Tuesday 2 September 2014

Subtly Autumnal



Chiffchaff and Mediterranean Gull, today. DH.

Hello. Dan here.

In the summery sunshine this morning, it was deceptively quiet. I had to strain my eyes and ears to find out that autumn passage was well underway overhead-- the faintest of squeaks alerted me to specks of Meadow Pipits heading south (about 50 between 0800 and 1000) and similarly high Swallows migrating S and E (around 80).

A southbound Grey Wagtail was only a little more conspicuous, and a lost-looking, restless trio of Tree Sparrows was heading north.

On close inspection, the hedgerows were seen to full be of Chiffchaffs (at least 30 along the main drag today) with smaller numbers of Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats, but no matter what the throughput may be, this has been the case for some weeks.

A juvenile Sedge Warbler was my first here for a while...but looking past warblers a few small  flocks of Chaffinch, a Jay hopping around the walled meadow before heading W and an increase in Robins were all positively Octoberish.

I couldn't connect with any quality vis (some Tree Pipits would've been nice) or skulkers (a Jynx torquilla or even just a Redstart) and indeed the best birds-- a Green Sand and a Med-- are three-season species, but under the sunny surface, the morning was distinctly autumnal.


DH.

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