Blakehill Purple Patch

30 Oct - I've done quite well at Blakehill this month, with three quality sightings. Firstly, on the 16th, a morning visit was enlivened by the most unexpected sight of a Kingfisher flying low across the field and track, heading towards the plateau - presumably a juvenile bird looking for territory? Apparently only the second Blakehill record. Then on 24th, I visited in late afternoon on a speculative look for Short-eared Owls, hoping that at least one bird may return for the winter? Nome seen, but just before sunset a male Merlin flew in and perched for about 10 minutes, before darting off to chase a Meadow Pipit and then flying west - I couldn't see if it landed again.

Best of all, on 30th I visited again for a morning walk, and was heading down the main track when I saw a group of corvids harrying a large raptor that was approaching from the SE across the plateau. The languid flight and buoyant profile led me to assume "Red Kite" until I saw the more compact shape, the upturned wings and lack of a forked tail - I then picked up the white rump in flight, although looking into the light - female/ringtail Hen Harrier! A much-wanted bird for Blakehill, and obviously passing through as it drifted NW and kept going. Apparently, again just the second record for the site. Unbelievably, when I called at Eysey on the way home, the female Marsh Harrier that has been seen there several times recently cruised past over the flooded field, giving really good views in the sun of my second Harrier species of the day!

Add to this a passage of Stonechats at Blakehill through the month, and varying numbers of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, and it's been a rewarding autumn migration season there. I'm still waiting for the Wryneck though .........

Autumnal Otmoor

28 Oct - A visit to Otmoor on a cloudy, calm, slightly misty autumnal afternoon, when all colours in the landscape are muted and subdued. Initially quiet, a hovering Kestrel the highlight, with flyover Snipe and a distant Red Kite also seen. From the screens, small numbers of wintering duck present, and a few Common Snipe tucked well in to the cut reeds. Cetti's Warblers in good voice from the reedbeds, with Stonechats and Reed Buntings also feeding around the hedgeline, and a good total of 9 Brown Hares seen, with a flock of 65 or so Lapwing, and calling Water Rails. Walking back along the bridleway, I kept my eyes open as a Short-eared Owl was seen at dusk last night - at 4.30 a flurry of flushed Snipe announced the presence of a SEO which was surprisingly difficult to pick up low over the field in the fading light. It was mobbed mercilessly by corvids and had to climb high to avoid these, before descending back to hunt around the reedbed, where it was joined by another SEO and also by 2 Barn Owls, glowing white in the darkness. To complete an excellent afternoon, a Bittern flew in to roost on the central reedbed at Greenaways, and 2 Marsh Harriers hunted the reedbed margin in the gloaming. Well worth the trip.

Dorset coast.........

23-24 Oct - A couple of visits to Weymouth sites while I was in the area. Two morning visits to Lodmoor unfortunately coincided with misty dull weather (but no rain) so the photography opportunities were somewhat limited. Several Common Snipe were roosting at fairly close quarters from the west path, and gave nice autumnal perspectives as their straw brown plumage blended nicely with the autumn reeds. The west scrape often has fairly confiding waders feeding, and there were also several Black-tailed Godwits feeding at close quarters - other birds here included flyover Great White Egrets, a hunting female Marsh Harrier, a Kingfisher and calling Water Rails and Cetti's Warblers. Radipole was fairly quiet, with high water levels, but a group of Bearded Tits were "pinging" in the reedbed, however in the breezy conditions they didn't come to the top of the reeds. Ferrybridge on the falling tide produced a dozen or so Med Gulls in plumages varying from adult winter to first-year birds (in addition to several adult birds at Lodmoor) - also here waders including Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Bar-tailed Godwit. Fifty or so Brent Geese flew in to the mudflats as the tide dropped.

Shorncote evening

21 Oct - A fine evening, so a visit to Shorncote (still somewhat flooded) and staying til dusk. Viewing from the first hide, Water Rails and Cetti's Warblers called but scanning revealed no sign of the very elusive Bittern that is presumed to be in residence. My vigil was rewarded however when a Barn Owl appeared from the old willow trees and headed towards the quarry, then walking back towards South Cerney 2 Barn Owls were quartering the field nearest the crossroads - so 2, and perhaps 3, birds present ? Also seen, a party of 40 or so Redwings and Fieldfares that descended on the reedbed to roost. Cetti's warblers were singing and at darkness a Tawny Owl was calling from the Willows, so two Owl species present.

Scotland - Ben Alder

18-19 Oct - My last Munro trip of the year, to the remote Ben Alder range.........seasonal autumnal weather, with shifting cloud, showers, northerly breeze and a dusting of snow on the higher tops on the last morning. Fairly limited sightings bird-wise, but several nice groups of Ptarmigan on the tops totalling over 20 birds, some moulting into winter plumage, seen both feeding on the stony ground and in flight. The hills echoed to the sound of roaring Red Deer stags especially at dawn and dusk, and some good sightings of stags with attendant hinds, although they were generally fairly wary. A skein of Pink-footed Geese seen flying over eastwards at dusk presumably having arrived in from Iceland on their retreat from the northern winter.

Nighthawk !

12 Oct - something I don't do at all often, but I really like Nightjars and night birds, so a long-staying Common Nighthawk is a very special vagrant - the slight drawback was that this one is currently resident in Northern Ireland....so a day trip from Bristol! The bird is roosting in a paddock near Ballymena and feeding morning and evening over the adjacent river. I arrived during the day, and had good views of the beautiful but cryptic plumage of the bird as it roosted photogenically on a mossy sycamore branch, blending with the tree colour with its mottled/barred plumage, eyes occasionally opening but mostly closed as it slept away the daylight hours. The bird would be very hard to locate if no one else was on site, but being a weekend there was a steady trickle of admirers, both Irish and British, so the bird could be pointed out to newcomers. Towards dusk it woke up, stretched a little and departed the roosting spot close overhead, calling softly, to hawk for insects, showing stiffer wingbeats than European Nightjar, together with large white wing patches and corners to the tail. A memorable and atmospheric encounter with this rare visitor. Incidentally, my impression of Northern Ireland was that it is green and tree-covered, reminding me perhaps most of Wales (in terms of other parts of the UK). Strange to think that this small province is at the epicentre of the current Brexit conundrum.......

Wet Blakehill

11 Oct - a couple of recent trips to Blakehill succeeded in dodging the rain - fairly quiet. An ongoing passage of Meadow Pipits with a few Skylarks, and Stonechats appearing fairly regularly - 2 females on the latest visit. Hopefully some will stay for the winter. A lack of easterlies so far this autumn means a scattering of Redwings only, with no Fieldfares so far. Ravens seem fairly prominent at the moment, with some autumn display going on.

WWT

9 Oct - A quick look from the hides before and after a photo course. Fairly quiet, but winter ducks starting to arrive, and in smart post-eclipse plumage. Nice views of a couple of Snipe from Martin Smith hide, cryptically plumaged in the cut reeds. At least 10 fairly late Swallows hawking over the grounds in fairly warm but windy conditions.

Hayling...... briefly!

4 Oct - A half-hour scan of the estuary by Hayling Bridge before a medical study day down the road, on a sunny morning with a low but rising tide. Curlews and Grey Plovers obvious, including one of the latter in its stunning summer plumage - also Oystercatcher, Redshank, Dunlin and Bar-tailed Godwit. Ten or so Little Egrets fishing in the creeks. A good sanity dose before spending the day in a room with no windows!

Shorncote etc

3 Oct - A cold slightly misty morning at Shorncote with gentle autumn colours in the greyness. Meadow Pipits passing over fairly continuously with a few Skylarks but also 2 late Swallows - the biggest surprise was my first 4 Redwings heard and seen, with diagnostic views in the bins. Surprisingly no Stonechats, but Reed Buntings present, also Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Raven, calling Kingfisher, 3 flyover Snipe and several Lapwing flocks plus a calling Green Sandpiper. 21 Shoveler were seen in flight from Twitchers Gate, and a Green Sandpiper on the flood at Eysey. Surprisingly, no Egrets of any variety at Shorncote, but a flock of 9 on floods by the River Thames at Castle Eaton.

Slimbridge Bonanza

1 Oct - An afternoon visit to Slimbridge on the basis that recently the Zeiss Hide Bittern has been fairly obliging at times. The added attraction was that the recent very high tides have pushed a decent selection of waders onto the high tide roost, and there were at least a dozen species on view from the hide, including an elegant Spotted Redshank, 4 dumpy Knots, several early Golden Plovers and a beautiful Greenshank, amongst the Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, Dunlin, Ringed Plovers and Ruff, with a group of camouflaged Snipe tucked in under the Bank. The reedbed has several rides cut into it to aid viewing from the hide, and a couple of Water Rails scuttled across. Scanning the reeds in between viewing the distant waders, I couldn’t believe it when after an hour or so the Bittern suddenly emerged in full view right in front of the hide! It proceeded to walk stealthily across several of the rides over the next 10 minutes or so, moving slowly and stopping to look or extend its neck warily at intervals - offering a superb opportunity to study the amazing cryptic plumage and the sinuous movements through the reeds. On reaching the main reedbed the Bittern melted into the vegetation and then preened, extending its neck for a final look round before disappearing. A superb showing which left us all elated and feeling privileged to get this performance from such an elusive and special bird. Oh, and a flyby Peregrine as well!