Migration news 1 October 2010
Post categories: Migration news
| 09:45 UK time, Friday, 1 October 2010
We thought that this week the focus would move from the west to the east as the week progressed, and this certainly proved to be the case. The predicted duly arrived, along with good numbers of , but little did we know just how good the east coast was going to be.
Reports of large numbers of grounded migrants reached the from a seismic survey vessel 100 miles east of Scarborough where a huge mixed flock, mainly comprising chaffinches and , arrived in poor weather on Sunday night. The very next day, vast numbers of birds were dumped on the east coast by the same weather system.
The comment from the for Monday 27 September says it all:
Today was one of those days you wait years for, just the right weather at just the right time of year and an expectancy that it really was going to happen, and it did. The day started well when just after first light a honey buzzard flew north over Kew at tree height and, at the same time, good numbers of and bramblings were dropping into the trees.
Brambling, copyright John Harding/BTO
Visible migration continued throughout the day at Spurn. Large numbers of birds were on the move, with over 1,000 robins, 115 dunnocks, 84 , 85 , 48 , 630 , 1,200 redwings, 565 bramblings and 74 were recorded arriving as the day wore on.
It wasn’t only Spurn that experienced these arrivals, most of the east coast from Spurn to north Norfolk shared the event, as winds and heavy rain spun straight out of Scandinavia, crossed the North Sea and crashed into the east coast.
Just ahead of the storm, Britain’s second was found on Blakeney Point in Norfolk. Breeding in North America, a west coast site in the UK would have been a more predictable location for this mega-rarity. However, this bird was most probably caught up in the storm that left the American east coast on Thursday and reached just north of the UK during Friday, perhaps pushing the bird round the northern tip of Britain.
The front edge of the storm produced northerly winds on Friday night and Saturday morning that may well have dumped this exceptionally rare bird on the north facing north Norfolk coast. The storm then continued eastward and produced the wind and rain that resulted in one of the best arrivals of migrants on the east coast for many years. The flycatcher wasn’t the only American passerine in the UK: two were found; one on Fair Isle in Shetland and one on Orkney. A diminutive gem of a bird, a , was also found on Tiree in Argyll.
Reed bunting, copyright John Harding/BTO
So, what might we expect during the forthcoming week? The weather will again originate in the west but will arrive much further south, moving the focus back to the west and south-west. Strong southerly winds will be a feature of Saturday and Sunday and whilst migrants will fly into a light headwind (often the largest movements are into light headwinds), the wind will probably be too strong for birds to move in any numbers.
During any periods of light wind birds should move again and next week should see more redwings, reed buntings, bramblings and on the move, whilst more , and barnacle geese will arrive at their winter sites.
Comment number 1.
At 7th Oct 2010, Pauline wrote:Love the programme all the family watch.
I have a question, I found a Elephant Hawkeshead caterpillar in my garden two weeks ago, I took it to school to show the children, they watched it changing into a chrysalis every day they ask to look at it, how long will it be before it turns into a moth? am I doing the richt thing keeping it indoors in a small box? Regards Pauline
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Comment number 2.
At 8th Oct 2010, BirdTrack Organiser wrote:Good question Pauline! Elephant Hawk-moths fly from May to July so yours should over-winter as a chrysalis. It will be best to keep it in an unheated area out of direct sunlight so that it doesn't get too warm (which might cause it to emerge early, when no food is available for the adult) and/or dry. If you have a shaded outdoor area that will be best.
For more information about Elephant Hawk-moths see
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Comment number 3.
At 8th Oct 2010, Alan Swinnerton wrote:Hello
I have been feeding Badgers & Foxes in my Garden for several years and watch them both feeding at the same time on many occasions. We have treated a Vixen for Mange during this last Summer and seen her cubs eating ,playing & fighting. A couple of weeks ago when we raised the blind in the kitchen we were very shocked to see the white end piece of a foxes tail (about 4 inches) with about 15 inches of tendon sill attachted in the place the animals are usually fed.
Nobody heard any screams but we can only think that Badger somehow got Foxes tail in the mouth and hung on when Fox ran. (I know I would of screamed.
Love the program and always have. Keep up the good work.
Sincerely
Alan
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Comment number 4.
At 8th Oct 2010, mcm3 wrote:In common with many city dwellers we are used to seeing foxes in our garden, even duing the day. Early in August we watched a fox chasing a squirrel around the garden. He must have been very hungry or perhaps looking for a meal for cubs because he wasn't going to give up easily. The squirrel finally raced along the top of our fence and straight up a holly tree. To our amazement the fox followed it up the tree towards the top until the squirrel,in panic,took an enormous leap and landed beyond our wall on the pavement still followed by the fox. At this point we lost sight of them. Has anyone else witnessed foxes climbing trees?
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Comment number 5.
At 16th Oct 2010, incredibleAviator wrote:A friend locally(near King's Lynn)has said green finches who feed in her garden, have been dying, for no apparent reason. She feeds them on niger seed and sunflower heads. Has anyone else seen this happening?
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Comment number 6.
At 11th Nov 2010, Divemum wrote:Hello,
Quick question I have always resisted putting out food for birds in the form of feeders, etc as I have two cats who love hunting - magpies being a particular favourite. Is this right or should I feed them anyway?
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Comment number 7.
At 22nd Nov 2010, SHARKS wrote:LAST YEAR STARLINGS WERE ROOSTING IN REED BED NEAR MY HOUSE IN DROMORE CO.TYRONE N.IRELAND FOR THE 1ST EVER PEOPLE ESTIMATED THERE WERE IN EXCESS OF 50000 STARLINGS I CAPTURED THEM ON MY MOBILE PHONE & WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THEM ON MY DIGITAL CAMERA THIS YEAR HOWEVER THEY NEVER RETURNED. CAN SOMEONE OFFER SOME EXPLAINATION AS TO WHY THEY ONLY VISITED THIS SITE THE ONCE & WILL THEY RETURN IN FUTURE YEARS?
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