Slimbridge fix after a while .....

6 Nov - My first Slimbridge trip for a few weeks, as the centre itself was closed due to roadworks on the access road. Very pleasing to see the first 3 Bewick's Swans of the winter on the Rushy first thing, and to think of the amazing return trip to Arctic Russia that they've completed since they were last here. Also a good showing of Geese, with 8 Pinkfeet on the Dumbles and 20 Whitefronts from Zeiss Hide. Wader numbers are really building up, with large flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover out over the foreshore. Other waders present included Ruff, Redshank, a large flock of Dunlin, Curlew, and good numbers of Knot with the usual Black-tailed Godwit flock on South Lake, plus quite a few cryptic Snipe hiding in the grass around the reserve. The duck are coming out of eclipse now into their smart winter pre-breeding plumage, with good numbers of Shoveler in particular present on South Lake. A short vigil for the Bittern was unsuccessful but I'm sure it was somewhere in the reedbed ...........

Blakehill

4 Nov - A beautiful calm, slightly misty, late autumnal morning, and a lot of bird activity first thing - wary Fieldfares and Redwings diving into berry-laden Hawthorns, a pair of Stonechats calling and feeding, a couple of Reed Buntings with a few Goldfinches, a Grey Wagtail, and a passage of Meadow Pipits with Skylarks. Nothing out of the ordinary, just a lovely day to be out, and I always find it satisfying with the turn of the seasons to see good numbers of winter Thrushes arrive.

Waterlogged CWP

3 Nov - After all the recent rain, the River Thames is pretty high at the moment, and some paths/car parks around CWP are inaccessible. Birds have dispersed onto flooded fields, and this was the case at Shorncote this w/e, where, as well as my first Great White Egret for the Water Park this autumn, 12 Grey Herons were feeding on the floods, alongside a solitary Little Egret (I think most of the LEs are on North Meadow currently, with over 20 counted there in recent days). Also at Shorncote, 6-8 calling Water Rails, and increasing numbers of Teal, 4 flyover Snipe, a party of 21 Lapwings glowing in the sun, several hundred winter Thrushes (mainly Redwings) dropping in to roost, a pair of Stonechats, and at least 6 singing Cetti's Warblers. Also a calling Kingfisher and a pair of Ravens over - and, best of all, a pair of Barn Owls hunting after sunset, one coming very close to the path.

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.