Birds still on the move

We are nearing mid-November, a time when you begin to feel that autumn migration has pretty much come to a close, and, while that may be the case for some species, it still feels like this autumn has more to give.

Waxwings have been on the move all week with new flocks noted on the east coast. Smaller flocks have so far been noted further inland, but numbers should continue to build in the coming weeks and Waxwings should reach most parts of the country. There may be further arrivals from the Continent as berry crops run low.

Waxwings by Jeff Baker/BTO

Reporting rate of Waxwing on BirdTrack

Another feature of the week has been the number of inland waterbodies that have hosted Scaup. Like Waxwing, the current reporting rate is well above average suggesting a wider arrival, perhaps as suitable waterbodies became scarce in last weeks cold snap in Scandinavia. Perhaps Smew could follow suit.

Drake Scaup by John Proudlock/BTO

Reporting rate of Scaup on BirdTrack

One of the better spectacles of the late autumn and early winter so far has to be arrival of Shorelark. Up to 100 birds have been seen at Holkham in North Norfolk in the last few weeks, with smaller flocks elsewhere along the east coast. A few have reached further afield, including singles on Anglesey and Hampshire.

The last of the summer visitors are still trickling through, the mega-rare Cliff Swallow at Minsmere, Suffolk last weekend shared the sky with eight Swallows and a very late Sand Martin. There has also been a flurry of Ring Ouzel records during the last week.

Predictably for the east coast, the easterly and north-easterly winds brought Little Auks with up to 14 recorded at seawatching sites. Long-tailed Duck and Velvet Scoters were also logged at many spots, as well as the more expected Great and Pomarine Skuas.

Little Auk by Morris Rendall/BTO

For the weekend and beyond the weather looks to be dominated by westerly winds originating from north-eastern Canada. There is a small chance of some late Nearctic rarity turning up on a remote headland in Ireland or Scotland and Mourning Dove, Yellow-rumped or Blackpoll Warbler being typical November arrivals. Commoner birds that will continue to arrive include Starling and Blackbird from Scandinavia and beyond, and keep an eye out for Woodcock which reaches peak reporting rate in BirdTrack in late November.


Paul Stancliffe and Stephen McAvoy