'Jude The Obscure'

Swannery Birding Highlights Of The Week...

Monday 28th October to Sunday 3rd November 2013...

Summary...

St. Jude's Storm failed to produce the gale-blown seabirds predicted and in fact despite the strong western influence in the weather it was two or three eastern leaf warblers that stole this weeks show, albeit not quite the species I had in mind .

Wildfowl...

The two adult drake Scaups were joined by a first winter female this week...



 

But they were the only ducks of any real note. A few more Dark-bellied Brent Geese went into the log though, with one arriving with Canada Geese Sunday morning and lingering for a while, whilst four flew east Sunday afternoon. 



 

 Above two pics - Sunday morning's Dark-bellied Brent Goose

The possible Todd's Canada Goose still lingers...

And it stands out alongside it's Atlantic Canada Goose congeners far more than photos convey.

Waders...

Again no doubt due to the high water there is little to report this week. The Lapwing flock, if present at all, dropped back to twenty odd, only the occasional Snipe was seen, there was just one Dunlin and a mere two Redshanks.



One of this week's Redshank

Gulls...

The best larid of the week was a fourth calendar year Yellow-legged Gull loafing with the flock of the three usual large gull species on the beach opposite on Saturday but despite events elsewhere in the vicinity the only small gulls were the usual Commons, Black-headeds and 'Meds'.

 

Raptors...

With Marsh Harriers now almost commonplace it was a brief Merlin on Tuesday that took the prize as raptor of the week.

 

Overhead Passage...

The strong winds put paid to most visible migration this week but there were a couple of mornings when dribs and drabs flew over. This light passage consisted mostly of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails, Linnets and Siskins but the first (presumed Lesser) Redpoll of the autumn was heard and a White Wagtail was seen. There was also the first hint that a few Starlings and Wood Pigeons were on the move.

Un-ringed domestic Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon (the other leg hasn't got a ring either, honest!)

Most domestic 'Rock Doves' that occur at the Swannery are either  'racing/homing' birds (actively racing overhead or lingering AWOL) or white 'fancy' birds from the village. Very rarely though a grey one will turn up without rings such as this week's bird above. Therefore it may be a genuine feral bird... so to paraphrase Dick Dastardly... 'Tick that pigeon now!'

 

Bathing Grey Wagtail perfectly camouflaged in the Abbey Mill Stream.

Grey Wagtails formerly nested regularly under Grove Lane bridge (as did Dippers) but they now only occur on passage and in winter (whereas Dippers are now just a memory for those lucky enough to have seen them back in the day, which unfortunately isn't me!).

 

Siskin, one of a few that lingered briefly with the Goldfinch flock this week.

Nocturnal Migrants...

In what weren't the best conditions to be looking for warblers and their ilk, it still seemed pretty quiet with only a few Chiffchaffs and the odd Blackcap among the now more numerous Goldcrests. This didn't stop me from trying to find a Pallas's Warbler however so when on Wednesday I came across my second Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn in the outer withy-bed I felt a bit like I'd lost a pound and found a penny! In the same tit flock was a rather grey and subtly wing-barred Chiffchaff but it was calling like a Common (rather than a Siberian) so was presumably 'just' an eastern abientinus. With the lack of commoner migrants I was even more surprised the following day to find what may well have been a different Yellow-browed Warbler in my Grove Lane garden!

 

And Finally...

The storms may not have produced anything as good as Chesil Cove's Surf Scoter in the Swannery Embayment but some of the diving duck therein were having a good surf nonetheless as workmate and keen wildlife photographer Charlie Wheeler discovered...

 

  

 Above four photos  © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography Thanks Charlie.