Sunny all day after a light overnight frost. A light west breeze developed from late morning.
Middleton Nature Reserve
Report by Jean:
A real variety of birds caught at Middleton NR this morning, 32 new birds and just 3 retraps
New birds
Goldcrest 6
Chiffchaff 6 - several long-winged birds likely to be Scandinavian in origin
Coal Tit 4
Long-tailed Tit 3
Lesser Redpoll 2
Robin 2
Song Thrush 2 - British birds not olive coloured Scandinavian birds
Blue Tit 2
Great Tit 2
Reed Bunting 1
Cetti's Warbler 1 - yet another Cetti's! That's the 7th this autumn at Middleton
Wren 1
Retraps
A 4 year old Wren
A 5 year old Long-tailed Tit
and a recent Long-tailed Tit
All the retraps had been caught at Middleton before so are likely to be resident there.
A bit of visible migration was visible:
Fieldfare 8
Redwing 9
Whooper Swan flocks of 3 and 7
Carrion Crow 11
Jackdaw 13
Grey Wagtail 1 (may be wintering in the wastewater treatment works)
Observers: Jean, Pete, Simon and Claire
I just managed a later morning check (MD). In addition to yesterday's wildfowl there were :
Gadwall 25 on the "no swimming" pond.
Male Gadwall |
This pair provided a nice display.
The Moorhen were also feeding up the banking.
There was still some definite Jackdaw movement south. One high group of 5 and this flock of 19, so 37 south today.
Cetti's warbler 2 singingSparrowhawk 1 being harried by a Carrion Crow. You can just hear a Cetti's singing in the background.
One of two male Common Darters |