Ring Ouzel

 Ring Ouzel heading inland having initially been heard 'chacking' in scrub, along the coast path.

Good again this morning on a cool, light north-westerly. I didn't have too much time so had to whiz around pretty quickly. Lots of stuff moving but most stuff too high to identify. Totals from 0730 - 17+ Reed Buntings (the highest total this autumn), 6+ Redpoll, 1 Tree Pipit, 95+ Meadow Pipits, 45+ Pied Wagtails, c80+ Skylarks, 1 Swallow, 2 Grey Wagtails, c30 Siskins, 6 Greenfinches, c50 Chaffinches, 1 Ring Ouzel, 6+ Blackbirds, 3 Song Thrushes, 2 Goldcrests, c65 Goldfinches, 6+ Chiffchaffs and just 1 Stonechat.

Lu and I went for a stroll along the seafront mid-morning. Redpolls and Siskins were still moving overhead and 4 Swallows sped low, towards the river mouth.

I had a look at the sea early yesterday morning but again no luck with large shearwaters. Hundreds of Gannets and good numbers of Kittiwake headed south but the best sightings were 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common Scoter, up to 11 Arctic Skuas, 6 Balearic Shearwaters, 1 Mediterranean Gull and 2 drake Eiders.

Selected Mudbank counts - 150 Pintail, c70 Black-tailed Godwits, 22 Bar-tailed Godwits, 4 Greenshank, 1 Redshank and 1 Ringed Plover. The Brent Goose flock numbered c3/400 birds with at least 20 Pale-bellied birds still amongst them.