With the quiet nets I could afford to spend some time
vis migging at a couple of spots – at the point (0830-1000 and 1230-1330) and
overlooking the fields just to the north of Birkemose (1400-1500); my totals
for the day included a steady passage of raptors with 2 Honey Buzzards (adults), 3
Ospreys, 41 Sparrowhawks, 18 Kestrels and 4+ White-tailed Eagles – many not actually reaching the point
rather cutting SW across the fields. A
few ducks also went south during the morning session with 13 Teal, 11 Shoveler,
5 Wigeon and single Pintail and Velvet Scoter with 53 Common Scoter while the
handful of waders included 3 Golden Plover, an Oystercatcher, 2 Dunlin and a
Ruff.
There were plenty of passerines moving south as well,
especially through the morning session but it was very tricky working out what
was actually moving and what was flying in circles and foraging in or over the
fields but estimates included 3,000+ hirundines (Swallows, House Martins and
Sand Martins), 50+ Tree Pipits, 250+ Yellow Wagtails, a handful of Swifts and
47 Crossbills (two flocks of 20 and 27).
Also of note was a steady trickle of Sandwich Terns, Common Terns,
Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls.
The bird of the day though just escaped me with very
brief views of a very orangy ringtail Pallid / Montagu’s Harrier seen
disappearing over the brow of a hill just north of Gedser town never to be seen
again but I was nowhere near working out which one it was!
A walk north up the beach late afternoon produced the
first Merlin of the autumn, 11
Common Sandpipers (which were inches away from being 10 as a Sparrowhawk
smashed into the flock causing them to ditch in the sea!), 2 Whimbrel and 4
Dunlin.
White-tailed Eagle
Kestrel
Osprey
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