Pett Level
4th October 2008, Saturday
First frost of the autumn this morning, and the October feeling further emphasised by meadows white with dry Crested Dog’s-tail, windswept Hawthorns crimson with berries and Robins ticking from every other bush.
As I tracked various high-up birds, the sky beyond them was stippled with hirundines which, when low enough for identification, turned out to be predominantly House Martins.
The passerine flocks sweeping eastwards towards the straits are now composed mostly of Goldfinches, with many Linnets, Siskins, Redpolls and Pied Wagtails, fewer Grey Wagtails and a single Tree Sparrow. 3 GS Woodpeckers were in the Toot Rock area, including one going over very high N.
Interestingly, there were few Chaffinches, whereas across the other side, spectacular numbers were passing, including an impressively precise 25,288 at Oelemars, Holland (www.trektellen.nl).
Further underlining the October theme were Reed Buntings, calling from high overhead and numerous in the ditches, while along the Canal the Whinchats have been replaced by Stonechats.
Recent tidal scouring along the tide-line has revealed the tell-tale right angles of old peat-cuttings in the moorlog.
Along at the pools, a f Merlin was sitting on the bank and later quartering the marsh, giving fantastic close-up (if brief) views. Further along, a m Kestrel was on a roadside fence post. Sparrowhawk, Hobby and Marsh Harrier were also seen in the area by Robin Harris, who was still at the pools at high tide, reporting 9 Redshanks, 2 Avocets, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Dunlins, 2 Ringed Plovers and 3 Little Stints.
Cetti’s Warbers are singing strongly again. with 2 at the Pools, at least 4 around Toot Rock and various others along the Canal.
