A few birds moving

Tuesday 4th October 2011
Warm, dry, cloudy with S/W breeze.

Mentioned before I know, but west or south west winds I find uninspiring, but this is October, birds are on the move, and recently there have been loads of Siskins flying west, so I was hopeful there might be some vis mig.

I started out at the car park at Chambers Wall around 7.30am, taking a slow walk up to the embankment. Apart from a few Chiffchaffs and the usual Chaffinches it was quiet, but I did flush the Little Owl from the same spot I saw it last week.

Walking west I stopped to check out a couple of calling birds, which were rather smart Lesser Whitethroats, there were a few Blackbirds along the hedges, and 3 small flocks of Golden Plovers flew over. Whilst trying to locate a warbler gently singing on the far side of the railway line, which I never did see but strongly suspect was a Blackcap, I noticed a small bird fly in from the east, and a quick look confirmed it was a Redstart, which was nice. It didn't stop long, and I watched as it continued 'hedge hopping' it's way west.

I then turned back and walked east along the embankment. The only birds of note really were a steady trickle of Skylarks heading west, a few small parties of Siskins west, and highlight of the morning a flock of 13 Crossbills flying west. It was brilliant to watch them approach, then hear the 'chip' calls as they fly just overhead, and turn to follow them with the light
behind me and see their fantistic colours as they disappear along the embankment.