GEDSER - 14th October

Dry again but again the easterly wind built up through the day to become very strong by the afternoon, the nets were productive though with a good 278 new birds caught, largely made up of 177 Goldcrests and 60 Robins while other little bits included a late Swallow, 6 Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, 2 Coal Tits and a Goldfinch.

                It was an excellent day of visible migration with thousands of Finches and Thrushes heading east over the garden, it was most impressive looking across the front field where for long periods of time wave after wave of Chaffinches, Bramblings and Siskins streamed eastwards at head height.   The flocks also contained good numbers of Linnets and Goldfinches while Mistle Thrushes and Fieldfares also moved through in decent flocks and a few Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were also obvious – 6,000+ mixed finches were counted from the point.   Late Swallows were also more obvious today with c20 seen through the day.

                There were a few interesting bits around the garden through the day (but again there was limited time to go birding) with an excellent flock of 27 Hawfinches high overhead (probably a Gedser record count!), a Ring Ouzel which spent all day feeding on Rowan berries around the nets but never getting caught, a Great Grey Shrike in the front hedge and the female Northern Bullfinch from a couple of days ago re-trapped while the garden was again full of frantically feeding Goldcrests and Robins.

                A drive across the field late afternoon produced several Little Gulls, a Merlin and a Rough-legged Buzzard.

 

Little Gull

Merlin

Starlings

Juvenile White-fronted Goose and a Tundra Bean Goose

Swallow