Thursday October 16

The theme of today's visit was set by the first birds I saw as I got out of my car. Redwings. At last. A flock of 17 heading south was a precursor to an eventual total of 380 between 8.30 and 11.15, all heading south-west.

A flock of Redwings (mostly)

This was the typical view, but where calls were heard they were almost exclusively of Redwings. I say almost because I did also record two Fieldfares with one flock. Another new bird for the autumn was a Siskin, which I only heard. It looks like being another poor winter for that species.

The hedgerows did harbour a few Redwings, which were far too easy to flush, along with five Song Thrushes, and eight Blackbirds. Two more Stonechats were seen, and although the pool was pretty birdless, the flashes contained 37 Teal, six Wigeon, seven Lapwings, and two Green Sandpipers.

Back at Netherstead I was about to try photographing some Meadow Pipits in the paddocks when a distinctly different pipit call caused me to look up in time to see a Rock Pipit heading west. It looked dark and largeish, and the call was typical of Rock Pipit, but I could only watch as it receded into the distance. Only the second to have occurred here, the last was in 2010. The habitat at Morton Bagot is unlikely to ever encourage a Rock Pipit to land. After a bit of a year-tick drought, it was very welcome nonetheless.

Also occurring in increased numbers were Linnet (130), Stock Dove (103), and Reed Bunting (31).