Wednesday 14 September 2011

Visible Bird Migration over Shore Rd/Hunting Hill, Carnforth (14th Sept 2011)

Wed 14th Sept 2011 - Shore Rd/Hunting Hill, Carnforth, Lancs.
0730hrs - 1100hrs
Wind: Westerley 15-20mph with gust to 30
Dry for most of count, yet some light rain showers. Very cold wind from 1000hrs.
All movement S unless stated.

Today was the best so far, with Mipits picking up (and I think can only get better), also my first skeins of Pink Feet. Also other stuff coming in from the East eg: Lapwing, Whimbrel and Pintail . I had to give up on the hirundines from about 1000hrs, they literally filled the skies with hundreds (Possibly a thousand+) mixed and were feeding all above me and it got impossible to tell which where moving and which where actually feeding.

Meadow Pipit: 217 (most flying side on. some at very high altitude, lots obviously missed)
Swallow: 128
House Martin: 53
Linnet: 44 (mainly pairs, best party 20 which went S, all others West)
Greenfinch: 6
Goldfinch: 25
Chaffinch: 25
Siskin: 3 parties heard but could not find.
Reed Bunting: 5
Pink Footed Goose: 189 (7 small skeins, best 60, all East to West, then at coast S, (odd one N) between 0928hrs-1052hrs.
Skylark: 5
Whimbrel: 11 (one party from East to West)
Lapwing: 109 (6 parties from East to West (between 1000hrs - 1100hrs)
Pintail: 4 (from East to West).

Also:
Greylag Geese 34S, Canada Goose 5SE, Goose species: 25W, Cormorant 2, Starlings (hundreds), Lapwings (hundreds near Old Slag Heaps), Buzzard 3.