With cloudy skies forecast for early morning yesterday and rain by late morning, I thought i would have an early session doing a bit of vismig. As the light picked up just after 7am, I stood on the raised northern path where straight away, small groups of Chaffinches started moving. There was also the odd Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and a few Redwing, Fieldfare and Skylark on the move. What I was really after though was a Hawfinch and after a few sessions without any luck, I suddenly picked up on the robin like tacking call overhead and after a bit of a search in the skies, I could see a Hawfinch (133) flying west over the site. Not the greatest of views but I watched the bird undulating off into the distance. I then had a wander around the site leaving the recorder to do its job where I noted 4 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail, c50 Fieldfare, 1 Marsh Harrier, c30 Meadow Pipit, 1 Brambling, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Ring necked Parakeet, c45 Greylag Geese over in a few flocks, c20 Skylark, 1 Kestrel and a few Goldcrest. As I collected the recorder I thought I heard the distant call of a Water Pipit, a bird I have only recorded once here in about 6 years. I decided to walk through one of the fields which has a few boggy pools which normally fill up with water during the winter months which proved to be a good idea as when I got nearer, a Water Pipit (134) flew up calling. I had good views of the bird as it flew briefly before coming back down on another area. I left the recorder in place and wandered on for a while with a view of collecting it after a brief walk. On my return I made my way to the recorder where once again the Water Pipit flew up and called which thankfully the recorder just about captured. Two more year ticks today taking the list to an amazing 134 species. This year certainly has confirmed that this site does turn up some brilliant birds if you are prepared to put in the time and miles. On the nocmig front, very quiet of late due to most nights being windy but on one night during the week, I did have a Tawny Owl calling and a Lapwing and Wigeon flew over.
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