Mon Oct 4th 2010 - Shore Road, Carnforth Marsh

Monday October 4th 2010 - Shore Road, Carnforth Marsh.
0645hrs - 0930hrs.
Wind: SE 1-3mph
All movement South unless stated otherwise.
Dry, warm, bright by 0800hrs, little cloud after 0900hrs.

Although the bulk of my count was from the Car Park just before the Marsh (to the west side of the sewage works), it was quite obvious that although there is a broad corridor South, which stretches at least one mile in width to my knowledge and probably the farthest I could actually take in with my bins, though 95% of the high concentration uses a corridor of some maybe only 100/150 yards wide, I have managed to narrow the path down after trying out several sample watching stages along the Shore Road, and without doubt they are coming in at the point almost where the small "car park is at the wooden bridge" which crosses the Keer (SD 492714) and then they are going South over "Hunting Hill" (SD491707), well what I mean is that they where taking this routing this very morning, and I would rather suspect from other past evidence on previous watches from Shore Road, that this could well be a long established regular routing corridor, certainly in relation to Meadow Pipits, Finches and Alba Wagtails. Using this routing from the "Northerly" it would certainly miss out Leighton Moss and would probably cross Warton Crag - most Easterly edge, and to the slight west side of Yealand Conyers. Continuing with this routing it would possibly take in the area I did mention yesterday near Hale. I will try and do further sampling across this routing if at all possible, but anyday now I think it will be necessary to revert back to "Hutton Roof" in readiness for the "thrush movements"....

Robins calling from the nearby bushes, and a good mipit passage especially in the first hour (0715hrs first bird to 0815hrs) then a downward fall on and almost finished at 0900hrs with just the odd trickling after. Some excellent parties of Mipits and it was so good to actually catch up with this great little species once again (I have been getting "withdrawals" on the Mipits since leaving Haslingden, but today was a bit like the old days!!!)

Meadow Pipits: 537 (best parties: 10,12,23,12,12,21,20,13,11,20,15,15)
Alba Wagtails: 67 (best parties: 9,20,5)
Linnet: 74 (best parties, 14,15)
Chaffinch: 79 (best parties: 10,6,5,6)
Goldfinch: 40 (best parties: 16,10)
Reed Bunting: 8 (mainly pairs or singles)
Mistle Thrush: 1
Swallow: 4 (one party)
Skylark: 9 (2,2,3,2 all after 0800)
Greenfinch: 4 (2,2)
Redpoll: 4 one party.

Chiffchaff: one calling near wooden bridge over Keer.
Curlew: 8 in from East.
Cormorant: 2E
Great White Egret: 1 local.