Vismig - Tue Oct 5th 2010 - Hunting Hill, Nr. Shore Road, Carnforth.

Tuesday October 5th 2010- Hunting Hill, Nr. Shore Road, Carnforth.
0700hrs - 1030hrs.
Wind: Very Strong SSW-SSE 15-20mph
Movement: All South unless stated otherwise.

Moved over to Hunting Hill, quite close to where I normally count, but some 400 yards South East as the crow flies. Without doubt this is the place to be for mipits, I thought so yesterday when I noticed most where going over "Hunting Hill". Well today it was nicely confirmed. They where still coming in on a "broad front" and I noticed I was missing some large parties going over South across the marsh to the West of me, but never the less I am sure I was in the right place to "gather the vantage". Because of the strongish winds it was "flattening them" and making them use both sides of "Hunting Hill" rather than going directly over the top of it, as they were doing yesterday. Lots were also going down alongside the railway lines at Carnforth railway station to my East. Really good "score" parties, but by about 0910hrs it was noticeably thinning down. With just odd regular parties going through up until my close at 1030hrs. Even then there where still good occasional parties of 10 to 20 plus going through, even so late in a morning.

Meadow Pipit: 592 (best parties: 10,17,11,20,15,20,14,29,22,22,20,23,20)
Chaffinch: 144 (best parties: 8,18,11)
Alba Wagtail: 50 (best parties: 13,8, lots of 3s)
Linnet: 17 (best party 13)
Common Buzzard: 3
Starling: Lots of local birds and possibly: 19 (2,2,5,10) which could have been continentals.
Common Snipe: One flushed on approach to watchsite (possibly local)
Goosander: 2 off Estuary to East (probably local)
Pink Footed Goose: 18W one skein at 0824hrs (you could see them struggling with side winds)
Mistle Thrush: 3 (2W,1E)
Blackbird: 1S
Stock Dove: 4
Jay: 2S (both singles, one being mobbed by two Mipits)

It really is great to be among the Mipits once again, and great to see they are here on this side in reasonable numbers.

After leaving my watch I quickly called in at Warton Crag side to see if I could see anything going over, nothing but perhaps a little windy today for Warton sides. Nice to see Tony (Riden) (Knowl Hill), busy at work with a large working party. I then went through the Yealands and across Nineteen Acre and past the garage on the A6 turning right into Moss Lane. (Moss Lane- A6 side), this would be the same alignment of the "pipit passage" we where talking about yesterday which now looks very likely that this could well be the same path as that going over "Hunting Hill". Sure enough Pipits where coming through at this point (not a lot and just singles, but regular, every few minutes) (after leaving A6 just after garage, turn on Moss Lane which leads to Burton/Holme) and I parked in the first large passing place/not a place to park on a regular basis!). You could more or less narrow the corridor down to the third telegraph pole along this road after leaving the A6. And they where all heading in the direction to the "Car Boot" field area.