Pallas's Warbler

Pallas's Warbler
Pallas's Warbler, Donna Nook 10th October 2010

Thursday 31 October 2013

   The month ended quietly with 21 Whooper Swans, 180 Brent Geese, 9 Wigeon, 13 Mallard, 2 Woodcocks, Common Snipe, 290 Golden Plovers, 54 Lapwings, 38 Curlews, Peregrine and 16 Fieldfares.

Wednesday 30 October 2013

  Today at Quad 3 were 76 Whooper Swans and 350 Pinkfeet south, also a Bonxie and skua sp. north at sea.   Other birds included 3 Cormorants, 20 Wigeon, 32 Mallard, 100 Lapwings, 700 Golden Plovers, 42 Curlews, 2 Richard's Pipits, 70 Meadow Pipits, 14 Rock Pipits, Chiffchaff, Redpoll sp., 2 Kestrels, Sparrowhawk and Merlin.   At the seal colony were 250 Brent Geese and 30 Twite.
 

Tuesday 29 October 2013

29th

 Best today were one Richard's Pipit, 140 Meadow Pipits, 12 Rock Pipits, Little Owl, Sparrowhawk, 18 Whooper Swans, 220 Pinkfeet, 80 Lapwings, 390 Golden Plovers and 70 Curlews.

28th

The Richard's Pipit had been joined by a second bird at Quad 3 this afternoon.   Also seen were 7 Whooper Swans plus a further 36 south with 85 Pinkfeet, 82 Curlews, 40 Golden Plovers, 28 Sanderlings, 8 Twite, 22 Goldfinches and 20 Greenfinches


27th

 It was hard work in that wind, but apparently worse yet to come.   Best bird was a Richard's Pipit which showed well on the outmarsh at Quad 3.   Also recorded were 20 Rock Pipits, 50 Goldfinches, 35 Greenfinches, 3 Lesser Redpolls, Lapland Bunting, Swallow, Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, 140 Lapwings, 350 Golden Plovers, 101 Curlews, 84 Sanderlings, 290 Pinkfeet, 18 Wigeon, 7 Cormorants, Gannet, 3 Kittiwakes, Little Egret and 7 Whooper Swans.

Saturday 26 October 2013


25th

Not much this afternoon after the rain.   22 Pinkfeet south and 7 Whooper Swans on the flashes.   The only other birds of note were 53 Lapwings, 57 Curlews and a Lesser Redpoll.
 
24th
 
               Moving south this morning were ten skeins totalling 830 Pinkfeet and 5 herds totalling 114 Whooper Swans, the latter being easily a record daily total.   MJ also reported one herd of over 100 Whooper Swans SE over the land between North Cotes and North Somercotes at 0845.   Also seen were 6 Sparrowhawks, (5south), a Common Buzzard (later in my garden), 2 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, 7 Canada Geese, 120 Golden Plovers, 69 Curlews, 14 Oystercatchers, 6 Twite, 6 Rock Pipits, 1,500 Starlings, 70 Blackbirds, 40 Redwings, 25 Robins, Lesser Redpoll, 5 Goldcrests, 3 Chiffchaffs and 4 Blackcaps.
 
 
23rd
 
 Fairly quiet this morning.   At Quad 3 were 50 Blackbirds, 20 Redwings, 2 Chiffchaffs, 10 Robins, Swallow, 140 Lapwings, 57 Curlews, 1,060 Golden Plovers, 50 Meadow Pipits, 3 Rock Pipits and 5 Cormorants.   Reports from the seal colony included 2 Short-eared Owls
 

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Numbers much lower now, but a reasonable day by usual standards.   Best were 2 Waxwings which flew south calling at 0930.   This is the earliest area record.   Also 1,200 Golden Plovers, 130 Lapwings, 37 Curlews, Peregrine, 3 Sparrowhawks, 60 Redwings, 60 Blackbirds, Ring Ouzel, 20 Song Thrushes, 2 Fieldfares, 50 Robins, 30 Goldcrests, 5 Blackcaps, 10 Chiffchaffs, Great Grey Shrike, Mealy Redpoll, Lesser Redpoll, Woodcock, 3 Rock Pipits and 100 Meadow Pipits.   These are Quad 3 only

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Fewer migrants, but still plenty to see.   The northern Treecreeper was retrapped and was very distinctive.   Also Pallas's Warbler, 5 Great Grey Shrikes, 3 Firecrests, 150 Goldcrests,  2 Stonechats, Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, 4 Ring Ouzels, 2 Grey Wagtails, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Woodcocks, Swallow, Reed Warbler, 80 Chiffchaffs, 15 Blackcaps, 150 Robins, 200 Redwings, 2 Mistle Thrushes,60 Song Thrushes, 60 Blackbirds, 7 Fieldfares, 12 Tree Sparrows, 3 Bramblings, 40 Chaffinches, 75 Greenfinches, Siskin, 8 Common Snipe, 30 Lapwings, 200 Golden Plovers, 71 Curlews, 60 Wigeon, 66 Canada Geese, 3 Sparrowhawks and a Long-tailed Skua.

Monday 14 October 2013

Pye's Hall and Quad 3.   Fewer thrushes, hence 250 Redwings, 120 Blackbirds, 8 Fieldfares, 14 Ring Ouzels, 60 Song Thrushes and 120 Robins.  Also 200 Chiffchaffs, 60 Blackcaps, 2 Pallas's Warblers, Yellow-browed Warbler, Willow Warbler, 120 Goldcrests, 3 Firecrests,  Bluethroat, Red-breasted Flycatcher, northern Treecreeper, 6 Great Grey Shrikes, Black Redstart, 14 Mealy Redpolls, Lesser Redpoll, Hawfinch, 3 Siskins, 22 Bramblings, 2 Grey Wagtails, 3 Woodcocks, Short-eared Owl, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Little Gull, 500 Teal, 302 Dunlin, 450 Golden Plovers, 70 Lapwings and 39 Curlews.

Sunday 13 October 2013

Not so many birds today, but still plenty in evidence.   Pye's Hall to Quad 3 totals were 270 Redwings, 110 Blackbirds, 60 Song Thrushes, 6 Ring Ouzels, 8 Fieldfares, 160 Robins, 120 Goldcrests, 200 Chiffchaffs, 50 Blackcaps, 4 Yellow-browed Warblers, 2 Pallas's Warblers, 4 Great Grey Shrikes, 24 Bramblings, 2 Hawfinches, 5 Mealy Redpolls, 8 Siskins, Black Redstart, Common Redstart and Swallow.   Also present were 2 Woodcocks, 2 Jack Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Hen Harrier, Merlin, 354 Brent Geese, 15 Barnacle Geese, 303 Shelducks, 79 Wigeon, 2 Grey Herons, 7 Little Egrets, 190 Oystercatchers, 320 Dunlin, 80 Grey Plovers, 250 Golden Plovers, Sooty Shearwater, 7 Gannets, Bonxie and Pomarine Skua.

12th

Highlight was a brief Olive-backed pipit. Also noted were 2,000 Redwings, 300 Song Thrushes, 220 Blackbirds, 19 Ring Ouzels, 30 Fieldfares, 250 Robins, 300 Goldcrests, 50 Chiffchaffs, 25 Blackcaps, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 80 Bramblings, 45 Chaffinches, 20 Mealy Redpolls, Richard's Pipit, Common Redstart, Black Redstart, 4 Great Grey Shrikes, Wheatear, 2 Swallows, Merlin, Jack Snipe and Woodcock.  

Friday 11 October 2013


All the passage on the seawatch 0915-1115 was northerly, hence 10 Brent Geese, 130 Teal, 12 Wigeon, 4 Shelducks, 85 Common Scoters, 4 Velvet Scoters, Red-breasted Merganser, Eider, Red-throated Diver, 430 Gannets, 18 Great Skuas, 3 Pomarine Skuas, 8 Arctic Skuas, 10 Kittiwakes, 4 Cormorants, 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 7 auks sp., and petrel sp.   The only waders were 17 Curlews, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, 32 Dunlin and 15 Oystercatchers.   On the dunes were 2 Rock Pipits, 2 Little Egrets, 450 Golden Plovers, 2 Bramblings, 5 Redwings, Ring Ouzel and 2 Swallows.   Between Stonebridge and Pye's Hall, BC and GW recorded Icterine Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Ring Ouzel, Hawfinch, Mealy Redpoll, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, Great Skua and Long-tailed Skua.

Thursday 10 October 2013

   Merlin, Greenshank, Snipe and Wheatear on the dunes, otherwise all else at sea.   North were 11 Gannets, Eider, 12 Shelducks, Arctic Tern, adult Sabine's Gull and 8 auks sp.   To the south were 80 Gannets, 17 Kittiwakes, 4 Wigeon, 5 Teal, 14 Common Scoters, 2 Red-throated Divers, Fulmar, 4 Common Terns, Pomarine Skua, 11 Arctic Skuas and 21 Great Skuas.   A fine Leach's Petrel was feeding amongst some of the targets for about quarter of an hour before disappearing to the north.   The wind held the tide in to midday when I left, so the only waders I saw were 50 Knot, 30 Grey Plovers, 32 Dunlin and one Sanderling all heading north.
 

Wednesday 9 October 2013

 
               At sea today were 47 Gannets, 20 Cormorants, Great Crested Grebe, 6 Common Scoters, 33 Pinkfeet, 5 Red-throated Divers, Razorbill, 11 auks sp., and Great Skua, also 46 Oystercatchers, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, 17 Curlews and 2 Ringed Plovers onshore.   On the dunes were Greenshank, Common Snipe, Grey Wagtail, Wheatear and 20 Canada Geese.
 
                                                                             

Tuesday 8 October 2013

A one hour seawatch brought 24 Gannets, 8 Common Scoters, 2 Shags, 22 Cormorants, 2 Little Gulls, Mediterranean Gull, 20 Knot, 23 Curlews, 28 Oystercatchers, 26 Bar-tailed Godwits and 27 Sanderlings.   The only birds of note on the dunes were 2 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, Common Buzzard and Greenshank.
 

Monday 7 October 2013

White-rumped Sandpiper near Pye's Hall this afternoon with Crossbill and an injured Common Tern.   Quiet at Quad 3 this morning, hence 10 Blackbirds, 10 Song Thrushes, 12 Robins,  3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, Reed Warbler, Tree Sparrow, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Common Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, 9 Gannets, 3 Great Skuas, 6 Common Scoters, 25 Cormorants, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, 20 Curlews, 56 Oystercatchers and 306 Golden Plovers.

Sunday 6 October 2013

There was some good raptor watching at the south end during the late morning and early afternoon.   A  juvenile Marsh Harrier passed a party of 6 wheeling Common Buzzards fairly closely.   Later, there were 8 Common Buzzards. Other raptors present were 4 Kestrels, Merlin, Peregrine and 2 Sparrowhawks.

Not many migrants seen today. The best were 15 Song Thrushes, 2 Redwings, 10 Robins, 2 Goldcrests, 10 Chiffchaffs, 6 Siskins and 4 Lesser Redpolls. 100 Pinkfeet flew south and a short seawatch saw 14 Gannets north and a Bonxie south. BC recorded an Icterine Warbler by Stonebridge car-park in the late afternoon.

Saturday 5 October 2013

These totals are just for Quad 3:   15 Song Thrushes, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Ring Ouzel, 10 Robins, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests, Firecrest, Wheatear, 10 Swallows, 10 Siskins, 4 Kestrels, Peregrine, Merlin, Sparrowhawk, 6 Common Buzzards, Green Sandpiper, 78 Pink-footed Geese, 7 Wigeon, 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, 14 Curlews and 4 Gannets.   One Willow Warbler was found dead and partly-eaten.
At Pye's hall 2 Yellow-browed warblers were notes.

Friday 4 October 2013

The American Golden Plover was certainly a welcome find on the fields at Quad 3 - the first record for Donna Nook.   Other birds at this end were a Yellow-browed Warbler, Reed Warbler, Common Redstart, 2 Ring Ouzels, Redwing, 3 Swallows, 4 House Martins, 370 Golden Plovers, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, 70 Pinkfeet and 2 Gannets.   Between Pye's Hall and Stonebridge are 2 Firecrests, 3 Goldcrests, Yellow-browed Warbler, Wheatear and Grey Wagtail.

Thursday 3 October 2013

Combined totals again for Pye's Hall and Quad 3.   RUSTIC BUNTING - early morning only, Red-breasted Flycatcher, 3 Yellow-browed Warblers, 5 Firecrests, 5 Goldcrests, 7 Ring Ouzels, 19 Redwings, 50 Song Thrushes, 20 Robins, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, Common Redstart, Wheatear, Swallow, 60 Pinkfeet, Peregrine, 3 Sandwich Terns and 320 Golden Plovers.

Wednesday 2 October 2013


Combined counts for Pye's Hall and Quad 3 were 3 Yellow-browed Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, Red-breasted Flycatcher, 4 Firecrests, 5 Goldcrests, Common Redstart, 15 Robins, 60 Song Thrushes, 10 Redwings, Ring Ouzel, 2 Bramblings, Siskin, 70 Meadow Pipits, 3 Common Snipe, Short-eared Owl, Greenshank, Lapland Bunting, 4 Swallows, Peregrine, Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawks, 5 Wigeon and 350 Golden Plovers.
 

Tuesday 1 October 2013

Pye's Hall to Quad 3 with a few more observers produced 4 Yellow-browed Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, 3 Firecrests, 6 Goldcrests, 5 Ring Ouzels, 10 Blackbirds, 80 Song Thrushes, 10 Redwings, 25 Robins, 20 Bramblings, 50 Chaffinches, Siskin, 2 Wheatears and 2 Common Redstarts.   Also of note were 180 Golden Plovers, Little Stint, 150 Brent Geese, Gannet and 2 Arctic Skuas.