tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15864438175475184852024-03-06T09:13:29.072+00:00BTO Bird Migration BlogRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04704188198507308644noreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-45641837297565857412020-03-27T12:17:00.003+00:002020-03-27T12:17:50.870+00:00Migration Blog has moved.The migration blog has a new home, head over to <a href="https://www.bto.org/community/bto-blog">https://www.bto.org/community/bto-blog</a> to check out what species are on the move and where best to find them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-6355450131981988312020-03-20T09:45:00.002+00:002020-03-20T09:45:59.143+00:0019th March - 25th March<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">During these uncertain times it can be good to turn to nature, not only to get away from it all but to reflect on how the natural world continues to follow a rhythm regardless of what is happening in our lives. Over the last week, a steady flow of summer migrants reached the UK, most arriving here to breed. A good number of <b>Wheatears </b>arrived during Saturday and Sunday with Portland in Dorset scoring over 100 in a single day, together with 100+ <b>Chiffchaffs</b>, real signs that spring has sprung. The arrival of <b>Wheatears </b>was not restricted to the south with birds reaching as far north as Scotland. Most of these birds will be claiming their territory for the breeding season ahead very soon. The first wave of <b>Ospreys</b> also arrived back to their favoured nesting sites during the last week and no doubt these will be joined by more birds in the coming days and weeks. A few rarer species were picked out with a Male <b>Lesser Kestrel</b> on the Isles of Scilly being the pick of the bunch. There have been a few records of this species recently with the last being seen in October last year in East Yorkshire. The predicted <b>Short-toed Treecreeper</b> from the last blog also materialised with a bird spending a few hours in a garden in Dungeness, Kent before flying off. A <b>Killdeer,</b> a North American relative of the <b>Ringed Plover</b>, was discovered on Lundy, Devon but was only present for a couple of days, perhaps it will be found over the coming week further north, Shetland Isles maybe?</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph for <b>Chiffchaff s</b>howing they <br />
are arriving about the same as the historical average.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Species Focus</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sand Martin</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Sand Martins </b>spend the winter months in the Sahel, on the southern edge of the Sahara, and are one of the first of our summer migrants to make the northward crossing of the desert in the spring, and consequently one of the first to arrive back here. The numbers that arrive here to breed each year are a good indicator of the winter conditions in the Sahel. In years where the winter rains are plentiful, the overwinter <b>Sand Martin</b> survival is likely to be good, however, in drought years <b>Sand Martin</b> populations can crash. We have seen this happen several times over the years, with one of the most spectacular crashes in the 80s, after which it took a few years for the breeding population to recover. It will be a few more weeks yet before we get an indication of how they might have fared this winter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 25-year figure (1992-2017) is currently showing a 3% increase and the latest population estimate has the UK population at 70,300 – 225,000 pairs. <b>Sand Martins</b> can show great nest site fidelity but can also be fickle, breeding successfully at a site one year and completely abandoning it the next; this makes them very difficult to count.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The oldest <b>Sand Martin </b>the BTO has on record was for an individual that was ringed as a juvenile on the Isle of Grain, Medway, in August 1990 that was caught by a ringer in Applegarthtown, Lockerbie, 7 years, 9 months and 1 day later. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Sand Martins</b>, for all of their small size, are tough birds and breed above the Arctic Circle, making the best of the summer glut of winged insects.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sand Martin </b>- Photo by Philip Croft</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Weather for the week ahead</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">With high pressure in charge over the weekend and into next week, the weather should be relatively settled, a welcome change from the past few weeks. The wind will be mostly from the east over the weekend then swinging to a southerly direction for the start of the week, this will allow a continuous flow of migrants to our shores, but what species can we expect? Both <b>Blackcaps </b>and <b>Willow</b> <b>Warblers</b> should start to arrive in ever-increasing numbers, <b>Ring Ouzels</b> will also start to arrive towards the end of the review period. <b>Red Kites</b> are also on the move at this time of year and will be setting up territories for the coming breeding season, look out for them on bright days with a gentle breeze; calling gulls or crows are a good way of alerting you to their presence as they circle overhead. The run of easterly winds over the weekend could produce a few <b>White-spotted Bluethroats</b>, a species many of us dream of finding on our local patch. Other possible scarcities include <b>Hoopoes,</b> <b>Alpine Swifts</b> and <b>Red-rumped Swallow.</b> This is also the time of year that an overwintering American passerine might be found as its migrational instincts kick in, with <b>White-throated Sparrow</b>, <b>Dark-eyed Junco</b> or <b>Yellow-rumped Warbler</b> possibilities in a garden in the next few days and, with more people working at home there is an increased chance that one will be found. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White-spotted Bluethroat</b> - Photo Philip Croft<br />
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By Paul Stancliffe and Scott Mayson<br /><div class="p3" style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-48279449327517617232020-03-12T15:33:00.000+00:002020-03-12T15:33:46.273+00:0012th March - 18th March<br />
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Dare we say it? It seems like spring has sprung, with the first of the summer migrants appearing on our shores. <b>Sand Martin</b>, <b>Swallow</b>, <b>Wheatear</b>, <b>Willow Warbler</b> and <b>Little Ringed Plovers</b> have all put in an appearance, with <b>Sand Martins</b> making it as far north as Lancashire. The intensity of summer migrants will be as ever weather dependent but with a warm spring and favourable conditions the volume and variety of birds arriving will increase over the next couple of months. The timings of arrival vary from species to species with some species like <b>Osprey</b>, <b>Garganey</b> and <b>Stone-curlew</b> arriving at the start of spring, whilst others like <b>Spotted Flycatcher</b>, <b>Turtle Dove</b> and <b>Swift</b> tend to arrive much later.<br />
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The last few weeks have seen little in the way of significant bird movements, warm weather across Europe has meant no significant cold weather movements of wildfowl occurred and, as a result, reports of species such as <b>Smew</b> and<b> Goldeneye</b> have been well below average.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TxsoyOb3xlQ/Xmorm57JeVI/AAAAAAAABVg/f__ddzeGFMYlO0NUCSrpTjGhUlmcdXvEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Smew.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1200" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TxsoyOb3xlQ/Xmorm57JeVI/AAAAAAAABVg/f__ddzeGFMYlO0NUCSrpTjGhUlmcdXvEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Smew.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate for Smew showing the <br />
lower than average reporting rate.</td></tr>
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The continued run of Atlantic weather systems no doubt contributed to the arrival of an adult <b>Ross’s Gull</b> in Devon and a 1st Winter <b>Laughing Gull</b> in Somerset, both of which normally spend the winter on the other side of the Atlantic. Other rarities have included the long-staying 1st winter drake <b>Steller’s Eider</b> on Orkney and the <b>Tengmalm’s Owl</b> on the Shetland Isles, which has been proven to be a different individual to the one there last year, the term 'like buses' comes to mind!<br />
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It is not all about arrivals at this time of year either, it may be best to think of the British Isles as a major airport with both arrival and departures from across Europe and beyond, and the next few weeks will see several species departing for the summer. Often a feature of the autumn, now is also a good time of year to listen for the high pitched '<i>seep'</i> call of<b> Redwings</b> at night as they head back to Scandinavia. Other winter visitors such as <b>Fieldfare</b>, <b>Bewick’s</b> and <b>Whooper Swans</b>, <b>Waxwings</b> and <b>Brent Geese</b> will also start to depart in the next few days.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZBTZgni4-c/Xmoq-Pp_Q3I/AAAAAAAABVY/kNTrSJQjlTUpsZrZnjIbdwBW3FwvVLfngCEwYBhgLMK_YqPMF/s1600/2019-B47-Philip-Croft-5125_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1193" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZBTZgni4-c/Xmoq-Pp_Q3I/AAAAAAAABVY/kNTrSJQjlTUpsZrZnjIbdwBW3FwvVLfngCEwYBhgLMK_YqPMF/s400/2019-B47-Philip-Croft-5125_original.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark-bellied Brent Goose - Photo bt Philip Croft</td></tr>
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Species Focus</h3>
<b>Chiffchaff</b><br />
Wintering in the Mediterranean, North Africa and south of the Sahara in West Africa,<b> Chiffchaff </b>is one of the first of the summer migrants to arrive back in the UK, typically in early March. Although <b>Chiffchaff </b>is an overwintering regular, a sudden flush of singing birds in areas where they have been scarce or absent during the winter months is a sure sign that the first wave of migrant <b>Chiffchaffs</b> have arrived. This was definitely the case during the last week, with singing birds being widely reported in the southern half of the country.<br />
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In recent times the British breeding population has seen a bit of a surge, increasing by 140% during the last 25 years, at a time when the population of its close relative, the <b>Willow Warbler</b> has been falling, down by 42% over the same period. In 2013 it was estimated that there were 1,200,000 pairs in the UK, by 2020 that number is estimated to be 1,750,000.<br />
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The oldest <b>Chiffchaff</b> BTO has on record reached the ripe old age of 7 years, 7 months and 24 days, and was ringed as a juvenile at Winchester College, Hampshire, and found dead at El Kelaa Mgouna, Ouarzazate, Morocco, 2,237km from its birthplace. The longest distance recorded is for a individual that was ringed at Portmore Lough, Antrim and found in Guinea Bissau, 4,816km away.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chiffchaffs will be starting to sing at this <br />
time of year - Photo by Allan Drewitt</td></tr>
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Weather for the week ahead</h3>
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The weather over the coming weekend looks to be set for a run of South/south-westerly winds and with it a rise in temperatures, this should produce another wave of early migrants to the south coasts with more <b>Sand Martins</b>, <b>Swallows</b>, and <b>Wheatears</b> expected, and possibly the first wave of <b>Garganeys</b> and <b>Little Ringed Plovers</b> for the year. <b>Black Redstarts </b>and<b> Firecrests</b> will also be on the move and the first singing <b>Chiffchaffs</b> of the year are likely to involve birds that haven’t come too far and wintered in the UK or near continent. As always coastal sites are likely to get the lion's share of these early migrants but inland waterbodies shouldn’t be overlooked as these are often used by <b>Sand Martins</b>, <b>Swallows</b>, <b>Little Ringed Plovers</b> and <b>Osprey,</b> particularly those that breed in Scotland that often arrive early and make a beeline to their nest sites. Possible rarities that could occur at this time of year include <b>Alpine Swift</b>, <b>Short-toed Treecreeper</b> and <b>Franklin’s Gull;</b> enough to keep anyone happy.<br />
As mentioned earlier, its also worth looking out for departing migrants with species like <b>Brambling</b>, <b>Fieldfare</b>, and <b>Waxwings</b> all moving towards the coast they can turn up anywhere, from gardens to local parks.<br />
The latter part of the week is forecast for a switch to a northerly wind direction which could curtail migration for a few days.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYLZG1dUtiQ/Xmo6zAEl0qI/AAAAAAAABV0/cZ-PCjqM3qQCDpT5f_AWonp0gkYqXmTtACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020-B005-Philip-Croft-5582_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1393" data-original-width="1091" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYLZG1dUtiQ/Xmo6zAEl0qI/AAAAAAAABV0/cZ-PCjqM3qQCDpT5f_AWonp0gkYqXmTtACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/2020-B005-Philip-Croft-5582_original.jpg" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Ringed Plovers are one of our earliest <br />
summer migrants - photo By Philip Croft</td></tr>
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By Paul Stancliffe and Scott Mayson<br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-6889181117006772472020-02-13T10:22:00.000+00:002020-02-13T10:22:27.830+00:00Mid-February to Mid-March<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wdi-F84JRtY/XkFmrxGclII/AAAAAAAABSk/nzna6_28Xx4MxZp7jPyOKjicO5nOqBRbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps%2Bmid-Feb%2B-%2Bmid-March.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wdi-F84JRtY/XkFmrxGclII/AAAAAAAABSk/nzna6_28Xx4MxZp7jPyOKjicO5nOqBRbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps%2Bmid-Feb%2B-%2Bmid-March.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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For me, the period from mid-February to mid-March has always felt a bit of a damp squib the renewed vigour of New Year has started to wane but spring is yet to get going properly. That doesn’t mean that it is simply a case of as you were, this time of year can be productive with the first hints of spring starting to appear. As the days lengthen and the first Daffodils burst into flower the birds respond and the dawn chorus becomes ever louder and more varied as the cast of songsters increases. <b>Robins</b> are joined by <b>Blackbirds</b>, <b>Song Thrushes</b>, <b>Dunnocks</b> and <b>Wrens</b> and this will only get better as they are joined by summer migrants later in the season!<br />
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The past 4 weeks have seen a continuation of the warm and wet weather that has dominated much of the winter period. Highlights have included 4 <b>Eastern Yellow Wagtails</b>, in Northumberland, Norfolk, Suffolk and Galway, 2 <b>Black-throated Thrushes</b>, 1 in Lincolnshire, which was a first for the county, and the long-staying male in Bedfordshire and, a <b>Lesser White-fronted Goose</b> in Norfolk. On the Shetland Isles, particularly Unst there was a small influx of <b>Glaucous Gulls</b> at the end of January. This arctic cousin of the <b>Herring Gull</b> is an annual winter visitor and numbers vary from year to year, this year has been fairly quiet but on the 18th January, 15 flew north past Lamba ness, Unst. This was then followed first by 67 coming in off the sea during the morning on the 25th January at Burrafirth, Unst, then 56 the next day and 12 on the morning of the 27th January at the same location. Quite where these birds went is open to speculation but there hasn’t been an associated increase anywhere else across the country. The most likely origin of these birds is from Iceland and Greenland as the winds prior to the 25th were almost directly from the southern tip of Greenland and across Iceland before sweeping across the top of Scotland.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Qp20TQOLvs/XkEWrzXenUI/AAAAAAAABR0/zr7dmT0hQbozt1D5bvMiJixa1KBbXpfewCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-B48-Scott-Mayson-5341_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Qp20TQOLvs/XkEWrzXenUI/AAAAAAAABR0/zr7dmT0hQbozt1D5bvMiJixa1KBbXpfewCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/2019-B48-Scott-Mayson-5341_original.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st winter Glaucous Gull - Photo by Scott Mayson</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Species focus</span></b><br />
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<b>Goshawk</b><br />
February is a month when many of our breeding birds begin to think about the coming season in earnest, and as the days begin to lengthen more and more join the dawn chorus, proclaiming territory and advertising for a mate. Many will also be involved in displaying to achieve the same. One of these is the <b>Goshawk</b>, with February being the month when the males begin their undulating display flight in earnest. This can also be accompanied by a slow, butterfly-like flapping flight.<br />
The <b>Goshawk’s</b> fortunes have seen a turn-around in recent times, the latest population estimate from APEP4, 2020, stands at 620 pairs, up from 280-420 pairs in APEP3, 2013. However, it remains a difficult bird to catch up with due to its elusive nature – it isn’t known as the ghost of the woods for nothing.<br />
February and March is a good time to catch up with <b>Goshawks</b> that are on the move, birds that crossed the North Sea to spend the winter here and non-breeders that are moving around in search of their own territory. That northern populations migrate south during the winter is without doubt but there is very little documented evidence of birds arriving in Britain – there is one recovery of a <b>Goshawk</b> ringed outside of Britain being found here, a bird that was ringed in Southern Norway, being trapped and released in Lincolnshire. However, <b>Goshawks</b> are regularly seen during migration periods at coastal watchpoints and on offshore islands, suggesting migrant <b>Goshawks</b> might be a little more common than current knowledge infers.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7V52lhoykk/XkEXEo6Ni5I/AAAAAAAABR8/igiAz1OnDJ8J702s1ODi_bxg7TrCrEATwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/BTO-2019-B09-Chris-Knights--1252_2_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1105" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7V52lhoykk/XkEXEo6Ni5I/AAAAAAAABR8/igiAz1OnDJ8J702s1ODi_bxg7TrCrEATwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/BTO-2019-B09-Chris-Knights--1252_2_original.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goshawk - Photo by Chris Knight</td></tr>
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<h3>
Weather for the month ahead</h3>
The weather over the next 4 weeks looks set to continue to be unseasonably mild with wetter conditions in the northern half of the UK and any drier colder weather being short-lived. At this time of the year, any days of prolonged sunshine should encourage species like <b>Goshawk</b>, <b>Woodlark</b> and <b>Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers</b> to start displaying and nest building. <b>Mediterranean Gulls </b>were once a scarce bird in the UK but now they are expanding their range and breeding at a number of sites, often in large numbers. In early spring they start to acquire their stunning breeding plumage of a jet black hood, white wingtips and scarlet red bill. Look out for them along the coast and in flocks or roosts of <b>Black-headed Gulls</b>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3qezadV4IgM/XkEXhkvkF_I/AAAAAAAABSE/J_5Ru8nE8mo-Op9bBK-VchVtmOnE8WGBACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Mediterranen%2BGull081024013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3qezadV4IgM/XkEXhkvkF_I/AAAAAAAABSE/J_5Ru8nE8mo-Op9bBK-VchVtmOnE8WGBACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Mediterranen%2BGull081024013.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mediterranean Gull - Photo by Chris Mills/Norfolk Birding.com</td></tr>
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Most of our winter visitors will be leaving over the next few weeks as they begin to head back to their breeding grounds. Species like <b>Pink-footed</b> and <b>White-fronted Goose</b> and particularly <b>Bewick's Swan</b> will all but have gone by mid-March. Both <b>Redwings</b> and <b>Fieldfares</b> will also be heading back towards Scandinavia over the next few weeks and as a result, many coastal sites will have flocks possibly hanging around for a couple of days as they await favourable weather to make the North Sea crossing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9uqWL9AC14c/XkFJbqO8D7I/AAAAAAAABSY/RtDWgZ_4gFMMvM3wvbEvfcBnymdSeZw3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Bewick%2527s%2BSwan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1200" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9uqWL9AC14c/XkFJbqO8D7I/AAAAAAAABSY/RtDWgZ_4gFMMvM3wvbEvfcBnymdSeZw3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Bewick%2527s%2BSwan.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birdtrack reporting rate for Bewick's Swan, by the end of February <br />
most birds have left the UK</td></tr>
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Any sustained warm weather in early to mid-March could see the arrival of the first summer migrants, these are typically <b>Garganey</b>, <b>Little Ringed Plover</b>, <b>Black Redstart</b>, <b>Wheatear</b> and <b>Sand Martin</b>, although the odd individual of other species such as <b>Swallow</b> and <b>House Martin </b>can also arrive. The arrival of these is not only determined by the weather in the UK but also along their entire migration route from Africa and through Europe. Unfavourable conditions along any part of their route can curtail their progress and set back their arrival in the UK. Both <b>Guillemots</b> and <b>Razorbills</b> will be arriving back at their nesting cliffs during early March in readiness for the breeding season ahead, these will be joined by <b>Puffin</b>, <b>Black Guillemot</b>, <b>Fulmar</b> and <b>Shag</b> later on in the spring.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YU8kLVIf2-U/XkEX4Pn0L1I/AAAAAAAABSM/oOb6_jJ5yUYb0FvyxzIlwLQXYR5h4aTIwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-B35-Liz-Cutting-3789_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1600" height="295" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YU8kLVIf2-U/XkEX4Pn0L1I/AAAAAAAABSM/oOb6_jJ5yUYb0FvyxzIlwLQXYR5h4aTIwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/2019-B35-Liz-Cutting-3789_original.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Redstart - Photo by Liz Cutting</td></tr>
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Scarce and rare species that could arrive over the next month include<b> Red-rumped Swallow</b>, <b>Penduline Tit</b>, <b>Hoopoe</b> and <b>Alpine Swift</b>, but as with other times of the year, anything is possible!<br />
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Scott Mayson and Paul Stancliffe</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-52706006092884285392020-01-16T10:44:00.001+00:002020-01-16T10:44:43.272+00:00Migration blog mid-January to mid-February<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Looking back over the last review period little in the way of rarities arrived with the pick of the bunch being an unseasonal <b>Brown Shrike</b>in Cork. Elsewhere, a male <b>Black-throated Thrush</b> in Bedfordshire proved very popular, as did the <b>Lesser white-fronted Goose </b>and <b>Grey-bellied Brent Goose </b>combo in Norfolk, although both could prove elusive at times. The predicted American passerine from the last blog post failed to be found but there is still time! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">With no cold weather to speak of the numbers of species such as <b>Smew</b>, <b>Fieldfare</b> and <b>Redwing</b> all remained well below there historical average and seem unlikely to build over the coming weeks. Both <b>Redwing </b>and <b>Fieldfare</b>, however, may start to appear at coastal locations as they move out of central parts and start to head back towards Scandinavia and Iceland for the breeding season. Over the New Year period, there were some local increases of<b> White-fronted</b> and <b>Tundra Bean Geese </b>which may possibly relate to New Year's fireworks etc scaring birds, indeed radar images in Europe for New Year’s Eve show a sudden spike in birds flying around from midnight onwards. A spell of northerly winds before the Christmas period saw a small increase in white-winged Gulls with both<b> Iceland</b> and <b>Glaucous Gulls</b> reported across the UK. The milder weather has meant a few summer migrants look like they are attempting to overwinter with around 8-10<b> Swallows</b> reported, including 4 in Galway, a single <b>House Martin</b> in East Sussex and a <b>Swift </b>was seen in Pembrokeshire on the 1st January!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8ifs31JTec/Xh8AkGAvhsI/AAAAAAAABMw/Q3G88Q6mljEmQAXPqqt__LJ8jNZXPLNtQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Fieldfare%2Breporting%2Brate%2BJanuary%2B2020.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8ifs31JTec/Xh8AkGAvhsI/AAAAAAAABMw/Q3G88Q6mljEmQAXPqqt__LJ8jNZXPLNtQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Fieldfare%2Breporting%2Brate%2BJanuary%2B2020.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate for Fieldfare showing a below average reporting rate for the time of year.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The late winter period from mid-January to mid-February is probably the quietest time of the year, whilst some species such as <b>Rook</b>, <b>Grey Heron</b> and<b> Common Crossbill</b> are beginning to start breeding, for most species it is still a few more weeks before they start to think about migrating and breeding. At this time of year, cold weather is the main driver of bird movements but with mild conditions looking to dominate the foreseeable future, this seems very unlikely and thus will be a case of as you were for many species.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CmdRYScq4Bw/Xh8BrRH3I4I/AAAAAAAABM4/Sdfvv1bDBLQhy7p-Up_TM3gsCEOGV85YACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-B43-Philip-Croft-4717_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CmdRYScq4Bw/Xh8BrRH3I4I/AAAAAAAABM4/Sdfvv1bDBLQhy7p-Up_TM3gsCEOGV85YACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/2019-B43-Philip-Croft-4717_original.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Crossbills are an early breeder. Photo Philip Croft</td></tr>
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<h3 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Species focus Pochard.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the winter months, there can be as many as 23,000 individual <b>Pochard </b>in the UK but as a species it has seen its fortunes change. During the last 25 years the wintering population has fallen by 70% - short-stopping (birds spending the winter months nearer to their Eastern breeding sites as winters have become milder) and changes in food availability are thought to be factors in this but there is still unclear what the drivers are. <b>Pochards</b> from the northern and eastern population are highly migratory wintering as far south as West Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Equator in East Africa. Wintering <b>Pochard</b> in Britain and Ireland come mainly from the Baltic countries and the former USSR. The longest distance recovery at 5,137km, is of an individual that was shot near Swansea, Wales, that was ringed in Novosibirskiye Islands, Russian Federation, and the oldest on record lived to a grand old age of 22 years and 10 days. This individual was a female, ringed as an adult at Abberton Reservoir, Essex and shot in Odesa Oblast, Ukraine.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gMH4HrrXqR8/Xh793IYqOkI/AAAAAAAABMk/QtEXD8RBwQo7QuAgRc_qJFbIAVxiUhaLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/BTO-2019-B10-Edmund-Fellowes--1453_2_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gMH4HrrXqR8/Xh793IYqOkI/AAAAAAAABMk/QtEXD8RBwQo7QuAgRc_qJFbIAVxiUhaLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/BTO-2019-B10-Edmund-Fellowes--1453_2_original.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male and female Pochard - Photo by Edmund Fellowes</td></tr>
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<h3 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weather for the month ahead.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the short-range forecast pointing towards continued mild wet weather, it looks like the late winter period will pass without any significant cold spells, indeed even the long-range predictions don’t show any signs of any sustained spells of cold weather developing. What this means for migrant species is we could see early arrivals of species such as <b>Garganey</b>, <b>Wheatear</b> and <b>Little Ringed Plovers</b> which are traditionally the first to arrive. This is, of course, dependent on favourable wind directions coupled with good weather further south. Although not arriving here for several more weeks species like <b>Cuckoo</b>, <b>Swift </b>and <b>Nightingales</b> will already have started to move back towards there breeding grounds across Europe. Some of our winter visitors may leave earlier if we have a mild spring and species to look out for include<b> Red-breasted Mergansers</b>, <b>Slavonian Grebes</b>, and <b>Goosanders</b>. Auks, such as <b>Guillemot </b>and <b>Razorbills </b>will start to gather at their breeding cliffs as will<b> Fulmars</b> that leave their breeding cliffs for a short time over winter before returning early in the spring. <b>Common Gulls </b>are for many just a winter visitor and over the next few weeks numbers will drop as they also head off to breed further north, look out for mixed flocks of <b>Black-headed</b> and <b>Common Gulls</b> on sports fields and winter wheat fields. Another Gull to look out for at this time of year is <b>Caspian Gull</b>, a close relative of <b>Herring Gull</b>, this species is sometimes known as a birders bird as it can be very difficult to separate from the aforementioned species. <b>Caspian Gulls</b> breed in Eastern Europe and small numbers, mainly 1st winter birds, turn up here each winter with flocks of large gulls around refuge tips being a good place to find one.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cshXCk12uKI/Xh8EYYPo1rI/AAAAAAAABNM/H8lclMd6O7IRyBQ6vD2V1pBKDGNOkeNigCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Common%2BGull%2Bhistorical.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cshXCk12uKI/Xh8EYYPo1rI/AAAAAAAABNM/H8lclMd6O7IRyBQ6vD2V1pBKDGNOkeNigCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Common%2BGull%2Bhistorical.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate for Common Gull showing a decline in reporting rate<br />
through the month as birds depart northwards.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Gull - Alan Drewitt</td></tr>
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By Paul Stancliffe and Scott MaysonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-89685684637910639672019-12-18T09:09:00.000+00:002019-12-18T09:09:07.448+00:00Mid December to mid January<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The early winter period has been a somewhat quiet affair with little in the way of rare or scarce birds arriving, the standout bird being a rather showy <b>Hermit Thrush</b> that was found on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. For many, the true highlight was the confirmation that the suspected <b>Paddyfield Pipit</b> was indeed one after a faecal sample was analysed for DNA. The announcement was made at the end of Prof Martin Coillinson's talk at the annual BTO conference, what a way to end a talk! This record will constitute a first for Britain, and indeed Europe, once it is formally accepted by the BOURC.</div>
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As for the commoner winter visitors, the numbers of wildfowl continued to increase as birds arrived from far and wide, and it is looking like a good year for <b>Scaup</b> with the BirdTrack reporting rate well above the historical average. Flocks of over 600 were reported from Loch Ryan near Stranraer in late November, and other small groups were reported across the country from Unst, Shetland in the North and Tresco, Isles of Scilly in the south.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate for Scaup showing a spike in reporting rates since early October.</td></tr>
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<b>Scaup</b> wasn't the only wildfowl on the move, numbers of other ducks such as <b>Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler</b> and <b>Pintail</b> all increased, indeed <b>Pintail</b> which had a slow arrival period in late autumn picked up to be more or less where they should be at this time of the year.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph for Pintail showing a steady increase in reports during November.</td></tr>
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<b>Woodcock</b> reports have been below average since a peak in early November, no doubt due to milder weather on the continent not pushing them further west, a spell of cold weather will no doubt push more birds to our shores. Other species have also increased in number since the last blog, with increasing reports of <b>Fieldfare</b>, which arrive in the UK a few weeks later than <b>Redwings</b>, but we are still to see the peak winter arrival of <b>Blackbirds</b> from the continent that happens in mid-late December. It is not looking like it will be a <b>Waxwing</b> winter with reports below the historical average and nowhere near the level we saw during the last invasion of 2016.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rates for Waxwing indicating it not looking like a Waxwing winter. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waxwing - only a few flocks have been reported this winter.</td></tr>
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Species Focus - Taiga Bean Goose</h3>
Traditionally, <b>Taiga Bean Goose</b> (fabilis) has been one of the last of the regular winter visitors to arrive in the UK, usually in early December, and one of the first to leave in mid-late January. Birds wintering in Britain are thought to largely originate from the Lapland breeding population and are mostly to be found in two flocks, one in the Yare Valley, Norfolk and the other on the Slamannan Plateau in eastern Scotland. Numbers fluctuate between years but have fallen during the last decade or so as birds take advantage of milder winters on the other side of the North Sea. Each winter a small number of <b>Tundra Bean Geese (</b>rossicus<b>)</b> arrive in the UK. <b>Tundra Bean Goose</b> breeds in northern Siberia and winters mainly in the southern Netherlands, western Germany, the Balkans, France and Spain. Numbers can fluctuate wildly at these sites and can increase during the winter as a result of cold weather movement.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taiga Bean Goose - Photo by Steve Ray</td></tr>
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Cold weather movement</h3>
During the winter months populations of birds tend to remain fairly static, however, during periods of cold weather, both here and on the continent, birds can become quite mobile. During these conditions birds can cover large distances in search of snow and frost-free ground and ice-free waters. These movements can occur within the UK with birds moving south as the winter bites further north and can include quite large movements of <b>Skylarks</b>, finches and buntings, <b>Lapwings, Golden Plovers</b> and waterfowl. These movements can occur at any time during the winter in response to falling temperatures. If cold weather hits on the continent birds will move south and west, with some crossing the North Sea. During these conditions we can often see an arrival of waterfowl; <b>Goldeneye, Smew</b> and geese and swans.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smew can arrive during cold weather events across Europe - Photo by Sarah Kelman</td></tr>
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Weather for the month ahead</h3>
The weather for much of December looks to be dominated by low pressure sweeping in from the Atlantic, resulting in warm but wet conditions across much of the UK. These weather patterns are unlikely to produce much in the way of vagrant birds but there is still the chance of maybe a <b>Killdeer</b> or <b>American Robin</b> arriving from America. This autumn was also a productive one for American passerines and it is conceivable that another will be discovered overwintering somewhere, <b>Black and White Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Dark-eyed Junco</b> and most famously of all <b>Golden-winged Warbler</b> have all been discovered during the winter months. If we get any sort of cold blast over the next few weeks visitors from more arctic clines could turn up, with species such as <b>Ivory Gull, Brunnich's Guillemot</b> and <b>Gyr Falcon</b> all possible. The new year is often greeted with renewed vigour by birders as they set out to get their lists off to a start. At this time of year species like <b>Bewick's Swan, Willow Tit, Great Northern Diver</b> and <b>Black-necked Grebe</b> all have their peak in reporting rate and are much sought by those birders of a listing disposition.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eh0vPoscnlc/XfjJNSVflZI/AAAAAAAABKY/TmTfL-Q1DEU24jD9oDmFSn0fgOKIK3vWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-B15-Sarah-Kelman-2347_2_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="1392" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eh0vPoscnlc/XfjJNSVflZI/AAAAAAAABKY/TmTfL-Q1DEU24jD9oDmFSn0fgOKIK3vWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/2019-B15-Sarah-Kelman-2347_2_original.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great norther Diver - A species many birdwatchers only encounter<br />
during the winter months Photo by Sarah Kelman.</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-10935641479188574032019-11-15T12:07:00.001+00:002019-12-12T10:42:52.508+00:00Mid November to Mid December<br />
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The autumn has decided to go out with a flurry of interesting birds, with a 1<sup>st</sup> for Britain and indeed the Western Palearctic, in the shape of a <b>Paddyfield Pipit </b>in Cornwall taking the top spot, and a <b>Steller’s Eider</b> on Orkney running a close second. The supporting cast has not been too shabby either with the Orkney isles also playing host to a female <b>Siberian Rubythroat</b> and a <b>Blue Rock Thrush</b>.</div>
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Elsewhere across the UK highlights of the last couple of weeks have included an <b>Isabelline Wheatear </b>in Norfolk, <b>Buff-bellied Pipit</b> in Cornwall, <b>Siberian/Stejneger’s Stonechat</b> in East Yorkshire, and both the returning <b>White-winged Scoter </b>in Lothian and <b>Short-billed Dowitcher</b> in Louth showing no signs of moving on.<br />
The weekend of the 9<sup>th</sup> and 10<sup>th</sup> November saw a small influx of <b>Hume’s Warblers</b>, a close relative of the <b>Yellow-browed Warbler,</b> arriving along the east coast with some counties recording multiple individuals. No doubt over the next few weeks these will filter down through the country and could turn up along the south coast, and the odd bird may even stay over the winter.</div>
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It hasn't been all about the rare and scarce birds with many locations witnessing big movements of <b>Woodpigeons</b> and <b>Redwings</b>. Portskewett, Cardiff had a count of 108378 <b>Woodpigeons</b> over on the 6th November, whilst in 20250 <b>Redwing </b>were recorded at Kemple End, Lancashire. The last week has also seen a spike in the reporting rate of both <b>Long-tailed Duck</b> and <b>Little Auks</b> with several birds turning up across the country, both species brighten even the dullest day and are a favourite with many birdwatchers.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph for Little Auk showing a </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pair of Long-tailed Ducks - photo Sarah Kelman</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph for Long-tailed Duck showing a <br />
spike in reports in early November</td></tr>
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<b>Species focus</b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>Woodcock</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">During October and November, Woodcock numbers can be swelled by birds escaping falling temperature on the Continent but the number involved can vary between winters depending on conditions on the other side of the North Sea. British wintering Woodcock have been tracked back to their breeding grounds in Finland, Eastern Europe and western Russia. It was long thought that the tiny Goldcrest hitched a ride on the backs of migrating Woodcocks across the North Sea as both species have a tendency to turn up on our shores at the same time and in the same weather conditions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The fortunes of British breeding Woodcock has taken a downturn, we have lost over three-quarters of them during the last twenty-five years and it is red-listed as a bird of conservation concern. It is unclear what in particular might be driving this decline but it is likely to include such things as recreational disturbance, the drying out of natural woodlands, overgrazing by deer, declining woodland management, and the maturation of new plantations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The Bird Atlas 2007-11 showed that as a breeding bird Woodcock has a wide distribution, being found from the north coast of Scotland all the way south to the English south coast, and from East Anglia west to Ireland, but a look at the Breeding Distribution Change map shows just how widespread the decline is, with downward pointing arrows across the whole of Britain and Ireland.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The Woodcock is very much a bird of mature woodland but during the winter months can be found almost anywhere, even turning up in city parks and gardens, and birds can move at any time during the winter – freezing conditions, deep snowfall and ice make it almost impossible for Woodcock to feed and they are forced to move in search of food.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map showing breeding distribution changes for Woodcock</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cS7W3RaGf7s/Xc1cnwT5DNI/AAAAAAAABFI/ecWQvzl2_oYmDXsTFqfPlKr7jBcLCO4kwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-B16-Hugh-Insley-2646_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cS7W3RaGf7s/Xc1cnwT5DNI/AAAAAAAABFI/ecWQvzl2_oYmDXsTFqfPlKr7jBcLCO4kwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/2019-B16-Hugh-Insley-2646_original.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodcocks - photo by Hugh Insley</td></tr>
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Weather for the month ahead</h3>
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It is difficult to be 100% sure what the weather will do over the next month but early indications point to a cold northerly wind for some over the weekend which then swings to the east before settling to a more southerly dominated airflow, all in all, a mixed bag of weather and indicative of the late autumn period so far. <b>Fieldfares </b>which typically arrive a few weeks after <b>Redwing</b> have started to arrive in bigger numbers and any north or north easterlies over the next 3-4 weeks should see even more birds arrive.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> These easterly winds could also result in more <b>Hume's</b>, <b>Pallas's </b>and <b>Dusky Warblers</b> arriving, or maybe an <b>Oriental Turtle Dove</b> or <b>Black-throated Thrush</b>.<b> </b></span>Any southerly winds over the next couple of weeks could produce a <b>Crag Martin </b>or <b>Pallid Swift </b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qt5Qx8d4pzg/Xc1M9G_dLwI/AAAAAAAABEw/E8eEhBhTHxY9OOYVmWt5s16JgDYgWQRigCEwYBhgL/s1600/Fieldfare.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1200" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qt5Qx8d4pzg/Xc1M9G_dLwI/AAAAAAAABEw/E8eEhBhTHxY9OOYVmWt5s16JgDYgWQRigCEwYBhgL/s400/Fieldfare.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate for Fieldfare showing the arrival in late October.</td></tr>
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Whilst the numbers of <b>Waxwings</b> has steadily been growing in Southern Sweden, Norway and Finland, only a few birds have turned up this side of the north sea but again with favourable winds a few more birds are likely to arrive here before the year is out. Numbers of White-winged gulls, <b>Iceland</b> and <b>Glaucous</b>, both typically start to increase with the progression of late autumn into early winter, with Scotland seeing the bulk of the first arrivals before they move down across Britain and Ireland. Both species can be found in a range of habitats from coastal beaches to reservoirs and refuge tips and so offer birdwatchers the chance to find their own.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glaucous Gull - photo by Scott Mayson</td></tr>
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Many species of Wildfowl will also be arriving over the next few weeks and numbers of <b>Wigeon</b>, <b>Teal</b> and <b>Shovelers</b> will continue to build. It is always worth checking these flocks for<b> American Wigeon</b>, <b>Green-winged Teal</b> and <b>Blue-winged Teal</b> that may have arrived during the autumn and gone undetected whilst they were in their eclipse plumage.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Brent Geese </b>numbers will also continue to build at traditional wintering sites and amongst these the occasional <b>Black Brant</b> or even <b>Red-breasted Goose </b>can be sometimes found.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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Sewage works at this time of year can play host to a whole variety of birds including <b>Pied</b> and <b>Grey Wagtails</b>, <b>Green Sandpipers</b>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Goldcrest </b>and <b>Chiffchaffs</b>. Amongst these, some scarcer species can sometimes be found such as <b>Firecrest</b>, <b>Siberian Chiffchaff </b>and <b>Yellow-browed Warbler </b>which hunt the insect rich filter beds and surrounding vegetation.<br />
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Paul Stancliffe and Scott MaysonAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05142798899674590876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-12763326252683244912019-10-30T15:56:00.001+00:002019-10-30T15:56:33.864+00:0031st October - 6th November<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The past week saw much of the country under the influence of southerly and westerly winds which then swung around to a more northerly direction over the weekend onwards before finally bringing in a run of much anticipated easterly winds at the start of the week. <b>Whooper Swans</b> took advantage of the northerly element and the BirdTrack reporting rate shows a spike in reports as birds arrived from Iceland. Peak counts included 369 at Teviot Haughs, Borders on the 26th and 133 from Hornsea Mere, Yorkshire, the previous day. Whilst reports of <b>Redwing </b>started to level off, those for <b>Fieldfare</b> increased, this species typically arrives later than <b>Redwing</b> and the first big arrival happened over the weekend and into the start of this week. In Cumbria 7897 <b>Fieldfare</b> were recorded on the 29th and 5947 were seen at a location in Lancashire the next day. Big movements of <b>Woodpigeon</b> are a feature of settled weather at this time of year and with clear skies and light winds at the start of the week some locations recorded large numbers of birds on the move with a peak count of 64,000 in Cardiff on the 28th being the highest number reported via BirdTrack.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AAqpo-Og3SI/XbmBDfwfJoI/AAAAAAAABC8/Npt17WEUpYwt7Eb99BhTqRnw9f7rYQijQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Whooper%2BSwan.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AAqpo-Og3SI/XbmBDfwfJoI/AAAAAAAABC8/Npt17WEUpYwt7Eb99BhTqRnw9f7rYQijQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Whooper%2BSwan.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate for Whooper Swan showing a spike in reports last week</td></tr>
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Mixed in with the commoner migrants were a few rarer species with top billing going to a 1st winter <b>Steller's Eider</b> on Orkney, this is the first since November 2000 and the last truly twitchable bird was in the 1980s! Other notable species included <b>Tengmalm's Owl</b> in the Scottish highlands, which will prove popular if it gets refound, the returning <b>Pacific Diver</b> in Ireland at Crookhaven, <b>Swainson's Thrush</b> on Mainland Shetland, <b>Two-barred Warbl</b>er in Ireland (a first for Ireland), and the returning <b>White-winged Scoter </b>in Scotland. As for the species we predicted in the last post, an <b>Upland Sandpiper</b> was found in Cornwall, 6 <b>Hoopoe's</b> were reported and single of both <b>Pallid Swift</b> and <b>Red-rumped Swallow</b> were also reported.<br />
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Species focus</h3>
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Cool, clear conditions with light winds in late October/early November provide the ideal recipe for <b>Woodpigeon</b> migration. Little is known about Woodpigeon movement in the UK but as a species, it is found from western Siberia in the east to the Faeroes in the west, and as far north as Fennoscandia and south as North Africa.</div>
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Some continental Woodpigeons move south in large numbers, during the last week almost a million birds have moved south through Falsterbo, southern Sweden, and small flocks have been seen heading out to sea on our south coast.</div>
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It is thought that any movement of Woodpigeons seen here either involves birds that have been drifted across the North Sea and are carrying on south, or a movement from the north within the UK. It is also thought that many of the birds seen heading out to see don’t go very far before doubling back. However, there is evidence of birds continuing their journey south with flocks being recorded leaving Cornwall then being seen over the Isles of Scilly, the Channel Islands and the Brittany coast.</div>
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Many of the continental birds head to Spain and Portugal to feed on the acorn harvest, via a flight around the western end of the Pyrenees, some may take a route around the eastern end of the mountains but this is far from clear – there is still a lot to learn.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chKYsY-N0R0/XbmRLJyz9LI/AAAAAAAABDI/SP3njh6njwsePWScIsFlFhCxWVWmR1BMgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-B19-Allan-Drewitt-2864_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chKYsY-N0R0/XbmRLJyz9LI/AAAAAAAABDI/SP3njh6njwsePWScIsFlFhCxWVWmR1BMgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/2019-B19-Allan-Drewitt-2864_original.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Pigeon - Photo by Allan Drewitt</td></tr>
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Weather for the week ahead</h3>
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For the start of the review period, the easterly winds from the last couple of days remain and feed in air from Germany and the near continent but as we move towards the weekend an Atlantic low sweeps across the country changing the wind direction to south/south-westerly and also bringing rain to many parts. From Monday this low-pressure system deepens and tracts north east dragging in colder air from the very far north with day time temperatures across much of Britain and Ireland struggling to get into double figures. </div>
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The easterlies at the start of the review period could see an increase in <b>Hen Harriers</b>, <b>Woodcock </b>and <b>Short-eared Owls </b>as their peak reporting rates are at this time of year as birds arrive here from their breeding grounds further north and east. Keep an eye out in larger gardens, woodland parks and field edges for Woodcock that seek shelter when they first arrive. These winds could also drag in a rare Wheatear such as <b>Pied</b> or <b>Desert</b> and maybe a few more <b>Pallas's Warblers</b> or the first <b>Hume's Warblers</b> of the autumn. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GBnO07KbLH0/Xbho2JKZjgI/AAAAAAAABCc/Hfmziu0lK_UdMF7jdgARR_Tcx-TkQQGPQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Woodcock.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GBnO07KbLH0/Xbho2JKZjgI/AAAAAAAABCc/Hfmziu0lK_UdMF7jdgARR_Tcx-TkQQGPQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Woodcock.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph for Woodcock.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VdkFW1SHjCg/XbhoxrAdqgI/AAAAAAAABCY/cH5BkmqI8MQZqnXvAVcDxfzyN6ra8JfZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-B16-Hugh-Insley-2645_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VdkFW1SHjCg/XbhoxrAdqgI/AAAAAAAABCY/cH5BkmqI8MQZqnXvAVcDxfzyN6ra8JfZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/2019-B16-Hugh-Insley-2645_original.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodcock - Photo by Hugh Insley</td></tr>
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The Atlantic low that will be with us from the weekend onwards opens up a slight airflow from America and could yield <b>American Robin</b>, which are typically late migrants, <b>Franklin's Gull</b>, or maybe even a <b>Cliff Swallow</b> or <b>Chimney Swift</b>? As this system moves across the country it produces a brief run of easterly wind for northeastern Scotland, the Northern Isles and parts of northern Britain and given that some parts of Scandinavia are experiencing an influx of <b>Rose-breasted Grosbeak</b>, a large finch of the Tiaga zone, many birdwatchers will be hoping for a repeat of 2012 with a bird arriving this side of the north sea, preferably somewhere easily accessible. You can read more about this influx here <a href="https://www.birdguides.com/articles/major-pine-grosbeak-invasion-gathers-pace/">https://www.birdguides.com/articles/major-pine-grosbeak-invasion-gathers-pace/</a></div>
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The run of southerlies brought about as low pressure moves across the country could produce more <b>Pallid Swifts</b> and <b>Hoopoes</b></div>
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Once this low-pressure system arrives in scandinavia at the start of next week the resulting northerly winds should see an arrival of white-winged gulls (<b>Iceland</b> and<b> Glaucous</b>), <b>Long-tailed Ducks</b>, <b>Little Auks</b>, <b>Velvet Scoter</b>, <b>Snow Buntings</b>, <b>Purple Sandpiper,</b> and numbers of <b>Common Gulls</b> and <b>Black-headed Gulls</b> will continue to build as birds arrive from further north and across Europe. Mixed in with these could be rarer species such as <b>King Eider</b>, <b>White-billed Diver </b>and maybe even an <b>Ivory Gull </b>or <b>Brunnich's Guillemot</b> who knows, one thing is for sure at this time of year, you never know what is going to turn up! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q3JjcyeP1EI/Xbhn72SyF8I/AAAAAAAABCM/FU6Q3eNAtmIrhAJDIVCEF_Ro8SX8PBSlACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-B19-Allan-Drewitt-2883_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1479" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q3JjcyeP1EI/Xbhn72SyF8I/AAAAAAAABCM/FU6Q3eNAtmIrhAJDIVCEF_Ro8SX8PBSlACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/2019-B19-Allan-Drewitt-2883_original.jpg" width="368" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow Bunting - Photo by Allan Drewitt</td></tr>
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Scott Mayson and Paul Stancliffe<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05142798899674590876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-10385558671911869962019-10-24T10:00:00.001+01:002019-10-24T10:00:49.360+01:0024th-30th October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X4O3clR_4Fo/XbFnv3f2kxI/AAAAAAAABBg/u0JNt8WybtUTh2Zw3IHEGdcjeVpXR-sUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X4O3clR_4Fo/XbFnv3f2kxI/AAAAAAAABBg/u0JNt8WybtUTh2Zw3IHEGdcjeVpXR-sUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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The past week has seen rare birds from all points of the compass arrive in the UK with <b>Short-billed Dowitcher</b> (Louth), <b>Myrtle Warbler</b> (Galway) and <b>American Black Tern</b> (Dorset) from the West, <b>Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll</b> (Fair Isle) from the North,<b> Eastern Yellow Wagtail</b> (Scilly Isles) , and <b>Collared Flycatcher</b> (Kent and East Sussex) from the East, and <b>Lesser Kestrel</b> (East Yorkshire), <b>Pallid Swift</b> (East Yorkshire) and <b>Isabelline Wheatear</b> (Lundy and Isles of Scilly) from the south.<br />
The past week also saw a good arrival of Thrushes with large flocks of <b>Redwing</b> and <b>Song Thrushes</b>, Miles Hill in Hampshire recorded 9600 <b>Redwing</b> on the 21st October. <b>Ring Ouzels</b> were also reported from several locations and the reporting rate graph from BirdTrack shows the spike in reports carrying on from the good numbers arriving the previous week too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sJa0lTHScK4/Xa8OHjIFv1I/AAAAAAAABAY/kO30-MUg-R83l-gr8r8iluWIyAx15nY4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Ring%2BOuzel%2B2019.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sJa0lTHScK4/Xa8OHjIFv1I/AAAAAAAABAY/kO30-MUg-R83l-gr8r8iluWIyAx15nY4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Ring%2BOuzel%2B2019.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph for Ring Ouzel showing a spike in<br />
reports last week.</td></tr>
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Reports of finches such as <b>Brambling</b>, <b>Siskin</b>, <b>Lesser Redpoll</b>, and <b>Hawfinch</b> increased throughout the week and the numbers of these species will only increase over the next few weeks as more birds arrive from the continent. Numbers of <b>Robin </b>and <b>Dunnock</b>, both of which are often not thought of as migrants, also increased during last week as birds arrived from Europe for the winter.<br />
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Species Focus</h3>
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Every winter large numbers of <b>Starlings</b> cross the North Sea
to spend the winter months in the UK, adding to the spectacle of murmurations
across the country. Seeing large flocks of Starlings wheeling around the sky it
is easy to forget that all is not well, our breeding population has fallen by
73% since 1991. The highest numbers of ringed Starlings recovered in countries
from overseas go to Denmark and Lithuania, a good indication of where many of
our wintering Starlings originate. Starlings are also fairly long-lived birds,
the record is held by a bird that was ringed near Ipswich, Suffolk on 20
November 1983 and found dead in Phillipova Gora, Demianski Rayon, Russian
Federation on 15 July 2001, 2,122km from the original ringing location.
Starlings are strong fliers and during light winds or winds with an element of
east in them during the next few weeks, we should see flocks of them arriving
on the east coast and heading off inland.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BOZoBsnb-E/XbAYe6djq0I/AAAAAAAABA0/xxkvTUMo0iIw1BReisPrVS6Ze-XX9DXNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/002441-Starling-John%2BHarding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BOZoBsnb-E/XbAYe6djq0I/AAAAAAAABA0/xxkvTUMo0iIw1BReisPrVS6Ze-XX9DXNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/002441-Starling-John%2BHarding.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starlings arrive in the UK from across Europe - Photo John Harding</td></tr>
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Weather for the week ahead</h3>
As has been the case for much of the late autumn this year the weather over the next week looks to be a mixed bag with the wind coming from several directions. This can be a good thing with the weather 'mixing' things up a bit and could result in a good variety of species arriving, departing and passing through the UK. The next couple of days sees an east-west split with western parts of the UK having westerly winds that are coming off a low situated between the UK and Iceland. This could bring in a few more <b>Whooper Swans</b> and<b> Pink-footed Geese</b> from Iceland. This short run of westerlies could also bring in a vagrant American wader such as <b>Upland Sandpiper</b> or <b>Wilson's Snipe</b> to somewhere like the Isles of Scilly or Ireland. Eastern and southern coasts will be dominated by a southerly airflow which may result in species such as <b>Hoopoe</b>, <b>Red-rumped Swallow</b>, and <b>Pallid Swift </b>reaching us. From the weekend the wind direction for the majority of the UK turns first more northerly then easterly by the middle of next week. Species that are likely to occur whilst the wind is of a northerly direction include <b>Leach's Petrel,</b> <b>Pomarine Skua</b>, which have their peak reporting rate in BirdTrack for the coming week, and<b> Little Auks</b> which can sometimes be seen in large numbers from North Sea locations, but they can also turn up inland as they have been known to join migrating flocks of<b> Starlings</b> arriving from Europe.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ar319jYDOM8/XbAurD2bHTI/AAAAAAAABBA/UTc5VaYAougbG-myF1IIg4dUS0HrNkJ1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/006297-Little%2BAuk-Morris%2BRendall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ar319jYDOM8/XbAurD2bHTI/AAAAAAAABBA/UTc5VaYAougbG-myF1IIg4dUS0HrNkJ1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/006297-Little%2BAuk-Morris%2BRendall.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Auk - Large numbers can be seen after strong northerly winds<br />
at this time of year. Photo Morris Rendall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As the wind direction turns more easterly so the variety of species making landfall across Britain and Ireland increases. Wildfowl, such as <b>Wigeon,</b> <b>Pintail</b> and <b>Shoveler</b>, will arrive here from their breeding grounds in Scandinavia and northern Russia and large flocks can often be seen arriving over the North Sea. So far it has been a poor autumn for<b> Great Grey Shrikes</b> with very few reported but a few days of sustained easterlies could bring more birds across the North Sea. These same winds should also see more <b>Short-eared Owls</b>, <b>Black Redstarts</b>, <b>Firecrests</b>, and <b>Woodcocks</b> arriving from across Europe. Thinking a bit rarer easterlies at this time of year could produce <b>Siberian</b> and <b>Stejnegers Stonechat, Hume's Warbler, Dusky Warbler </b>or maybe a rare Asian Thrush such as <b>Dusky or Eyebrowed.</b><br />
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Paul Stancliffe and Scott Mayson<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05142798899674590876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-49257040841621049222019-10-17T10:18:00.000+01:002019-10-17T10:18:46.337+01:0017th-24th October<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chiftLyMMnw/Xac0v32nrMI/AAAAAAAADbM/eXQCwcGxPuwcTGgWb5wF4sJSnHNW2J0igCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Mig%2BBlog%2BMap%2B17-24%2BOct.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chiftLyMMnw/Xac0v32nrMI/AAAAAAAADbM/eXQCwcGxPuwcTGgWb5wF4sJSnHNW2J0igCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Mig%2BBlog%2BMap%2B17-24%2BOct.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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During the last week the weather pretty much gave us what
was forecast, westerly airflow across much of the country with some easterly
winds in the north. The predicted movement of<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Siskins</b> came to fruition, a record 5,740 were recorded flying over
Sheringham, Norfolk on the 13<sup>th</sup>, with another 1,527 over Spurn, East
Yorkshire on the same day. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grey
Phalaropes</b> were also on the move with birds being found in 16 different
counties but with the majority in the south and southwest.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The predicted <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Siberian
Rubythroat</b> was also found when a male arrived on Shetland on 16<sup>th</sup>.
Although none of the North American thrushes put in a showing plenty of new
North American landbirds were found, including a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Rose Breasted Grosbeak</b>, a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Myrtle
Warbler</b> and an east coast <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Red-eyed
Vireo</b>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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During periods of lighter winds thrushes from the east
arrived in force with high counts of<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
Redwings</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Song Thrushes</b> from
several east coast watchpoints, accompanied by the first big movement of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ring Ouzels</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DggMeTlDsIo/Xacyk6lotjI/AAAAAAAADaw/mbpsa2aRSbkxV2t6DaECZd5zSeuIulC7wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Ring%2BOuzel.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DggMeTlDsIo/Xacyk6lotjI/AAAAAAAADaw/mbpsa2aRSbkxV2t6DaECZd5zSeuIulC7wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Ring%2BOuzel.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Ring Ouzel BirdTrack reporting rate graph</b></div>
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<b>Species focus</b></div>
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<b>Whooper Swan</b> is
amongst the heaviest of migratory birds, males caught in Britain weigh on
average 10.2kg. The vast majority of birds wintering in Britain come from
Iceland, where the population is estimated at around 16,000 birds. A few of
these remain in Iceland throughout the winter but this only involves around
1,500 birds. The 800km sea crossing between Britain and Iceland is probably the
longest undertaken by any swan species, six satellite tagged swans took between
12.7 hours and 42.4 hours to complete the journey. Around 200 birds from the
Fennoscandian and western Russian population winter in Britain, with the vast
majority wintering in continental Europe.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1PukIXCih8I/XaczdEisIOI/AAAAAAAADa4/-CZViq2geuMQg-ydFt3W7L7kEBB_yYfdQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Whooper1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1PukIXCih8I/XaczdEisIOI/AAAAAAAADa4/-CZViq2geuMQg-ydFt3W7L7kEBB_yYfdQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Whooper1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Whooper Swan by Andy Mason</b></div>
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<b>Weather for the week ahead</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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As is to be expected for this time of the year the weather
is forecast to be somewhat mixed. The early part of the period will be
dominated by westerly airflow in the south and east/north easterly winds in the
north, swapping during the middle of the period to north and easterly winds in
the south to southwest and westerly winds in the north, with some periods of
heavy rain at times and light winds at others. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--EFswN1A1Qg/Xac0S1YKLgI/AAAAAAAADbE/q-cXAKZ8uQYBegpQcMa_2kWwU2BvyZV0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/snobu%2B001%2B%2528fighting%2529%2B%2528Neil%2BCalbrade%2529%2B%2528A%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="500" height="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--EFswN1A1Qg/Xac0S1YKLgI/AAAAAAAADbE/q-cXAKZ8uQYBegpQcMa_2kWwU2BvyZV0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/snobu%2B001%2B%2528fighting%2529%2B%2528Neil%2BCalbrade%2529%2B%2528A%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Snow Buntings by Neil Calbrade</b></div>
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We should see the arrival of <b>Whooper Swans</b> on the northerly winds,
along with <b>Snow Bunting</b>, and later
in the period thrushes and finches will be able to move in force across the North
Sea and we could see the first big arrival of <b>Bramblings</b> and <b>Chaffinches</b>
along east coasts. <b>Ring Ouzel</b> will also
come into its own during the latter part of the period. On the scarce and rare
front, there have already been a small number of <b>Pallas’s Warblers</b> seen but more could be on offer, we are now well
into <b>Radde’s Warbler</b> timing but an
accessible <b>Siberian Blue Robin</b> would
go down a treat. North American thrushes have been remarkably absent during
what is probably the best American autumn in over a decade, surely there must
be at least one <b>Grey-cheeked Thrush</b>
lurking somewhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Paul Stancliffe and Scott Mayson</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-56306798902269368502019-10-10T16:21:00.000+01:002019-10-10T16:22:24.736+01:0010th-17th October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lv3NM9TWHiw/XZ9Lxii2KKI/AAAAAAAADZ8/BBZ4QPuxZFUzliasbZuzkhzQYoitC9R5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps%2B%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lv3NM9TWHiw/XZ9Lxii2KKI/AAAAAAAADZ8/BBZ4QPuxZFUzliasbZuzkhzQYoitC9R5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps%2B%25282%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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It’s been a pretty lively week migration wise with birds
turning up from all points of the compass, including the predicted <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Common Nighthawk</b> from North America.
One was found in Antrim and continued to show well until at least the 10th October. Birds from the east also arrived with a second wave of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yellow-browed Warbler</b> very much in
evidence and at least seven <b>Red-flanked Bluetails</b> being found from Shetland to
Cleveland.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Common migrants flooded in and there were some impressive
thrush movements. Observers at Spurn, East Yorkshire enjoyed watching 1,200<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Redwing</b>, 1,100 <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Song Thrush</b> and 15 <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ring
Ouzel</b> arrive on 6 October, along with at least 28 <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yellow-browed Warblers</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finches also began to arrive with the first real movement of
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Brambling</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Siskin</b> of the autumn.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VmZS0xtUk_Y/XZ85jiaNitI/AAAAAAAADZc/U4euaWNe5OYDjEMeaM9fmzDmusGs7sEzACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Siskin%2Bchart%2B%252811%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VmZS0xtUk_Y/XZ85jiaNitI/AAAAAAAADZc/U4euaWNe5OYDjEMeaM9fmzDmusGs7sEzACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Siskin%2Bchart%2B%252811%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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BirdTrack reporting rate graph showing <b>Siskins</b> beginning to move</div>
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<b>Species Focus</b></div>
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Breeding <b>Siskins</b> are found through most of Scotland and Wales and much of northern and southwest England, with the highest densities in landscapes dominated by conifer plantations. In Ireland they are more widespread in the west of the country. In winter, <b>Siskins</b> are even more widespread, being found in 83% of all 10km squares, with British and Irish breeders joined by continental immigrants. <b>Siskin</b> has seen its population increase by 44% between 1995-2016. At this time of the year when birds are on the move, <b>Siskins</b> can be found almost anywhere and will take advantage seed in gardens. Now is a great time to catch up with these acrobatic little finches.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-MV1GUAra8/XZ89kcm__MI/AAAAAAAADZo/Gb2IrZc9cDcg9vUduXxVh5bIhQHmTBHxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/siski%2B008%2Be%2B%2528Edmund%2BFellowes%2529%2B%2528A%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-MV1GUAra8/XZ89kcm__MI/AAAAAAAADZo/Gb2IrZc9cDcg9vUduXxVh5bIhQHmTBHxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/siski%2B008%2Be%2B%2528Edmund%2BFellowes%2529%2B%2528A%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Siskin by Edmund Fellowes</b></div>
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<b>Weather for the week ahead</b></div>
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The weather for the week ahead doesn’t look too inspiring as
most of the country looks like it will be locked in westerly airflow, and not
all the way from the eastern seaboard of North America. It is a different story
for the northern isles that will have a mix of northerlies at the beginning of
the period and easterlies later in the period. If this forecast comes to fruition
the northern isles could well be the place to be during this next seven day period.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Migration is in full swing and it will be during lulls in
the wind that birds will move, given the chance. <b>Siskin</b> numbers should begin to build even if birds can’t make it
across the North Sea. At this time of the year birds that breed further north
in Britain should begin to make their way south. <b>Redwings</b> too will filter south, with the same story for <b>Skylark</b> and <b>Reed Buntings</b>, and during lighter winds some birds will make it
across the North Sea, <b>Starlings</b> and thrushes are pretty strong fliers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tns2UPAIbgk/XZ8-WLyxfaI/AAAAAAAADZw/kNNDA2n1RogFwt33A7snzriAA1WzVC9EwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/greph%2B010%2Be%2B%2528Neil%2BCalbrade%2529%2B%2528A%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tns2UPAIbgk/XZ8-WLyxfaI/AAAAAAAADZw/kNNDA2n1RogFwt33A7snzriAA1WzVC9EwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/greph%2B010%2Be%2B%2528Neil%2BCalbrade%2529%2B%2528A%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Grey Phalarope by Neil Calbrade</b></div>
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During storms and squalls along the west coast it is worth
looking out for <b>Grey Phlaropes</b> and <b>Sabine’s Gulls</b>, October can be a good
month for both of these. As for rare and scarce birds, there may well be one or
two North American birds still to be found off the back of last week’s weather,
<b>Grey-cheeked</b> and <b>Swainson’s Thrush</b> are favourite, but we
should see one or two new birds in the northern isles – <b>Siberian Rubythroat</b> has become a little more regular in recent
years but still remains a rare bird here, but with a short window of easterlies
it may well be on the cards. Northerly winds in the isles should also bring the
first big push of <b>Glaucous Gulls</b>,
and maybe a few <b>Little Auks</b> too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Paul Stancliffe and Scott Mayson</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-83758033502421596092019-10-03T09:08:00.002+01:002019-10-10T14:47:43.510+01:003rd-9th October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RGzlgkGpawU/XZWsUzhN01I/AAAAAAAAA_M/0BqH7ZrLTa0gwet800q-Ad4Oi2kkvUWEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps%2B%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RGzlgkGpawU/XZWsUzhN01I/AAAAAAAAA_M/0BqH7ZrLTa0gwet800q-Ad4Oi2kkvUWEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps%2B%25281%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-481c3f82-7fff-32c4-6973-2f81442b171b"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It has to be said, for many of our common and scarce migrants September was a disappointing month with many species such as<b> Redstart</b>, <b>Spotted Flycatcher</b>, <b>Whinchat</b>, <b>Wryneck</b> and <b>Red-backed Shrike</b> being reported well below their historical reporting rates. The main reason is likely to be the lack of easterly winds which causes continental migrants to ‘drift’ across the north sea to the UK. For much of September, Britain and Ireland’s weather was dominated by Atlantic low pressures and the associated westerly winds that blew across the country, a pattern that was experienced last autumn, begging the question is this due to climate change or is it just a short-term change in our weather patterns?</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YugdNtUS8Yc/XZSetEUmFEI/AAAAAAAAA-g/LXHllhiKqgwhLZ38M49VkVl_ouB0M-u8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Redstart.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1200" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YugdNtUS8Yc/XZSetEUmFEI/AAAAAAAAA-g/LXHllhiKqgwhLZ38M49VkVl_ouB0M-u8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Redstart.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph for <b>Redstart</b> showing the lower than <br />
average reports from September.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The persistent westerlies across much of Britain and Ireland last week did, however, produce American passerines in the form of not 1 but 5 <b>Red-eyed Vireos</b>! 3 in the Republic of Ireland, 1 in Northern Ireland on Rathlin Island which was a first for the country and 1 in Cornwall. 2 <b>Yellow-billed Cuckoos</b> were also found, 1 on the Isles of Scilly and the other was found dead in East Sussex, and a <b>Buff-bellied Pipit</b> was identified on Bardsey Island. The Northern Isles of Scotland we're blessed with south easterlies and this produced a <b>Brown Shrike</b> on Out Skerries, a <b>Daurian Shrike</b> (once called <b>Isabelline Shrike</b>), <b>Siberian Stonechat</b>, <b>Red-flanked Bluetail</b>, <b>Bee-eater</b>, and a few <b>Red-breasted Flycatchers</b>, <b>Barred Warblers</b>, <b>Yellow-browed Warblers</b>, and <b>Olive-backed Pipits</b>. The rest of the UK saw good numbers of <b>House Martins</b>, <b>Swallows</b>, <b>Meadow Pipits</b> and <b>Chiffchaffs</b> on the move, as well as good numbers of <b>Great White Egrets</b> occurring across the UK as they continue their colonisation, now is a good time to search your local waterbody for this elegant heron.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Species focus</span></span></h3>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Ring Ouzels</b> are a scarce breeding bird in Britain and Ireland with a preference for upland areas. The whole population is migratory with birds wintering around the Mediterranean basin. There are 2 main races in Europe, <i>torquatus,</i> which breeds in Britain and Ireland and Western Russia, and <i>alpestris </i>which breeds in montane areas from Northern Spain east to the Carpathians. The <i>alpestris</i> race has only been recorded a couple of times in the UK and is a short distance migrant, mainly moving to lower altitudes during the winter period. <b>Ring Ouzels</b> can migrate in large flocks with berries forming a substantial part of their diet at stopover sites. British breeding <b>Ring Ouzels</b> start migrating south in late September and continue into October, with a peak at the end of September probably representing the main departure period.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4fG5BnM8Q0o/XZSiz60pE3I/AAAAAAAAA-s/qfsSjNnaxxAAbGdeqM6V5f9B8al8uRPSACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/006333-Ring%2BOuzel-Paul%2BHillion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4fG5BnM8Q0o/XZSiz60pE3I/AAAAAAAAA-s/qfsSjNnaxxAAbGdeqM6V5f9B8al8uRPSACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/006333-Ring%2BOuzel-Paul%2BHillion.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ring Ouzel - early October can produce good numbers of this<br />
relative of the Blackbird. Photo Paul Hillion<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Other species that have a peak in their BirdTrack reporting rate in the coming week include <b>Red-throated Diver</b>, <b>Pied Wagtail</b>,<b> Brent</b> and <b>Barnacle Goose</b>, <b>Grey Plover,</b> <b>Jack</b> and <b>Common Snipe</b> and <b>Kestrel</b>. The northern European populations of <b>Kestrel</b> are migratory with birds from Scandinavia migrating as far south as West Africa. Some of these birds will pass through Britain as they head south with most observers assuming they are local birds when in fact they may have flown several hundred miles south already.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--06gZPnupZA/XZS9OVoPKoI/AAAAAAAAA-4/o5JU3y17ne4p_5hcFrYNumuF8rABXU_TQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/005642-Jack%2BSnipe-Allan%2BDrewitt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="600" height="395" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--06gZPnupZA/XZS9OVoPKoI/AAAAAAAAA-4/o5JU3y17ne4p_5hcFrYNumuF8rABXU_TQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/005642-Jack%2BSnipe-Allan%2BDrewitt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack Snipes arrive to the UK from Russia, Northern Finland <br />
and Northern Sweden. Photo Allan Drewitt</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Weather for the week ahead</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are now into one of the most exciting periods of the autumn and, if the weather forecast is correct, we might get some much anticipated easterly airflow over the weekend. Winds coming out of southern Scandinavia and across the North Sea on Friday into Saturday should help any migrants waiting to make the journey. We ought to see the first big arrival of <b>Redwings</b> of the autumn so far on the east coast, with <b>Blackbirds</b>, <b>Ring Ouzels</b> and<b> Song Thrushes</b> also likely to be part of this arrival. We could well be in for a second wave of <b>Yellow-browed Warblers </b>with several birds still being reported in Southern Finland and Sweden that will be heading south over the next couple of weeks. You can track their movements via the <a href="https://eurobirdportal.org/ebp/en/#home/PHYINO/r52weeks">EuroBirdPortal</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These easterly winds are really only coming from southern Scandinavia but if anything has made it that far it could get drifted across the North Sea with species such as </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Rough-legged Buzzard</b>, <b>Pallid Harrier</b>, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Rustic Bunting</b>, <b>Citrine Wagtail</b>, and <b>Red-flanked Bluetail </b>all possible and maybe so</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">mething altogether rarer like <b>Black-throated Thrush</b>?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Later in the period </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">strong westerlies </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">are forecast for s</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">outhern Britain and Ireland,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> at times coming right across the Atlantic, this could provide the chance of one or two more North American land birds – </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Common Nighthawk</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> anyone?</span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8a41f0dd-7fff-114f-bef8-e29e3af9eed5"></span>Paul Stancliffe and Scott Mayson<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05142798899674590876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-63497987364291261002019-09-26T08:31:00.000+01:002019-09-26T08:31:38.944+01:0026th September - 2nd October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-cipRRnbz8/XYt5uOvCB1I/AAAAAAAAA9E/ZBdn2BZGW6AP4JQ6UqRMbFamt4MgopYzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-cipRRnbz8/XYt5uOvCB1I/AAAAAAAAA9E/ZBdn2BZGW6AP4JQ6UqRMbFamt4MgopYzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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The warm sunny weather at the end of last week combined with
a southerly airflow provided the conditions several species needed to head
south, species like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">House Martin</b> and
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Swallow</b> were noted in mixed flocks
at a few locations. Numbers of both these species will fall away very quickly
now with very few individuals noted after mid-October. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the last blog, we predicted that the southerly
winds could bring <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hoopoe</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alpine Swift</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Red-rumped Swallow</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Red-backed</b>
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Woodchat Shrikes</b> to our shores,
4 out of 5 can’t be a bad return with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Woodchat
Shrike</b> being the only species not to be found. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rarity wise a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Short-toed Treecreeper</b> in Kent and a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Blue Rock Thrush</b> on the Isles of Scilly were the stand out birds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Species Focus</b></h3>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yellow-browed Warbler</b>
has become synonymous with autumn for many birdwatchers, much like the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Swallow </b>heralds the beginning of summer, autumn starts when the first of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yellow-browed
Warblers</b> arrive. This small brightly marked warbler was once a rare bird in
Britain and Ireland, with very few records before the 1960’s but since then
there has been a huge increase in sightings with some locations hosting multiple
individuals and places like Fair Isle have had days when over 80 birds have
been noted. The distinctive high-pitched rising <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tse-weee</i> call is often the first indication a bird is present and when seen, this bird, with its distinctive yellow stripe above the eye and double wing bar, is truly a gem of a bird.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-92HGnlFRD0s/XYuDjqs4cdI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/TFGvLBtUFuoZdubD7PVkwlNYruqGYSf3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/YBW%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-92HGnlFRD0s/XYuDjqs4cdI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/TFGvLBtUFuoZdubD7PVkwlNYruqGYSf3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/YBW%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Yellow-browed Warbler</b> - Photo Trevor Codlin</td></tr>
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Species that have their peak in reporting rates at this time of year include <b>Snipe</b>, <b>Skylark</b> and <b>Reed Bunting</b> all of which spread out across the country in readiness for the forthcoming winter months. A couple of closely related species replace each other at this time of year, as the last of the <b>Whinchats</b> depart so the numbers of <b>Stonechats</b> increases. A similar pattern can be seen with <b>Willow Warblers </b>as they are replaced by <b>Chiffchaffs</b> that migrate just that bit later than them.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZI8xFRSubY/XYuHZXu-4MI/AAAAAAAAA9c/nilv9mTRbLsA3FsFKGg1t8RM4n14TASHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Stonechat%2Band%2BWhinchat.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZI8xFRSubY/XYuHZXu-4MI/AAAAAAAAA9c/nilv9mTRbLsA3FsFKGg1t8RM4n14TASHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Stonechat%2Band%2BWhinchat.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph showing how as the reporting rate of <b>Whinchat</b> falls <br />
the reporting rate for <b>Stonechat</b> increases.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t9o5HMmg6nE/XYuHbEo5iAI/AAAAAAAAA9g/RrqIv4RDGOAIapkmqRoSMuLN37xrgvX2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Willow%2Bwarbler%2Band%2BChiffchaff.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t9o5HMmg6nE/XYuHbEo5iAI/AAAAAAAAA9g/RrqIv4RDGOAIapkmqRoSMuLN37xrgvX2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Willow%2Bwarbler%2Band%2BChiffchaff.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph showing how as the</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">reporting rate of <br /><b>Willow Warbler</b> falls the</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> reporting rate for <b>Chiffchaff</b> increases.</span></td></tr>
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<h3>
Weather for the week ahead</h3>
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The Northern Isles may well be the place to be during the early part of this period as southeasterly winds dominate for a few days.
<b>Yellow-browed Warblers</b> are already turning up but something altogether rarer is
on the cards, <b>Pallas’s Grasshopper </b>and <b>Lanceolated Warbler</b> are both possibilities
and maybe something even more exciting like a <b>White’s Thrush</b>. Further south,
most of the country will be in a westerly airflow for most of the week, with
stormy conditions at times as low-front follows low-front across the country.
At this time of the year in these conditions, a North American landbird isn’t
out of the question – <b>Red-eyed Vireo</b> and<b> Blackpoll Warbler </b>are favourite but
with a <b>Chestnut-sided Warbler</b> on the Azores, who knows?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ifdd-hJ_60c/XYuJNASVVrI/AAAAAAAAA9w/7KQdh6ygG1gm7CA7uXqEczG-FlQrqz4PwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Red%2BEyed%2BViero20110913_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ifdd-hJ_60c/XYuJNASVVrI/AAAAAAAAA9w/7KQdh6ygG1gm7CA7uXqEczG-FlQrqz4PwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Red%2BEyed%2BViero20110913_0009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will the run of Westerlies bring a <b>Red-eyed Vireo</b> from America? - Photo by Joe Pender</td></tr>
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By Paul Stancliffe and Scott Mayson</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05142798899674590876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-17112593081296703532019-09-19T12:10:00.001+01:002019-09-19T12:10:58.522+01:0019th – 25th September<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iYg3TeTLa1A/XYNhw2ZYDdI/AAAAAAAADXM/JmBowYVnAzs2LKop1FAoX0BYkE_-U608QCEwYBhgL/s1600/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iYg3TeTLa1A/XYNhw2ZYDdI/AAAAAAAADXM/JmBowYVnAzs2LKop1FAoX0BYkE_-U608QCEwYBhgL/s400/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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As predicted, the north and north westerly airflow of the
last week produced an arrival of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pink-footed
Geese</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Whooper Swans</b> to the
UK, along with a few <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grey Phalaropes</b>
and a distinct movement/arrival of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wigeon</b>.
The same winds that brought the geese and swans here were probably also
responsible for the arrival of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lapland
Buntings,</b> with birds being seen from the northern isles to Scilly. Perhaps
indicating a late breeding season, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Swifts</b>
continued to trickle out of the UK while <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Swallows</b>
and martins are beginning to move in force. With winds becoming lighter towards
the end of the week <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Meadow Pipit</b>
migration began to ramp up too.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FRFbNE8Sf-8/XYNND_1PqhI/AAAAAAAADXA/1XSj0o737Y8sURovTyNGkDBbXGk61RzUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Meapi.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FRFbNE8Sf-8/XYNND_1PqhI/AAAAAAAADXA/1XSj0o737Y8sURovTyNGkDBbXGk61RzUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Meapi.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Meadow Pipit BirdTrack reporting rate</b></div>
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Whilst the influence of hurricane Dorian wasn’t felt
immediately last week the arrival of several North American waders this week
showed it did have an effect, several <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Semi-palmated,
White-rumped</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Buff-breasted
Sandpipers</b> were found but it was the double figures of<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> American Golden Plover</b> that stole the show, at least fifteen were
found. There was also a small arrival of<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
Long-billed Dowitchers</b>, but the star billing of the Dorian effect has to go
to the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Common Nighthawk</b> that was
found in Argyll.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Species Focus</b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lapland Bunting</b>
is a scarce passage and winter migrant to the UK, typically arriving here
towards the end of September. It is one of the most abundant and widespread
arctic passerines, breeding from southern Norway across Siberia to the Bering
Sea and from Alaska east across Canada to west and southeast Greenland. Most
winters between 200 and 500 are typical in the UK but in some winters many more
are found, mostly in saltmarsh or coastal fields but not exclusively, with
birds often found far inland in similar habitat.</div>
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The dry, rolling ‘tiddlip-tew’ flight call, uttered on
take-off or whilst flying over, is often the first sign of a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lapland Bunting</b> but when located on the
ground it is a very distinctive bird, showing an obvious chestnut nape, dark,
spotted upper breast on clean white underparts, and a black-framed pale cheek
below a broad supercilium flaring behind the eye. <o:p></o:p>With a good showing already this autumn, it might be one to
look out for this winter.<br />
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<b>Lapland Bunting BirdTrack reporting rate</b></div>
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<b>Weather for the week
ahead</b></div>
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During the weekend the country will mostly be sat in a
southeast and southerly airflow, but as the week progress the winds in the
south are going to swing to the southwest and in the north remain in the east,
at times coming straight out of Scandinavia.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Yellow-browed Warbler by Andy Mason</b></div>
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Over the next couple of days there ought to be a mass exodus
of <b>Swallows</b> and <b>House Martins</b>, taking advantage of the relatively light winds and
warm temperatures as a result of a high-pressure system centred to the south
and east of us. There is a low pressure system centred in the Atlantic to the
south of Greenland and Iceland that may well bring a few more North American
waders to Ireland’s shores, and who knows? Maybe the first <b>Red-eyed Vireo</b> of the autumn.
Enjoying a week of easterly airflow the northern isles ought to shine,
with the first push of <b>Yellow-browed
Warblers</b>, along with a few <b>Common
Rosefinches</b> and maybe something much rarer like a <b>Collared Flycatcher </b>in the offing. With <b>Pallid Harrier</b> being a scarce migrant these days we could expect a
few of these to be found during the next week. The warm southerly winds might
also bring the odd <b>Hoopoe, Alpine Swift,
Red-rumped Swallow</b> and <b>Red-backed</b>
and <b>Woodchat Shrike</b> to southern
Britain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mid to late September is a time for finches to start moving
with <b>Linnet</b> being the herald of this,
and we should also see a distinct increase in the numbers of <b>Wigeon, Teal</b> and <b>Red-throated Divers</b> on the move. The easterly airflow should bring
the first <b>Dark-bellied Brent Geese</b>
to many sites along the east and south coast. Mid-September to mid-October is
when migration peaks and we will be keeping a very close eye on the weather
forecast during the next few weeks to help us keep ahead of the game.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Paul Stancliffe & Scott Mayson</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-1533077193771966552019-09-12T09:48:00.000+01:002019-09-12T16:19:10.735+01:0012th -18th September<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p6B5RShvQpg/XXphx1IGHLI/AAAAAAAADWA/8Fij3EBveTsuDHq_zW9exw0QPW58tWGxACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps%2B%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p6B5RShvQpg/XXphx1IGHLI/AAAAAAAADWA/8Fij3EBveTsuDHq_zW9exw0QPW58tWGxACK4BGAYYCw/s400/Mig%2BBlog%2BMaps%2B%25281%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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The past week has certainly felt a bit more autumnal with a definite chill in the air first thing in the morning and ever-shortening days as we slowly move towards the autumn equinox. Migration for many species slowed with the usual suspects for this time of year either missing or only in low numbers. Wrynecks, for example, were very thin on the ground with only a smattering of birds across the UK, with a distinct bias to the south and east. Commoner migrants such Redstart, Whinchats, Pied Flycatchers, and Spotted Flycatchers, as well as scarce migrants like Red-backed Shrike, and Barred Warbler all, saw a dip in their reporting rates this week as the northerly winds of the weekend gave way to lighter winds of a westerly bias, in effect stalling migration.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P3URjoc2NoA/XXiuDgyZqyI/AAAAAAAAA7U/lpU32s0_qPk_XHNQyxymXI-DRUVC83hSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Whinchat%2B2019.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P3URjoc2NoA/XXiuDgyZqyI/AAAAAAAAA7U/lpU32s0_qPk_XHNQyxymXI-DRUVC83hSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Whinchat%2B2019.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph for Whinchat showing a drop in reporting rate most <br />
probably linked with unfavourable migration conditions</td></tr>
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The effects of ex-hurricane Dorian weren't really felt as it passed to the north of the UK on the 11th September with a band of rain crossing the country being the only indication it had hit us. Perhaps it will be the early part of this week that species such as Baird's, Semipalmated and Pectoral Sandpiper and American Golden Plover turn up in good numbers and maybe something rarer like Yellow Warbler or Solitary Sandpiper?<br />
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The continued westerly airflow in the coming week means it is difficult to predict the intensity of migration and the species involved but the coming week is the peak migration time for species like Gannets, Guillemots and Razorbills which will also be heading south away from their breeding cliffs to winter off north-western Africa and the Mediterranean in the case of Gannet and the North Atlantic and the North Sea for Guillemot and Razorbill. Whilst coastal sites are best for these species any strong onshore winds can result in some, especially young birds, turning up on inland water bodies with Gannets even being seen flying down motorways.<br />
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Coming from Iceland and Greenland it is hardly surprising that the first Pink-footed Geese of the winter turned up last week on the northerly and north-westerly airflow, even though they are a week or so ahead of the historical average from BirdTrack data. Small flocks were seen on Fair Isle, the east coast of Scotland and North Norfolk, and with more, if the same weather forecast next week we could see more arriving along with the first Whopper Swans of the autumn. The majority of the world's population of Pink-footed Geese (estimated at around 225,000 birds) winter in the UK, in Scotland and Norfolk.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lIJtSZr6JU/XXjEbC2rifI/AAAAAAAAA7g/BCaeMzAkNk00xO3yr_MUCwWWYOzExKAvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Pink-footed%2BGoose%2B2019.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lIJtSZr6JU/XXjEbC2rifI/AAAAAAAAA7g/BCaeMzAkNk00xO3yr_MUCwWWYOzExKAvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Pink-footed%2BGoose%2B2019.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate for Pink-footed Goose showing the earlier than normal arrival last week.</td></tr>
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These aren't the only wildfowl arriving to winter in the UK, Wigeon and Pintail numbers will start to build in the coming weeks as birds arrive from Northern Europe and Russia to take advantage of the relative warmth of UK winters.</div>
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Any strong westerlies at this time of year could also produce Grey Phalarope, this species spends the winter at sea but can be blown close to shore or even inland given the right conditions and can stay for a few days, entertaining the crowds with their mesmerising feeding technique which involves spinning around on the water to pick off insects pulled to the surface.</div>
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<h3>
Species focus</h3>
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Wheatears for many people signify the start of spring as they are one of the first summer migrants to reach the UK, but autumn can also produce large falls of this much-loved passerine. Wheatears of the race <i>oenanthe</i> bred in the UK but many of the Wheatears seen at this time of year will be of the Greenland race, <i>leucorchoa</i>, which undertake one of the longest transoceanic migrations, from their breeding grounds in Greenland and northeast Canada to their wintering grounds just south of the Sahara. It is believed that many individuals fly non-stop from Greenland to Britain and Ireland and other parts of Europe. These Greenland birds are slightly stockier, longer-legged and longer winged than their European counterparts and tend to stay around for a few days as they fatten up before continuing their southward migration.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGClsv2TmSo/XXjRU0Dce_I/AAAAAAAAA7s/K3nbjlNpLGk1bFUIZM9_SlXw4K24s3wCQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/005663-Wheatear-Alan%2BDrewitt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="571" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGClsv2TmSo/XXjRU0Dce_I/AAAAAAAAA7s/K3nbjlNpLGk1bFUIZM9_SlXw4K24s3wCQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/005663-Wheatear-Alan%2BDrewitt.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheatear -Photo by Allan Drewitt</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJpQPk1d59w/XXjYbod3naI/AAAAAAAAA74/JqBAV1LUkQ8GfKN18HUzi8VWq6FDwJiWACEwYBhgL/s1600/Wheatear%2B2019.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJpQPk1d59w/XXjYbod3naI/AAAAAAAAA74/JqBAV1LUkQ8GfKN18HUzi8VWq6FDwJiWACEwYBhgL/s400/Wheatear%2B2019.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate for Wheatear showing the autumn peak in mid-September.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Weather for the week ahead.</h3>
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The week ahead promises to deliver a mixed bag of weather with the wind direction seemingly changing from day-to-day. High-pressure over the southern half of the UK over the weekend and the resultant light winds should help those migrant departing out shores- swallows and martins ought to feature in visible migration counts and warblers, Reed, Sedge ad Willow, along with Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat, should be a feature amongst grounded migrants. Both Meadow Pipit and Grey Wagtail also take advantage of these lighter winds and a steady stream of these is often a feature of clear autumn mornings.</div>
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With a stronger northerly wind direction forecast for the middle of next week keep an eye on the sea for Great Skuas which can often be seen harrying the southbound Gannets and larger gulls.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-00nsiobrWwg/XXkQFPELSSI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/Hk3ddm3ZsU4XmD-6iR1q2ZmDUsAR-cvyACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/008292-Grey%2BWagtail-John%2BDunn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="600" height="323" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-00nsiobrWwg/XXkQFPELSSI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/Hk3ddm3ZsU4XmD-6iR1q2ZmDUsAR-cvyACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/008292-Grey%2BWagtail-John%2BDunn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey Wagtail - Photo John Dunn</td></tr>
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Scott Mayson and Paul Stancliffe<br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-44089377100766493122019-09-05T09:40:00.000+01:002019-09-12T09:48:24.895+01:005th -11th September<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It’s been 3 weeks since the last migration blog and a lot can happen during that time, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">especially when birds are </span><span style="white-space: pre;">departing for the coming winter months. During the next couple </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">of </span><span style="white-space: pre;">weeks we will be </span><span style="white-space: pre;">updating the blog on a </span><span style="white-space: pre;">weekly basis to bring you the most up to date </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">news of </span><span style="white-space: pre;">what is on the move, what to expect in the coming week </span><span style="white-space: pre;">(based on the weather </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">forecast and the time of year) and a few predictions of what rare and scarce species </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">may turn up, so a little of something for everyone.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Last month we started the blog with a follow up on the Two-barred Crossbill influx that </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">occurred mainly on the </span><span style="white-space: pre;">Shetland isles. The number of birds being reported fell away </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">towards </span><span style="white-space: pre;">the end of the month and, for now, seems </span><span style="white-space: pre;">to have come to an end with only the </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">odd single </span><span style="white-space: pre;">bird being reported.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">We also highlighted Aquatic Warbler in the last blog and since it was published single </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Aquatic Warblers have</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="white-space: pre;">been seen in Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Powys and Cornwall, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">making i</span><span style="white-space: pre;">t a good autumn so far for this </span><span style="white-space: pre;">species, let’s see what the next few weeks bring.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The past week has been particularly good for Pied Flycatchers with birds reported across </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the country with a </span><span style="white-space: pre;">particular bias to the south and east coasts, which is to be expected for </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">a </span><span style="white-space: pre;">species that will be heading towards </span><span style="white-space: pre;">France and Spain on their southward migration.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FiI8eNtj_g0/XW9zvmFyvLI/AAAAAAAAA6I/JtY5MxDXWxUJcopKbOb5JFHYtH_JmZ_5gCLcBGAs/s400/Pied%2BFlycatcher%2B2019.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate graph for Pied Flycatcher showing the spike in <br />
reports in late August compared with the historical average</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So what should we be looking out for in the coming week? The weather patterns at </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the moment show a </span><span style="white-space: pre;">northeasterly airflow over the weekend which could result in </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">good numbers of Wrynecks, Barred Warblers, </span><span style="white-space: pre;">Whinchats and Red-backed Shrikes. East </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">coast locations will give you the best chance of seeing one of these </span><span style="white-space: pre;">species and with </span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the Spurn migration festival taking place this weekend why not go along and join one of </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the guided walks? (</span><a href="http://www.spurnmigfest.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.spurnmigfest.com/</span></a><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">) Scarce species seen at this time of </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">year </span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">include Citrine Wagtail, </span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Booted, Arctic and Bonelli’s Warbler, Lesser Grey Shrike and </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Tawny Pipit, all of which have a peak reporting rate</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in early September.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Whilst the numbers of some waders like Wood, Green and Common Sandpiper fall </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">away for </span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Bar-tailed Godwit </span><span style="white-space: pre;">the early part of September is when numbers in the </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">UK peak. Having bred </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the Arctic Circle from Lapland </span><span style="white-space: pre;">east to Taymyr in Russia </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">birds head to the UK to either winter </span><span style="white-space: pre;">here or use it as a stopover before heading </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">onwards to West Africa. Bar-tailed Godwits tend to </span><span style="white-space: pre;">prefer estuaries and saltwater </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">habitats more than their </span><span style="white-space: pre;">freshwater loving Black-tailed cousins </span><span style="white-space: pre;">but that doesn’t mean </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">they don’t turn up away from the coast. </span><span style="white-space: pre;">Reservoirs can host small flocks </span><span style="white-space: pre;">of Bar-tailed </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">Godwits and they can often appear alongside Whimbrels as they also </span><span style="white-space: pre;">pass through the UK.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bar-tailed Godwit - some will still be in breeding plumage at this time of year. Photo Nick Clayton.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So far it has been a quiet year for seabirds such as Cory’s and Great Shearwater, but as</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">we </span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">progress into </span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">September there is still time to find these amongst the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">southbound </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">M</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">anx Shearwaters. Balearic Shearwater</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre;">is a species marked as critically </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">endangered on the </span><span style="white-space: pre;">IUCN European Red List of species but September </span><span style="white-space: pre;">is the best </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">month of the year to see </span><span style="white-space: pre;">them, with hotspots including Portland Bill, Portgwarra and </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">Berry Head. </span><span style="white-space: pre;">Some birds reach the </span><span style="white-space: pre;">North Sea and places like Flamborough Head, Spurn </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">and Sheringham are all worth a </span><span style="white-space: pre;">look from </span><span style="white-space: pre;">given the right conditions. Leach’s Petrel is </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">another seabird to have a peak in their reporting rate </span><span style="white-space: pre;">during September with the west </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">coasts being particularly productive following westerlies brought </span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">on by </span><span style="white-space: pre;">low-pressure </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">weather systems rattling across the Atlantic. You can find a video on how to </span><span style="white-space: pre;">separate </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Leach’s Petrel from the commoner Storm-petrel </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fB4srtPXnA" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">here</span></a><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">. </span></span></div>
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Two seabirds to look out for this week, particularly with
westerly winds forecast, are Fulmar and Sooty Shearwater. Right now both are on
the move but for very different reasons, and with very different destinations.
The Fulmars on the move will be birds dispersing away from their breeding sites.
It is thought that most of them will not go very far, staying in the North
Atlantic, periodically visiting nesting cliffs or prospecting possible nest
sites for the future. However, the Sooty Shearwaters are on their spring
migration, moving through the North Atlantic on their way to their natal
islands further south for the forthcoming breeding season, which takes place
during our winter. For some, this will involve a flight of over 10,000km (6,500
miles).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bw9JXGXDb-I/XW9_SgLkAAI/AAAAAAAAA6U/sMekeLRC9hMZPNNuDqwo6YOaJwLJIVquQCLcBGAs/s1600/Sooty%2BShearwater%2B1%2B%25282%2529%2B3%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bw9JXGXDb-I/XW9_SgLkAAI/AAAAAAAAA6U/sMekeLRC9hMZPNNuDqwo6YOaJwLJIVquQCLcBGAs/s400/Sooty%2BShearwater%2B1%2B%25282%2529%2B3%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sooty Shearwater - Photo by Joe Pender</td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Ortolan Bunting is a scarce visitor to the UK with the majority of sightings occurring in </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">September, but like </span><span style="white-space: pre;">many species, the number of records has steadily been falling each </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">year. During the period 1968-1969, a total </span><span style="white-space: pre;">of 87 birds were noted but in the period </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">2010-2016 only 33 birds were seen. In recent years however there has </span><span style="white-space: pre;">been an upturn in </span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;">records, with 74 reported in 2016, and this has in no short way been the result of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">increased </span><span style="white-space: pre;">sound-recording of nocturnal migrants, or nocmig which accounted for 30 of </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">the 74 records. </span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">More research </span><span style="white-space: pre;">needs to be done to see how widespread and regular this </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">nocturnal </span><span style="white-space: pre;">movement of Ortolan Buntings is but it at </span><span style="white-space: pre;">least shows they are using the UK </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">during their </span><span style="white-space: pre;">migration and possibly in greater numbers than the reports of </span><span style="white-space: pre;">birds seen </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;">during the day </span><span style="white-space: pre;">may indicate. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KBwywtKc7mU/XW-AU3QxPQI/AAAAAAAAA6k/W2NOxNLKhMoM30baeq6NqDDOM65zLiKjQCLcBGAs/s1600/OB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="481" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KBwywtKc7mU/XW-AU3QxPQI/AAAAAAAAA6k/W2NOxNLKhMoM30baeq6NqDDOM65zLiKjQCLcBGAs/s400/OB.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sonogram of Ortolan Bunting call - Nick Moran</td></tr>
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<u>W</u><u>eather for the week ahead.</u></h3>
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The weekend's weather looks to be set for north westerlies along the North Sea coasts and a mixture of north westerlies and westerlies for the rest of Britain and Ireland. Seawatching during this period from any west or east coast location could produce Leach's Petrel, Skuas, Manx and Sooty Shearwaters, and Guillemot and Razorbills. The rest of the week is dominated by westerly airflows with the remnants of hurricane Dorian due to hit the top of Scotland and the Northern Isles from mid-week. This westerly bias to the wind direction could result in Nearctic waders arriving with species like Buff-breasted, Bairds, Semipalmated and Pectoral Sandpipers the most likely species to occur.<br />
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Scott Mayson and Paul Stancliffe</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05142798899674590876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-11502743735784336462019-08-15T09:53:00.000+01:002019-08-15T09:53:00.432+01:00Migration moves up a gear.<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Looking back at the last migration blog we highlighted the small influx of Two-barred Crossbills that was happening on the Shetland isles. The influx slowed towards the end of July with numbers steadily dropping off, but recently a few more birds have been reported including some from the Outer Hebrides indicating that these birds may be continuing to move around. A check of your nearest coniferous woodland could be worthwhile!</span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-453905f1-7fff-475e-ec6e-7bce381b7b39"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the last weeks of July and early August, both Wood and Green Sandpipers were reported above their historical averages with the most likely explanation for this being </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">easterly winds across the Baltic and the North Sea on 27th/28th July pushing birds across to the UK where they hit a belt of rain that straddled the country and forced them down. A video showing how to identify Wood and Green Sandpipers can be found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm8c0mnhIRY&t=9s" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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BirdTrack reporting rate graphs showing the spike in both</div>
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Green and Wood Sandpiper reports in late July/early August</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the year slowly ebbs from late summer into early autumn migration steps up a gear and the range of species and the number of birds on the move increases. August is the month for waders and seabirds, but some passerines also have their peak autumn migration at this time of the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adult waders, whose numbers began to build in July will be joined by this year young leaving their northern breeding grounds for the very first time. Numbers of Knot, Redshank and Dunlin increase during the month and impressive counts of these species can be recorded at favoured sites. Towards the end of the month they will be joined by smaller numbers of Wood Sandpipers, Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints, many of which will be in fresh juvenile plumage. Of course, it is always worth searching amongst these for rarer waders – such as Pectoral, Semipalmated, Baird’s and White-rumped Sandpipers that can arrive here from America. Weather systems arriving from across the Atlantic, often the remnants of a hurricane or severe storms, can result in good numbers of these rarer species appearing on our shores. Easterly winds could also produce something rarer such as Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint or dare we dream of another Little Curlew, the only 2 British records of this species have both occurred in August. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile Little Stint - photo by Vincenzo Iacovon</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seabirds are also on the move this month, some of them heading back to the southern hemisphere for the forthcoming breeding season, and now is a great time to look out for Cory’s and Great Shearwaters, and Wilson’s Petrel. Invariably headlands in the southwest are the place to be for these oceanic wanderers and again Atlantic depressions with their associated strong winds can force large numbers of these species closer inshore. Manx Shearwaters are at their highest reporting rate in August as the adults head to winter off the coast of Brazil leaving the young to fend for themselves and make the journey unassisted. Numbers of scarcer species including Sabine’s Gull and Long-tailed Skuas increase markedly at this time of the year and both are a desirable species for many sea watchers. An identification video on skuas can be found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SDxOy-F3gs" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabine's Gull - photo by Moss Taylor</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whilst Common and Arctic Terns will be becoming less frequently reported during the month, both Black Terns and Roseate Terns have a peak in their respective reporting rates in August. Black Terns can turn up almost anywhere from reservoirs to coastal sites and often associate with Little Gulls. This small tern has a distinctive dipping feeding flight as they pick insects from or just above the water and it is worth checking any likely locations after a heavy thunderstorm to see if any have dropped in. Roseate Terns, on the other hand, are almost exclusively found at coastal sites, the very clean white upperparts and dark bill of adult birds pick them out from both Common and Arctic Terns, whilst young birds have the scalloped plumage reminiscent of juvenile Sandwich Terns.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Tern - photo by Graham Catley</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s not all about waders and seabirds through – August is probably the best month to go in search of Aquatic Warbler in Britain, though it is no easy task. This species has a very varied status in the UK, once it was an extremely rare bird but following some concentrated ringing, particularly around reedbeds in the south and southwest, annual totals began to rocket with the period between 1972-1977 being the golden era with 1976 producing a record 88 individuals. Hotspots included Radipole and Marazion marshes, indeed Devon has 107 records and Cornwall 154. Numbers then fell away in the ’80s and 90’s interspersed with a few good years, but in the last 10 years, annual figures have struggled to reach double figures with a declining population in their European breeding grounds of Eastern Poland the most likely cause.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pCfH_OK5vro/XUqw8_a7OZI/AAAAAAAAA3U/ZeKljoG9b3QNktt90MxOQrW-84N-U5CcACEwYBhgL/s1600/004702-Aquatic%2BWarbler-Balmer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pCfH_OK5vro/XUqw8_a7OZI/AAAAAAAAA3U/ZeKljoG9b3QNktt90MxOQrW-84N-U5CcACEwYBhgL/s400/004702-Aquatic%2BWarbler-Balmer.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aquatic Warbler - photo by Dawn Balmer</td></tr>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-3ec9c0b9-7fff-58b3-3111-ae8ab3b829e2"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tree Pipit, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Willow Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher all have an autumn peak in reporting rates in August. The reporting rates for Whinchat also typically beings to increase throughout the month with birds turning up inland and at coastal watchpoints, sometimes in small groups. Some scarcer passerines to look out for during the month include Greenish Warbler and Icterine Warbler, both have a similar breeding range of northeastern Europe and varying numbers occur in the UK each autumn particularly after spells of easterlies. Even rarer, Yellow Warbler a very rare American vagrant that has been recorded in the UK during August on 5 occasions with the last 2 records both occurring last year at Portland, Dorset and Mizen Head, Cork. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> a peak in autumn migration in August.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pied Flycatcher, autumn is when many birdwatchers see this<br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-3ec9c0b9-7fff-58b3-3111-ae8ab3b829e2"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By the end of the month, Swifts will become thin on the ground as they leave the UK on their long journey south to the Congo Basin and the first finch flocks will begin to feature in visible migration counts.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don’t forget the Spurn Migration Festival, held over the weekend of 6-8th September – celebrating bird migration through walks, talks, and workshops on and around the Spurn Peninsula, East Yorkshire.</span><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-52115352721151803412019-07-10T11:42:00.000+01:002019-07-17T10:01:49.771+01:00Autumn migration gets underway<br />
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There has been a lot of chatter both on social media and elsewhere that this has been a poor spring for some of our most loved summer migrants, particularly Swifts, Swallows and House Martins. Looking at the BirdTrack reporting rate graphs for these three species, all of them were reported at lower levels compared to their historical averages. Swallows arrived bang on time, whilst House Martins initially appeared to be arriving earlier but then dropped below the historical average and Swifts were around 1-2 weeks late. A cold northeasterly airflow could explain the drop in House Martin arrival in week 15 (WC 08/04/2019) which is also noticeable on the Swallow plot. The delay in arrival for Swift is also most likely due to an easterly airflow during week 16, which then turned to a southerly airflow during week 17 and in turn produced an upsurge in Swift sightings.<br />
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We will have to wait until the publication of 2019 BBS (Breeding Bird Survey) report in May 2020 before we can asses any population changes for these three species.<br />
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Back to the here and now, July migration is headlined by waders such as Spotted Redshank, and Green Sandpipers, which are amongst the first to head back. The females of both species are the first to depart as they leave the males to incubate the eggs and raise the young. The males and young of both species migrate later and start to appear in late July and early August. Green Sandpipers can turn up anywhere from saltwater lagoons on the coast to small vegetated ponds inland, their distinctive white rump in flight gives the impression of a large House Martin, and a high pitched three-note whistle is often given during flight. See the Green Sandpiper identification video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm8c0mnhIRY&list=PLE3B611F475AA00AF&index=58&t=0s" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/y4wg3zrl</a> for more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hsphzghw0Sc/XSRUVnPl4JI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/kgh4uVXWoS0M4ERJeaxHVc2qBS1UUFKWACLcBGAs/s1600/006534-Green%2BSandpiper-Froome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hsphzghw0Sc/XSRUVnPl4JI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/kgh4uVXWoS0M4ERJeaxHVc2qBS1UUFKWACLcBGAs/s400/006534-Green%2BSandpiper-Froome.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Sandpiper - Vic Froome</td></tr>
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Storm Petrels breed at a few locations in the UK, mainly on Scottish Islands and a few Islands off the coast of Wales, South West England and the west coast of Ireland. In July however, they are often recorded away from these traditional breeding areas and it is a long-held belief that these relate to ‘Wanderers’, non-breeding or failed breeders that are looking for potential new breeding areas. These movements can be rapid and over large distances, as illustrated by a bird ringed in Norway that was caught 613km away in North Yorkshire the very next day.<br />
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NOS Adult 26-07-2002 Lindesnes Fyr, Lindesnes:57°58'N 7°3'E(Vest-Agder) Norway<br />
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E760828 Caught by ringer 27-07-2002 Upgang, Whitby:54°29'N 0°38'W(North Yorkshire) 613km SW 0y 0m 1d<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWJAWNqfqXo/XSSVosdUjEI/AAAAAAAAA1o/FAs-k4VcEcguujG0h6sWNuGqCKoCK3fzACLcBGAs/s1600/Storm%2BPetrel%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWJAWNqfqXo/XSSVosdUjEI/AAAAAAAAA1o/FAs-k4VcEcguujG0h6sWNuGqCKoCK3fzACLcBGAs/s400/Storm%2BPetrel%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storm Petrel - Joe Pender</td></tr>
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For more, please visit the BTO Storm petrel identification video <a href="https://www.bto.org/develop-your-skills/bird-identification/videos/identifying-petrels?dm_t=0,0,0,0,0" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/y6rf2gk3</a><br />
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All of the BTO satellite tagged Cuckoos have now left the UK and have reached their first stopover sites in southern Europe. This year BTO scientists are following 11 satellite-tagged Cuckoos as they make their way to central Africa. Currently four of them are in France, six in Spain and one in Croatia, unfortunately, a twelfth bird was killed flying into a window at Dungeness. Having moved from Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, this bird, named Robinson, was well on its way south. Migration is full of hazards. Follow the Cuckoos as they undertake their huge southward journeys at <a href="http://www.bto.org/cuckoos">www.bto.org/cuckoos</a><br />
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During the last couple of weeks there has been a large arrival of Painted Lady butterflies into the UK off the back of warm south and southeasterly airflow, two birds almost certainly arrived on the same weather system, the Little Bustard in Gloucestershire and the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in Highland - if the Painted Lady invasion continues as the weather begins to warm again next week, we might be in for a summer mega.<br />
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<u>What to look out for during the rest of July.</u></div>
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At this time of year, south westerlies can produce Cory's Shearwaters and Balearic Shearwaters, with headlands in the south-west the best place to sea watch from. A pelagic trip from the Isles of Scilly could result in sightings of the once mythical Wilson's Petrel.</div>
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Together with the more expected Green, Common and Wood Sandpipers, other vagrant wader species can often be found in late July with Terek, White-rumped, Pectoral and Buff-breasted Sandpipers being the most likely.</div>
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Other species on the move in late July include Quail, Little Gull, Black Tern, and Common Scoter, with the latter species often turning up on inland reservoirs so keep an eye out for these.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-odCvKdLezWk/XSW0R9y6PnI/AAAAAAAAA2A/cR7l-lCrcGw2sYkzddDAbo6ive8px3qrgCLcBGAs/s1600/007636-Little%2BGull-Catley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="600" height="332" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-odCvKdLezWk/XSW0R9y6PnI/AAAAAAAAA2A/cR7l-lCrcGw2sYkzddDAbo6ive8px3qrgCLcBGAs/s400/007636-Little%2BGull-Catley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Gull - Graham Catley</td></tr>
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At the moment there is also a small influx of Two-barred and Common Crossbills happening, mainly on the Shetland Isles. The last influx was July 2017 and was confined to Shetland Isles with the exception of a single female on the Isle of May. In 2013 the influx was more widespread with birds scattered across the UK, will the same happen this year? A few Common Crossbills have been seen as far south as the Isles of Scilly, so it may be worth checking your nearest coniferous woodland. Larch cones are the favourite of Two-barred.</div>
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A Sooty Tern seen this year on the 24th June along the Yorkshire coast was subsequently seen again on the 9th July and is probably the bird from last year that was first seen on 7th July 2018 disappearing between 9th-19th July before relocating to Ythan Estuary where it stayed from 21st July -5th August. Perhaps it will head back there again this year? </div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-23558581918303245882018-11-16T16:39:00.000+00:002018-11-16T16:39:58.848+00:00A Swift arrivalThe migration highlight in the last two weeks was an unexpected arrival of <b>Swifts </b>from 3 November onwards, with three species noted around the country. While there were a handful of <b>Common Swifts</b> reported, the majority of sightings involved the much rarer Pallid Swift, with over 30 and perhaps as many as 50 individuals observed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wgc1fU-9f3U/W-7wHJmHQdI/AAAAAAAADD4/M5k_AZoZ5OQVaOEus5QinEGYTpbHG9XPQCLcBGAs/s1600/chart%2B%252822%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wgc1fU-9f3U/W-7wHJmHQdI/AAAAAAAADD4/M5k_AZoZ5OQVaOEus5QinEGYTpbHG9XPQCLcBGAs/s320/chart%2B%252822%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BirdTrack reporting rate for Pallid Swift</td></tr>
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Pallid Swift is seen annually in Britain in small numbers, influxes involving more than 10 birds had previously occurred only in 1999 (11 records), 2001 (12) and 2004 (15). The majority of the sightings came from the east coast, with only a handful from south coast counties and inland sites. Besides Britain, one was seen briefly in Ireland and up to 20 Pallid Swifts were also noted in the Netherlands, where there had only been 12 records previously.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iJy2OkAbLWg/W-7kgBeOySI/AAAAAAAADDg/inr7-c3DUlQj1P2QDZl-f0F7bF_weUbogCLcBGAs/s1600/PAllidSwiftMCade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iJy2OkAbLWg/W-7kgBeOySI/AAAAAAAADDg/inr7-c3DUlQj1P2QDZl-f0F7bF_weUbogCLcBGAs/s320/PAllidSwiftMCade.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pallid Swift by Martin Cade</td></tr>
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A potential reason for the influx may be that unusually for European swifts, Pallid Swift is double brooded, with the last brood fledging in October. Additionally, the sustained southerly winds throughout early November may have pushed birds northwards. The presence of a <b>Little Swift</b> at Hartlepool, Durham joining a Pallid Swift already present is intriguing as the nearest breeding grounds are along the southern Mediterranean coast. Did the Pallid Swifts in this influx come from North Africa rather than Iberia or the eastern Mediterranean?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lBSybtDFS_A/W-7uFHg0rpI/AAAAAAAADDs/LpUSl9hiojkllcnlk4LDBqlykhVbA7PzwCLcBGAs/s1600/LittleSwiftDMoney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1200" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lBSybtDFS_A/W-7uFHg0rpI/AAAAAAAADDs/LpUSl9hiojkllcnlk4LDBqlykhVbA7PzwCLcBGAs/s320/LittleSwiftDMoney.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Swift by Damian Money</td></tr>
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The week ahead looks potentially quite interesting, with high pressure building over western Russia and Scandinavia over the weekend. This could potentially bring a spell of colder weather from the middle of next week onwards, with the easterly winds likely to bring more winter thrushes and wildfowl amongst others to our shores. It is getting a bit late in the season for most rarities by this stage, but given the origin of the winds, a <b>Desert Wheatear</b>, or perhaps even a <b>Desert Warbler</b>, seem like potential arrivals.<br />
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Stephen McAvoyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-81682786824865580372018-11-02T17:08:00.000+00:002018-11-02T17:08:04.752+00:00Skuas on the move<br />
While not making for the most pleasant observation conditions, strong north to northeasterly winds in late autumn can produce good movements of seabirds and other migrants along the east coast of Britain. The weather last weekend fitted this exact pattern and those who braved the cold, biting wind were not disappointed.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wV7mhV-XGRY/W9yDhukT8BI/AAAAAAAADCA/uKd5rFOHPvcAF6x4qR74wh_OlOkYw6RVgCLcBGAs/s1600/pom%2Bskua.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1338" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wV7mhV-XGRY/W9yDhukT8BI/AAAAAAAADCA/uKd5rFOHPvcAF6x4qR74wh_OlOkYw6RVgCLcBGAs/s320/pom%2Bskua.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pomarine Skua by Joe Pender</td></tr>
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The most eye catching spectacle was the passage of <b>Pomarine Skuas</b> with several sites logging day totals of more than 100 birds. Amongst the highest counts were 150+ off Flamborough, East Yorksire, 180+ off Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire and 200+ moving south past Spurn, East Yorkshire. The latter represents a new day count record for the species at the site. However, these counts were eclipsed by the over 500 logged passing Hornsea, East Yorkshire. The BirdTrack reporting rate graph clearly shows last weekend’s movement<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VnFFRXafqo8/W9yCJOzVh1I/AAAAAAAADB0/4-wUZX3WwxYUwydnYZhL9JOb1F1fQwlqACLcBGAs/s1600/chart%2B%252820%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VnFFRXafqo8/W9yCJOzVh1I/AAAAAAAADB0/4-wUZX3WwxYUwydnYZhL9JOb1F1fQwlqACLcBGAs/s320/chart%2B%252820%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The strong winds brought with them a wide variety of other seabirds, including the first large movement of <b>Little Auks</b>. Several sites registered double figure counts, with a high count of over 150 passing Flamborough. Divers and shearwaters were also noted, including a handful of <b>White-billed Divers</b>. The rarest seabird logged was probably the <b>King Eider</b> moving along the North Norfolk coast over the weekend and early last week.<br />
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For passerine migrants, there were good counts logged for <b>Redwing </b>and <b>Fieldfare </b>arriving in off the North Sea, while large flocks of <b>Starlings </b>were also noted. As in the previous week, a few flocks of Waxwings were noted moving west with the thrushes and Starlings - it is well worth keeping an eye on any berry rich hawthorns in the coming weeks!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ruswr5k5_FI/W9yD4AfSmzI/AAAAAAAADCI/hCUV8z1zV_8lvfu77wfZa0kL0jIxCayzwCLcBGAs/s1600/chart%2B%252821%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ruswr5k5_FI/W9yD4AfSmzI/AAAAAAAADCI/hCUV8z1zV_8lvfu77wfZa0kL0jIxCayzwCLcBGAs/s320/chart%2B%252821%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A common theme in the last weeks has been a rapid switch of wind directions, and this weekend is no exception. After the spell of northerlies in recent days, the prevailing wind moves back to a south – southeasterly direction as the remnants of Hurricane Oscar pass northeast off the coast of Ireland and Scotland. Having stayed well out in the Atlantic in the last week, it is unlikely that this weather system will bring any new arrivals of North American origin, though potentially the first white-winged gulls could arrive, and rarer gulls are always a possibility, including <b>Laughing </b>or <b>Franklin’s Gull.</b><br />
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Stephen McAvoy<br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-38238603039020384552018-10-26T18:03:00.000+01:002018-10-26T18:03:47.097+01:00Eastern PromiseAs expected, the northerly winds meant that migration was relatively quiet this week. However, a trickle of birds continued to arrive, most notably <b>Common Crossbills</b>. From Tuesday onwards, daily totals of up 200 birds were noted at <a href="http://sbbot.org.uk/sightings-2/sightings-birds/" target="_blank">Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory</a>, Kent. Smaller numbers were recorded elsewhere along the south coast. The BirdTrack reporting rate graph shows as above average for the last few weeks so it is worth checking any local sites for birds on the move.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W3JGOyG9hME/W9NFGgIMNyI/AAAAAAAADA4/PAPZMNeBkT4Zb5QHMiTE9h884I3OSu7NwCLcBGAs/s1600/chart%2B%252818%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W3JGOyG9hME/W9NFGgIMNyI/AAAAAAAADA4/PAPZMNeBkT4Zb5QHMiTE9h884I3OSu7NwCLcBGAs/s320/chart%2B%252818%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thrushes and finches continued to arrive, albeit in smaller numbers with counts from bird observatories along the east coast in the low hundreds for both <b>Fieldfare </b>and <b>Redwing</b>. Most sites also held a <b>Short-eared Owl</b> or two and late October/early November is the peak time for this species based on BirdTrack reports.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RTiSJqqqu68/W9NF7afa-sI/AAAAAAAADBA/9iXPu1QFgfc3d_WV13dxvHsnEl5VfAsrACLcBGAs/s1600/003363-Short-eared%2BOwl-Taylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="671" height="243" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RTiSJqqqu68/W9NF7afa-sI/AAAAAAAADBA/9iXPu1QFgfc3d_WV13dxvHsnEl5VfAsrACLcBGAs/s320/003363-Short-eared%2BOwl-Taylor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short-eared Owl by Mark Taylor/BTO</td></tr>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rJHuiVPYyJs/W9NGq3SszyI/AAAAAAAADBQ/7WUYfoh80hs9Bdfrh4886do49Wck2JHKgCLcBGAs/s1600/chart%2B%252819%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rJHuiVPYyJs/W9NGq3SszyI/AAAAAAAADBQ/7WUYfoh80hs9Bdfrh4886do49Wck2JHKgCLcBGAs/s320/chart%2B%252819%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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More unusual migrants included small numbers of <b>Stock Doves</b> arriving in off the North Sea along the south and south east coast. While birds breeding in Britain and Ireland are considered to be sedentary, the populations of Stock Dove in Scandinavia and eastern Europe are migratory. A handful of <b>Waxwings </b>were reported along the east coast, with most seen as fly-overs only.<br />
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Over the course of the weekend, the winds gradually shift from northwest to east, with strong northerly winds forecast for Saturday morning. Over 70 Pomarine Skuas were logged passing Titchwell, Norfolk this morning and tomorrow looks like a good day for this species, and other skuas, to be found along the east coast. The first <b>Little Auks</b> of the autumn may well be reported moving past offshore as well.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o1m1NytElCE/W9NGdX3IxPI/AAAAAAAADBM/ufPvpqq_JAwJYG_0MtVqucg5rS_EbAxDQCLcBGAs/s1600/006297-Little%2BAuk-Rendall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="509" height="264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o1m1NytElCE/W9NGdX3IxPI/AAAAAAAADBM/ufPvpqq_JAwJYG_0MtVqucg5rS_EbAxDQCLcBGAs/s320/006297-Little%2BAuk-Rendall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Auk by Morris Rendall/BTO</td></tr>
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Based on current forecasts, the winds will remain easterly until Tuesday at least, which may well bring an arrival of Siberian migrants, including commoner species such as <b>Brent Goose</b> and <b>Bewick’s Swan</b>. Given the origin of the winds, a late arrival of <b>Yellow-browed</b> and <b>Pallas’s Warblers</b> seems possible, and any Wheatear is worth checking for something rarer, such as <b>Desert </b>or <b>Pied Wheatear</b>. There is always the potential for something unexpected turning up – a <b>Siberian Rubythroat </b>would brighten any day!<br />
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Stephen McAvoy<br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-55684169869285781322018-10-19T18:10:00.003+01:002018-10-19T18:10:32.595+01:00Rare arrivals from east and west<br />
Arriving quickly from the east coast of the United States and Canada, the remnants of Hurricane Michael did not directly impact Britain and Ireland last Monday, diverting southwest towards NW Iberia at the last moment instead. Despite this, the outliers brought several very rare North American birds with them. The first species to be found was also one of the rarest, with Britain’s second <b>Grey Catbird</b> found at Land’s End, Cornwall late on Monday. It remained on site all through the week, allowing many birders to catch up with this species. The offshore islands closest to the track of ex-Hurricane Michael were also good places to be with Cape Clear, Co. Cork holding a triple crown of <b>Swainson’s Thrush</b>, <b>Scarlet Tanager</b> and the first <b>Veery </b>for Ireland. Birders on the Isles of Scilly discovered <b>Bobolink</b>, <b>Grey-cheeked Thrush</b> and <b>Red-eyed Vireo</b>, though the former was only seen briefly. Away from the southwest, there were sightings of <b>Red-eyed Vireo</b> on Inishmore, Co. Galway and a <b>Baltimore Oriole</b> on Barra, Outer Hebrides. The fast moving nature of this Hurricane, taking just over 48 hours to cross the Atlantic, likely helped these birds survive the crossing. Who knows what other species may have been discovered if it had made landfall in Ireland or Britain?<br />
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Following on from the strongly southerly winds the previous weekend, <b>Pallid Swifts</b> were found in Kent, East Yorkshire and Northumberland. However, these were outshone by Britain’s first <b>White-rumped Swift</b> at Hornsea Mere, East Yorkshire last Sunday. With an increasing population in Iberia, this species should now be on the radar in similar conditions in future years.<br />
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Along the North Sea coast of Britain, strong northeasterly winds last Monday brought fresh arrivals of thrushes and finches arriving ‘in off’. <b>Redwing</b>, <b>Fieldfare</b>, <b>Goldcrest </b>and <b>Brambling </b>arrived, while scarcer migrants included <b>Bluethroat</b>, <b>Red-flanked Bluetail</b>, several <b>Great Grey Shrikes</b> and a probable <b>Two-barred Warbler</b> in Norfolk. The first <b>Waxwings </b>of the autumn were also reported from Shetland, Yorkshire and Norfolk – will this winter see another invasion?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jA348rZCYio/W8oP2afB_KI/AAAAAAAADAE/IvQlcD8klGIPhCtKrlITmHYIQxVzMS49gCLcBGAs/s1600/007266-Waxwing-Baker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jA348rZCYio/W8oP2afB_KI/AAAAAAAADAE/IvQlcD8klGIPhCtKrlITmHYIQxVzMS49gCLcBGAs/s320/007266-Waxwing-Baker.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waxwing by Jeff Baker/BTO</td></tr>
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Looking ahead, the weekend looks set to be dominated by high pressure, and the calm mornings are ideal for visible migration watches with larks, thrushes and finches on the move. The reporting rate graph on BirdTrack shows that late October is the peak for <b>Skylark</b>, <b>Siskin </b>and <b>Brambling </b>amongst others. One to listen out for is <b>Richard’s Pipit</b>, with fly-overs likely to be found anywhere. The BirdTrack reporting rate graph shows a clear peak in late-October, and it is well worth being familiar with the flight call (for example https://www.xeno-canto.org/439042).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n9TIbh8krZc/W8oPbTa_vfI/AAAAAAAAC_8/2aaqizslRjEXKaQGvKl0xUvO143twpr9ACLcBGAs/s1600/chart%2B%252817%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n9TIbh8krZc/W8oPbTa_vfI/AAAAAAAAC_8/2aaqizslRjEXKaQGvKl0xUvO143twpr9ACLcBGAs/s320/chart%2B%252817%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reporting rate graph of Richard's Pipit</td></tr>
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On Sunday afternoon, the wind looks set to switch to northwesterly over most of Britain and Ireland, which will likely help birds staging from Iceland to our shores, for example <b>Brent Goose</b> and <b>Whooper Swan</b>.<br />
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Stephen McAvoy<br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-23351331312536463732018-10-12T16:50:00.001+01:002018-10-12T16:50:13.974+01:00Looking east and westThe spell of northeasterly winds last weekend appears to have opened the floodgates for birds wanting to cross the North Sea from western Scandinavia. There was a notable passage of thrushes, consisting mainly of <b>Redwing </b>and <b>Song Thrush</b>, with a few <b>Ring Ouzel</b> noted. The movement also included some flocks of <b>Fieldfare </b>– appearing a little early based on the <a href="https://app.bto.org/birdtrack2/login/login.jsp" target="_blank">BirdTrack</a> reporting rate.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sFq2FwYN_Y8/W8DCJTCqP-I/AAAAAAAAC_g/EH_Cz9npIqIezS5UlknX8SHB2GROs61MgCLcBGAs/s1600/000848-Fieldfare-Harding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sFq2FwYN_Y8/W8DCJTCqP-I/AAAAAAAAC_g/EH_Cz9npIqIezS5UlknX8SHB2GROs61MgCLcBGAs/s320/000848-Fieldfare-Harding.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fieldfare by Luke Harding/BTO</td></tr>
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Other winter visitors on the move included <b>Whooper Swan</b> and <b>Brent Goose</b>, while good numbers of duck were reported moving past coastal watchpoints along the east coast, especially on Sunday when the northeasterly winds were at their strongest.<br />
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Scarcer species noted included several <b>Barred Warblers</b>, the first <b>Great Grey Shrikes </b>of the autumn and the first significant arrival of <b>Yellow-browed Warblers</b> along the east coast. Up until this weekend, it had been a very quiet autumn for this species by recent standards. However, 39 logged at Spurn, Yorkshire on the 7th October was both a record day count for the site and a very good count for this autumn. Over 20 were also logged at nearby Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, and single figure counts came from many coastal sites.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eh6MM9mF1Zw/W8C36NOJxiI/AAAAAAAAC_M/_TU-8PNAfsIiW0s_0hFgtd9W0jBsQ2oKQCLcBGAs/s1600/007752-Great%2BGrey%2BShrike-Catley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="889" height="292" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eh6MM9mF1Zw/W8C36NOJxiI/AAAAAAAAC_M/_TU-8PNAfsIiW0s_0hFgtd9W0jBsQ2oKQCLcBGAs/s320/007752-Great%2BGrey%2BShrike-Catley.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Grey Shrike by Graham Catley/BTO</td></tr>
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Although the winds switched back to west–southwesterly from Monday onwards, these were sufficiently light that birds managed to cross the North Sea, with further arrivals of <b>Song Thrush</b> and <b>Redwing</b>. New arrivals included the first <b>Brambling </b>and several <b>Olive-backed Pipits</b>. Above average numbers of the latter have been reported from Poland and Germany so far this autumn, so more may yet be found.<br />
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On Thursday and Friday, the winds switched to a southerly direction in the wake of Storm Callum moving north off the west coast of Ireland. These winds originate from the Mediterranean basin and mid to late October is peak time for <b>Pallid Swift</b> in Britain so it will interesting to see if the southerly winds will push any our way.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--yiyRzO8WKc/W8C4e5LEwSI/AAAAAAAAC_U/hewTu-cD1HMIWHMRmVguH_8aATtzCpaYACLcBGAs/s1600/chart%2B%252816%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--yiyRzO8WKc/W8C4e5LEwSI/AAAAAAAAC_U/hewTu-cD1HMIWHMRmVguH_8aATtzCpaYACLcBGAs/s320/chart%2B%252816%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pallid Swift reporting rate on BirdTrack</td></tr>
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Looking ahead, there are two weather systems to watch. On the east coast of Britain, there is potential for more northeasterly winds on Monday and Tuesday, which will likely bring more Scandinavian migrants, and perhaps something rarer. In the southwest, the remnants of Hurricane Michael could arrive on the same day. Having caused significant damage in northwestern Florida, this storm moved rapidly along the east coast of the United States and Canada. As of this morning, the storm could reach southwestern Ireland and Cornwall on Monday lunchtime, though there is still some uncertainty on the precise track the storm will take across the Atlantic. If it does reach our shores, it may well bring some very rare North American birds, with likely candidates including <b>Chimney Swift</b>, <b>Red-eyed Vireo</b> and <b>Grey-cheeked Thrush</b>. There is always the chance of something unexpected – a repeat of either <b>Canada </b>or <b>Golden-winged Warbler</b> would be very welcome!<br />
<br />
Stephen McAvoy<br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-36520221194692232512018-09-20T12:37:00.000+01:002018-09-20T12:37:13.316+01:00Mixed bag of migrants<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
With a turbulent run of weather forecast for the coming week
it makes predicting what will be migrating rather interesting shall we say. As
deepening depressions rattle their way across the Atlantic they bring strong westerlies to our shores and periods of heavy rain. These weather
systems cannot only dump large quantities of rain but can also provide us with
a smattering of transatlantic vagrants, such as American <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">peeps</i> (or sandpipers as we know them) and maybe a rare 'Yank' warbler.
Pectoral Sandpiper and Semipalmated Sandpiper have already made landfall in the
UK this year but are likely to be joined by more individuals as well as the possibility
of other species such as Least Sandpiper or Killdeer.<br />
Strong westerlies can make
for good seawatching conditions along the west coast with species such as
Sabine’s Gull and Long-tailed Skua mixed in with the more expected Arctic and
Pomarine Skuas and Kittiwakes. Sometimes these species are forced further
inland by the strong winds so any reservoirs or large lakes are worth checking.
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UjFI7h3WK0/W6IfEy9rnJI/AAAAAAAAAjM/XI2NvM606Pgf9GtxMHd4T7kctXIq-ZUowCLcBGAs/s1600/007566-Sabine%2527s%2BGull-Moss%2BTaylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UjFI7h3WK0/W6IfEy9rnJI/AAAAAAAAAjM/XI2NvM606Pgf9GtxMHd4T7kctXIq-ZUowCLcBGAs/s320/007566-Sabine%2527s%2BGull-Moss%2BTaylor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabine's Gull - Moss Taylor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As these weather systems make their way across the UK they
will start to draw in a northerly and easterly airflow, opening the door for
another suite of birds to arrive. For many birdwatchers this time of year is synonymous
with Yellow-browed warbler, once the preserve of twitchers this is now an
expected migrant with several hundred birds turning up in a good year. No
longer is it just a coastal bird either, with individuals being found with
greater regularity at inland sites. At this time of year any wind direction with a
hint of east opens the possibility of something ‘off the radar’ turning
up from the far east and have include Thick-billed Warbler, Brown Flycatcher
and Yellow-browed Bunting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For those species that arrive here for the winter northerly
winds will aid their migration and numbers of Pink-footed Goose should increase
and other wildfowl such as Shoveler, Wigeon and Teal should also arrive in ever
growing numbers.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M_lx4NbZWK4/W6IgsD0TujI/AAAAAAAAAjY/b0hAUIFBFFkO7Wa-1hUu4QXEXqxspDzLwCLcBGAs/s1600/chart%2B%252810%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M_lx4NbZWK4/W6IgsD0TujI/AAAAAAAAAjY/b0hAUIFBFFkO7Wa-1hUu4QXEXqxspDzLwCLcBGAs/s320/chart%2B%252810%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reporting rate for Shoveler from BirdTrack</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Waders will also be on the move as this years young, which typically
migrate after their parents, start their first migration to wintering grounds,
Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Turnstone and Sanderling can often form large groups
and can turn up anywhere.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H_FEkEyXwJc/W6IdYF0T8-I/AAAAAAAAAjA/7_PTeSa9RN0QJrUtTV_styoQ0Z6W4aHrQCLcBGAs/s1600/001285-Sanderling-Pakenham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="600" height="201" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H_FEkEyXwJc/W6IdYF0T8-I/AAAAAAAAAjA/7_PTeSa9RN0QJrUtTV_styoQ0Z6W4aHrQCLcBGAs/s320/001285-Sanderling-Pakenham.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sanderling - Jill Pakenham</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586443817547518485.post-70536780935291095732018-09-14T15:21:00.002+01:002018-09-14T15:21:50.654+01:00Migration reaching the peak period<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mid-September to mid-October is peak autumn migration time;
this is the period when most birds are on the move, both in and out of the
country. It has been estimated that at this time as many as 50 million birds
could be on the move.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WfEPkb2lK6Q/W5vCOC9aStI/AAAAAAAAC98/9QSEfLW2oG8n5yb51Fu5sqG6E_sSNIYlQCLcBGAs/s1600/Meadow%2BPipit.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WfEPkb2lK6Q/W5vCOC9aStI/AAAAAAAAC98/9QSEfLW2oG8n5yb51Fu5sqG6E_sSNIYlQCLcBGAs/s320/Meadow%2BPipit.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Meadow Pipit BirdTrack reporting rate</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Right now <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Meadow
Pipits</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">White Wagtails</b> should
be moving in force. However, the weather forecast for the next week doesn’t
look very conducive to a large movement of any of these birds. We have largely
been in westerly airflow for over a week now and it has turned up a few North
American birds, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">White-throated Sparrow</b>
on Foula, Shetland, being amongst the highlights. It is difficult to see if
this will continue over the next week, Hurricanes Florence, Joyce and Helene
are really stirring up the weather in the Atlantic. It does look like the
northern half of the country will remain in westerly airflow for longer than
the southern half, with air being drawn out of the Labrador Sea bringing the possibility
of a few more North American waders, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wilson’s
Phalarope</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Short-billed Dowitcher</b>
could be on the cards.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MNkd8aGqon4/W5vCtF7WaJI/AAAAAAAAC-E/OoXxE4isWt4DNKthKBD2yTGXI9DFElx1ACLcBGAs/s1600/whinc%2B035%2B%2528Mike%2BWeston%2529%2B%2528A%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MNkd8aGqon4/W5vCtF7WaJI/AAAAAAAAC-E/OoXxE4isWt4DNKthKBD2yTGXI9DFElx1ACLcBGAs/s320/whinc%2B035%2B%2528Mike%2BWeston%2529%2B%2528A%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Whinchat by Mike Weston</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In amongst this dynamic weather there will be high-pressure
to the south for a little while resulting in fairly calm conditions over the
channel, this will allow departing birds to get a move on and we could see <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">hirundines</b> make their last big movement
of the year over the weekend, along with a few <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yellow Wagtails</b> and<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
Whinchats</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OJaDf97PVnk/W5vDY9VvuKI/AAAAAAAAC-M/GodievTqxdoiNI4HD7ur571yaNrU5gY6wCLcBGAs/s1600/Yellow-browed%2BWarbler%2B%25285%2Bof%2B8%2529%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1600" height="173" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OJaDf97PVnk/W5vDY9VvuKI/AAAAAAAAC-M/GodievTqxdoiNI4HD7ur571yaNrU5gY6wCLcBGAs/s320/Yellow-browed%2BWarbler%2B%25285%2Bof%2B8%2529%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Yellow-browed Warbler by Andy Mason</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even though we have already recorded our first <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yellow-browed Warblers</b> (they seem to be
getting earlier and earlier) birds wanting to cross the North Sea from the north
will have to wait a little longer, and it might be another week or more before
we start to see arrivals of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Redwings </b>and
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chaffinches</b> and movements of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Linnets</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Redpolls</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_afhuQigPrI/W5vAwBPg46I/AAAAAAAAC9w/ZGGFA01B74QfDQ1NSP-WuckSg0zwIDp4wCLcBGAs/s1600/Leach%2527sPetrel.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_afhuQigPrI/W5vAwBPg46I/AAAAAAAAC9w/ZGGFA01B74QfDQ1NSP-WuckSg0zwIDp4wCLcBGAs/s320/Leach%2527sPetrel.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Leach's Petrel BirdTrack reporting rate</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It looks like the western half of the country will be the
place to be. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sabine’s Gulls, Grey
Phalaropes</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Leach’s Petrels</b>
might all put in a performance, along with a few skuas and divers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0