16th-19th October 2010

I'll try to keep these posts going!!! Recent highlights:

16/10/2010 = 9 Bullfinches around the lakes was my personal best site count for the species. 1 Wigeon at Terry's Pool and a Lesser Redpoll over Engine Pool. Along the west side of Windmill Pool, I started making whistles like Chiffchaff calls, got a response in one quiet call from amongst the willows and then saw a Phylloscopus warbler, which vanished when I moved my binoculars to my eyes, never to be seen again - late Chiffchaff, I reckoned.

17/10/2010 = Fairly good visible migration in the early morning, with 385+ Woodpigeons, 1 Linnet, up to 3 Rooks, 1 Skylark, 2+ Meadow Pipits, Redwings, and best of all my first definite vis-mig Song Thrush, over in ~90 minutes obervation from the causeway. Moving on to the Springbrook Scrubland, saw a Common Snipe and 60+ Redwings in flight, which were flushed by nearby clay pigeon shooting and dog-walkers. At Terry's Pool, the female Pintail was seen again, plus 3 Teals and 5 Wigeons.

18/10/2010 = Nil of note at the lakes, although I did leave it late visiting.

19/10/2010 = 194+ Starlings at the Hungry Horse field. At the lakes, 5 Mute Swans (family of 4, plus an adult). Just this minute looked out the window and the moon is out, so hopefully something new in at the lakes tomorrow morning... (please!)

M.P. Griffiths

P.S. On the 17th, I checked the canal feeder channel near the engine house, which has been dredged in the last couple of weeks so that now the water and east side are much more open, and much more of the channel can be seen from the gate. I'm quite excited to see how the dredging of the channel will affect lake water levels next year - fingers crossed the water levels will reveal the Engine Pool island for the first time since 2008, and attract some waders. The other feeder channel, easiest to view from Springbrook Lane, was dredged a month ago at least, and already seems to have become more suitable for Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail.
I must thank Tony Philp and Mike Holt who checked Earlswood during the weekend I was away - thank you both. Tony had a Shoveler and 1+ Wigeon at Terry's Pool on the 9th, but these had gone next day; whilst Mike had about 50-60 Redwings in the Springbrook Scrubland (south of Windmill Pool) on the 10th. Some of the photos taken by Tony at the lakes recently:

Wigeons and Mallard, 06/10/2010 (© Tony Philp)

Pochard, 13/10/2010 (© Tony Philp)