Saturday 20 October 2012

The fog cleared and the passage began

SATURDAY 20 OCTOBER


For the first time in a while, winds dropped overnight to very light SSW and after the rain had moved away to the east, the Chiltern Hills were shrouded in low cloud and fog first thing. It was surprisingly warm for late October, temperatures climbing to 15 degrees C......

IVINGHOE HILLS (BUCKS)

Chris and I did just over two hours viz-migging from Picadilly Hill summit where passage was very much constant between 0930 and midday. Although the highlight bird was a very confiding male COMMON STONECHAT just SE of the trig point adjacent to the footpath, the following passage migrants were encountered -:

CORN BUNTING (a single flew SW)

Great Tit (7)

Meadow Pipit (35)

CHAFFINCH (constant passage of birds, the largest flock of which totalling 70 individuals - 375 logged)

Common Starling (strong westerly passage with 147 counted)

Greenfinch (3 west)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 west)

Eurasian Skylark (21 west)

REDWING (593 west in total)

Long-tailed Tit (19 in two groups - very mobile)

Redpoll species (2 over)

Jay (1)

Reed Bunting (2 west)

Coal Tit (2 in Top Scrub)

As can be seen, Chaffinch and Redwing dominated the proceedings...

With easterly winds forecast for the next week, a reasonable passage should be expected

1 comment:

Developer said...

Nice collection!!