October - Part 2

Well would you look at that, nearly December and I haven't said anything since October. Alas I've been without a 'puter for a while.

As per the previous post there were four scarce birds noted on that visit, and thus four to add to the yearlist.

110 - Common Crossbill
111 - Lesser Redpoll
112 - Ring Ouzel
113 - Meditteranean Gull

Soooo.... for what it's worth, a belated roundup of the rest of the weekend.

Saturday 22nd October

AM Harpham/Lowthorpe: 30 Lapwing, 1 Green Sandpiper, 17 Collared Dove, 15+ Skylark, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Redwing, 15 Fieldfare, 4 Goldcrest, 5 parties of Long-tailed Tits, 1 Bullfinch. A single COMMON CROSSBILL flew into the pines at Lingholmes and a Lesser Redpoll flew overhead at Lowthorpe.

PM Gembling/Foston: 35 Teal, 7 Grey Heron, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Little Owl (Gembling).

Dusk, Little Kelk: 6 Mallard, 1 Buzzard, 6 Red-legged Partridge, 5 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Meadow Pipit, 8 Linnet, several Tree Sparrow (heard only). Star of the show was a RING OUZEL in the big hedge along Green Lane - very elusive but calling regularly.

Other than birds, I noted about a dozen Red Admirals (no other butterflies), 2 Squirrels and a single 'Hawker' presumably a Migrant Hawker at Brigham Quarry.

Sunday 23rd October

AM Kelk Beck: 1 Mute Swan, 4 Greylags, 60+ Mallard, 90+ Teal, 1 Tufted Duck, 4 Cormorant, 3 Grey Heron, 3 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 5 Lapwing, 8 Golden Plover, 5 Great Black-backed Gull, a flock of 400+ Woodpigeon, a daytime-hooting Tawny Owl, 45+ Skylark, 1 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 80+ Tree Sparrow (record count), 90+ Goldfinch, 28 Linnet, 8 Reed Bunting, 10 Yellowhammer. Another look for the Ring Ouzel at lunchtime was successful - views that could just be called 'reasonable'.

PM: Millingdale/Cattleholmes/Kelk Lake: 1 Goldeneye, 14 Grey Heron (Cattleholmes), 4 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 9 Grey Partridge, 11 Golden Plover, 80 Lapwing, 1 Green Sandpiper, 300+ Woodpigeon, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Grey Wagtail, a very large but uncountable party of Long-tailed Tit at Kelk Lake (min 30), 90 Linnet, 1 Bullfinch. At least 1000 Corvids were gathered at the traditional pre-roost site at Kelk at dusk.