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Autumn is progressing at a frightening rate. Only a month ago there were lingering signs of summer while this weekend showed just how far toward winter we really are. All day dampness underfoot is the order of the day and the nights drawing in way too early. Summer migrant birds feel long gone though we're still awaiting the downpour of thrushes that leave hedgerows dripping with Blackbirds, Fieldfares and Redwings.

Highlights: 2 Shoveler, 290 Golden Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Stonechat, 1 Jay, 19 Siskin, 26 Tree Sparrow.

Saturday 24th October

Awful start to the weekend - low visibility and the heavy threat of rain all morning. Heading to Harpham the birds weren't having any sympathy with us either - just a Common Buzzard, a big female Sparrowhawk, 42 Lapwing, 400+ Woodpigeon, 2 Goldcrest and 31 Linnet.

New Road as ever the hotspot was the highlight of the morning - 22 Teal, 65 Mallard, 1 Sparrowhwak, 80+ Pheasant, 1 Cormorant off the beck, 1 Grey Wagtail, and a female Bullfinch. Best of the lot was the pair of Stonechat feeding along the fence bordering the cattle field and the rough ground.

Stonechat is still a very scarce bird locally - these are only the fourth and fifth ones and the first instance of two together. All have been in autumn and none have hung around. Maybe this pair will show more confidence in this beautiful spot! Here's a rubbish record shot of the male...

Lowthorpe was about as quiet as I can remember - my only note was 3 Moorhens together on the roadside pool in Church Wood. Around Station Road were 1 Little Grebe, 1 Goldcrest, 2 parties of Long-tailed Tit, and a Jay - as the second of the autumn represents a mini-influx.

The remaining journey was a case of rain stopped play, just a Common Buzzard over Kelk Lake and a Grey Heron off Kelk Beck.

In the afternoon with just an hour or so of daylight left the sun came out so a dash round the Gransmoor Lane area seemed appropriate - alas all we found was 11 Red-legged Partridge, 11 Collared Dove (Little Kelk), a party of Long-tailed Tit, 330 Starling, 4 Yellowhammer. In the fields on either side of Green Lane we counted a whopping 34 Hares - quite probably the most I've ever seen in such a small area. Noticeably I saw very few elsewhere all weekend.

Sunday 25th October

Early signs on Sunday weren't good (pah - who listens to the forecast anymore?!) but the rain stayed away only to be replaced by a strong wind to keep the birds in hiding. Saying that it was a pretty good day, but so it should be in late October!

Kelk Beck in the morning: 6 Mute Swan, 6 Greylags flying east, 4 different Cormorants, 1 imm Grey Heron, 2 Common Buzzards (1 each over Lingholmes and Kelk Lake), 1 Kestrel was the only one all weekend, 6 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Herring Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Kingfisher, 20+ Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail (scarce in this part of the area), 1 Fieldfare (the only one all weekend), 2 Mistle Thrush, a party of Long-tailed Tit, 160 Starling, 26 Tree Sparrow and 25 Linnet. Further along at Cattleholmes were 2 Wigeon (year tick!), 60+ Teal, 75+ Mallard, a pair of Shoveler, 19 Siskin flew west (first site record) and 2 Reed Bunting. A pretty good morning when all considered.

In the afternoon I had a quick look around Gembling and Brigham Quarry. Very quiet at Gembling with just 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Redwing (the only ones of the weekend), a party of Long-tailed Tit, a flock of Tree Sparrows hiding in some bushes, and 1 Bullfinch. A Mute Swan and a party of Long-tailed Tits were near Foston Mill.

Brigham Quarry seemed quiet but there were 9 Wigeon, 5 Teal, 1 pochard, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Coot, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Kingfisher. A couple of fields away toward Wansford were 80 Lapwing and 290 Golden Plover. Final word goes to one of the few non-bird sightings of the weekend - a Migrant Hawker dragonfly whizzing up and down the hedgerow of the quarry, a late individual.

Yearlist update: 112 recorded, 110 seen by myself.