Friday 19 October 2018

19th October 2018

In Richard's absence I decided to start close to his house in Kingsdown but other that 30 Goldcrests and a single Chiffchaff I couldn't find anything of note. Gerald had a look this afternoon in the same area and saw the Yellow-browed Warbler that has been around a few days.

Back up top I joined Jack and John Cantelo who had been viz migging at the monument. We walked the  area as far as Hope Point and the Empty Wood. We came across several large groups of Goldcrests which totalled around 110 in addition to those at Kingsdown. After a very poor autumn for this species it was encouraging to see them in reasonable numbers again.

Other birds of note included a single Ring Ouzel in the Freedown and a Short-eared Owl flushed from the cliff top and three Stonechats. Only two Chiffchaffs and two Blackcaps were recorded.

Overhead there was the usual stream of Siskins, mostly unseen, 10 Bramblings, 10 Redpolls, five Swallows, two Reed Buntings, a Golden Plover and four Redwing

An audit of Yellow-browed Warblers seen so far this autumn suggest that around 23 birds have been recorded of which 14 have been between St Margaret's and Hope Point with a further nine in the Kingsdown area.

Brendan, Jack & John Cantelo

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