What's moving where you are? We've heard some mentions of large jay movements on the east coast and there are a number of yellow-browed warblers turning up here and there. There have also been numbers of North American birds turning up on our shores so it's definitely worth taking a double take with any that don't look entirely familiar!
I've not heard any redwings or fieldfare overhead at night yet. We are still seeing plenty of house martins and swallows moving through, we had over 50 feeding around the reserve yesterday evening and a steady stream over throughout the day. Put your sightings on Birdtrack please!!!
Warden Intern at Otmoor.
More news on the migration over the last few days, the murky conditions off our coasts seems to have had a distrous impact on many migrants with many being observed ditching in the sea. A number of boat skippers have been in touch who have seen this first hand and whilst many managed to take off again and take shelter on the boats, many didn't make it. The ones gathering on our shores will be the lucky ones that made landfall. At least if this easterly picks up it'll improve visibility.
Now would be a good time to top up your feeders! Probably no need to say this on here but just in case you see anyone not following best practice, these migrants will be cream crackered and need to be given space, so please don't disturb any birds just in.
Consider it done IAN
and I wish these northern migratory birds would hasten themselves south to my garden
I'm gutted to learn of the ditching at sea
Seems like the fieldfares are here in force now, i've only seen a couple of small groups but reports are coming in from all over.
I've actually posted this photo in a separate thread but I'll repeat it here as it's a winter migrant. Female Brambling in my garden in the south of England. The earliest I've ever had one.
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Tony
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I have a theory - lots of jays migrating from Norway this year = cold winter on the way. Any takers???
Interesting theory, I'd go more with the lack of their favourite food, acorns, resulting in an irruption!
Looks like there will be a decent number of waxwings around this year given the reports this week so far, if you see them, pop the record on Birdtrack.
Anyone spotted any woodcock yet?
Ian H said:Anyone spotted any woodcock yet?
One reported on the 1st November on the Manchester Birding website.
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We usually get a spell of woodcock reports when they arrive here, bit slow this year so far but good to hear they are turning up in places.
As for waxwings I just checke dthe Birdtrack site and the update is that the recording rate so far is on a par with that of winter 2010 which was the last big waxwing winter. With records coming from as far west as Western Ireland and as far south as the Scillies you stand a good chance of seeing them this year.
Well worth paying a visit to your local supermarket car park (or anywhere else with a good crop of berries!)
We're still getting reports of the occasional swallow heading south, that bee-eater might have some company on its trip south!
I spoke too soon about the woodcock, we've had a string of queries about 'speckled brown birds with long beaks' over the last day or two, most of them from concerned members of the public who have found them looking a bit stunned underneath windows which they probably hit as they attempted to navigate their way over towns and cities.
In most cases if they are just stunned popping them in a box and taking them to the nearest open country for release is the best thing for them.