Vismig - Tues Sept 28th 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria

Tuesday September 28th 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.
0645hrs-0900hrs
Wind: SE 8-10mph and decreasing
All Movement South East unless stated otherwise.
Full cloud cover, and low cloud thick to East above Lune Valley, clear to West.

First thing on arrival, there were Robins singing at every bush, certainly involved over a score.. Also noticed today especially that Starling squadrons had started to go East, today they where very close to the ground within a metre! difficult with these, although I do suspect they are continental birds coming in (this is the strange direction they also take!, I would find it difficult to separate from what maybe (but I doubt!) local birds which have recently been collecting at the nearby (4mile away) sea shore. I would also now suspect that the Leighton Moss starling roost will actually now have started forming.. Had a super Siskin party of 25, just odd thrushes.

Meadow Pipits just completely quiet, did have a few in the first ten minutes, then just one bird from 0730-0900hrs. although when I check out last years we where still getting a couple of hundred by about the 5th October, so where have they gone. I am beginning to wonder now whether those recent Northerlies have cleared them out, I do know that on a couple of occasions this year during these Northerlies that some birds where at high altitude, there was also other small parties showing up as small "dots" in the far far even higher altitudes, so whether they have been missed.... Or it maybe they just havnt come yet!!

Meadow Pipit: 15 (3,2,1,7,1,1)
Chaffinch: 120 (best parties 7,7,5)
Alba Wagtail: 18 (best party 9)
Siskin: 25 one party and also others - audible only
Goldfinch: 30 (best party 20,6W)
Linnet: 9 (one party 8S)
Blackbird: 2 (both singles W)
Song Thrush: 1W
Redwing: just a single audible call only -
Heron: 1E
Starling: 115 (1,12,1,12,20,2,20,30,10,5,2 all East * See note above - cant distinguish whether Continentals or locals)
Swallow: 6NW
Mistle Thrush: 1W
Redpoll: 4
Jay: 2 (possibly local)
Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1W.