27th September

The day’s highlight came just before dawn as with the aid of playback I caught an awesome little PYGMY OWL in the Labyrinth, a new bird for me and a great moment after trying all last autumn to catch one; I also caught two more Tengmalm’s Owls in the very early morning.

                With the wind dying away to almost nothing by dawn and clear skies it was always going to be a good morning of overhead passage and so it proved with birds streaming NW from just before dawn to mid-morning; totals included 3 Black Woodpeckers circling high over the lighthouse, 660+ Bramblings, 300+ Siskins, 200+ Meadow Pipits, 14 Grey Wagtails, 10 Tree Pipits, a Yellow Wagtail (with a slightly harsh sounding call) and smaller numbers of Snipe, Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers, Redpolls, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, White Wagtails and Skylarks – nothing rare but a great spectacle, how autumn should be!

                The nets were also busier than of late with 60 new birds caught including an influx of 35 Blue Tits, a Coal Tit, a Chiffchaff and a couple of Goldcrests and Robins.   The rest of the day was much quieter after the vis mig had dried up with 2 Shoveler and a Tufted Duck in Sevika and single Great-spotted Woodpecker and Jay in the plantations indicating the start of some autumn movements.

 

Pygmy Owl - Awesome!

Tengmalm's Owl - Also awesome!

Coal Tit - Nice!

Migrating Black Woodpeckers - Very awesome!