great Cormorant over S
Tree Pipit over E/NE 
45 Hawfinch  9+1+5+9+8+12 over S, 1 over E
10 Song Thrush 1+3 over S, 5 over SE, 1 over SW
Blackbird over E
3 Turdus sp.S/SW
84 Chaffinch 20+13+11+11+6+2+7+4 over S, 6 over S/SW,4 over E
23 Skylark 3 over S, 16 over E/NE, 4+4 over E
10 Wood Pigeon 2 over W, 8 over SW
4 Starling N/NW 
White Wagtail over S
2 Yellow Hammer over SE

Cirl Bunting singing










 



Thursday 2 October 2014

THURSDAY 2nd OCTOBER 2014

12-17°C,Wind up to 5mph from N/NW, cloudy and bright.pressure 30.32inHG

Much quieter on the migration front of late.The Firecrests are back with 3 seen yesterday with 1 Willow Warbler. Also over this last week phylloscs have been much more in evidence.

I saw 3 feeding together which included 1 Chiffchaff, 1 1st W Willow Warbler (which interestingly did a lot of sitting rather than standing on perches) and one other phyllosc type which showed a well defined black eyeline and equally striking pale and long supercillium. When viewed head-on a pale loral stripe was noticed, this together with the strong eye line/super put me in mind of a 'crest'? Also noticed on the same bird was a pale off white underside, greenish grey upper body and yellow/orange feet and possibly legs.

My conclusion was this bird was like no Willow-chaff I've ever seen and came closest to Arctic/Greenish Warbler however no wing bar was observed ?

Hawfinches in groups of 8 and 4 seen in quick succession and the Cirl Bunting has returned to sing in The Walnut.
Small movement of Chaffinches and Blackbirds much more frequently seen.

Over last 7 days - 

3 Firecrest
Willow Warbler 
Chiffchaff
Wood Warbler
Stonechat
Whinchat
12 Hawfinch flocks of 8 & 4 
Cirl Bunting singing