Autumn All-Day Birdwatch
Just back from completing the autumn All-Dayer; the reserve was covered from approx 4:20am to 8:20pm with a total of 78 species recorded, about average for this event. No doubt the water level at the Flashes robbed us of potentially between 4 and 6 species of wader. Highlights were:
FLASHES
13 Green Sand and c50 Teal at dawn, female Wheatear in the transmitter field mid morning, 2 Wheatears (m+f) on 2nd flash early afternoon, 1+ Redstart in hedgerow (first ever record on an Autumn All-Dayer), small numbers of Rook, Grey Wagtail over.
MOORS
Juv Common Tern, juv Black Tern, Barnacle Goose (first ever record on an Autumn All-Dayer), 5 Pochard, 18 Tufted D, 1 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 10 Teal, 3 Common Sand, Hobby, 8 Grey Heron, 5 GC Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 6 Cormorant, 8 Grey Heron, Water Rail, Tawny Owl calling at dawn, Meadow Pipit over.
However the undoubted pinnacle was the return of Cetti's Warbler with an elusive male present on the North Moors, the first record since the severe weather in December / January. Hopefully its recolonisation of Upton will not take as long as first feared.
Many thanks to all the participants who helped make the day (as with all All-Dayers) special: Woodchat, Woodwolf, Gertatron, UW82, Upstarts, Spoonbill Finder, Gavo, Wheatearlrp, PeterE, Binus, Midlands Birder, Sy V, Beyonder, Jared T, Dave J, Rob P, Andy W, Terry N, Brian S, Terry H, John C, Paul A, John R, Mike Y, Phil Q, Alan R and anyone else I may have missed / not recognised.
The full species run-down is as follows:-
Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose, Mallard, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal. Pochard, Tufted D, GC Grebe, Little Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Water Rail, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Buzzard, Hobby, Kestrel, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Pheasant, Lapwing, Green Sand, Common Sand, Curlew, BH Gull, LBB Gull, Herring Gull, Black Tern, Common Tern, Tawny Owl, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Feral Pigeon, Green Woodpecker, GS Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Wheatear, Redstart, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, LT Tit, Treecreeper, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jay, Jackdaw, Magpie, Starling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting.
Congratulations to Steve Nuttall and the Belvide crew on reaching 90 for the day.
BRING ON THE NEXT ALL-DAY BIRDWATCH IN 8 MONTHS TIME!!
PS Late news for yesterday (Friday 2nd) - an immature Little Gull was present on the Sailing Pool at 7:45am