Ruff, Hawfinch

Male Ruff - Mudbank. A returning bird that always turns up with a decent-sized Black-tailed Godwit flock. This is the fourth autumn in a row that 've seen it.

Patches of blue sky for the first time in what feels like ages. Nothing particularly unusual on Orcombe in the first hour or so of daylight, but plenty moving with 110+ Chaffinches, c600 Woodpigeons, 4 Golden Plovers, 8 Snipe, c15+ Skylarks, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Little Egret, 5 Mallard, 1 Stonechat, 3+ Cirl Buntings, 1 Grey Wagtail, 12+ Goldfinches, 1 Siskin, 1 Bullfinch, 7 Starlings, 3 Fieldfares, 4 Redwings, 15+ Meadow Pipits, 10+ Blackbirds, 3+ Pied Wagtails, 23+ Stock Doves, 7+ Song Thrushes and 1+ Goldcrest. I only covered the top fields.

Mudbank - 1 Hawfinch, 4 Skylarks, 7 Knot, c170 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Ruff, c70 Redshank, 6 Greenshank, c100 Dunlin, 2 Lapwing, 5 Grey Plovers, 13 Bar-tailed Godwits, 9 Teal, 2 Shoveler (a different pair to yesterday's birds - see below), c100+ Turnstones, 32+ Great Crested Grebes, c180+ Pintail and 35+ Cattle Egrets (in fields with cattle over the other side of the river).

A Black Redstart again in the Shelly Beach area with at least 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese off there. Otherwise - a Firecrest again at West Lodge with at least 4 Chiffchaffs. No sign of any Sibe Chiffs today.

Hawfinch - Mudbank. Sat scanning through the ducks and waders when at 0916 - the famliar, hurried 'hisss hisss' of a Hawfinch sounded from behind me. In a second it was overhead and out over the river, towards Starcross, no doubt with Haldon Hills firmly in its sights. Just enough time too clock white wing flashes and a white-tipped tail but too quick for an anywhere near decent photo!

Yesterday - Orcombe Point - 80+ Chaffinches, at least 2 Brambling, 6 Golden Plovers, 15 Stock Doves, c40 Redwings, 11 Fieldfares, 160+ Starlings, 7+ Song Thrushes, 7+ Blackbirds, 2 Stonechats, 2 Cirl Buntings, 9 Pied Wagtails, c20 Skylarks, 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Firecrests and 2 Coal Tits.

Only a couple minutes looking at Mudbank but 2 Shovelers were noteworthy. 

Two of six Golden Plovers on Orcombe Point - 9/11.

I photographed this drake Teal as it's a bit of a novelty to get one so close. Teal are not terribly infrequent off Mudbank but they tend to hang around much further out on the river than the Wigeon and Pintail.

 Yesterday's Shovelers - Mudbank.