A biblical plague of hirundines on the other side today; huge numbers of
Swallow moving NE with plenty of House Martin and Swift mixed in, and a scattering of Sand Martin.
The motacillidae did alright too. A
maximum single count of 81 Yellow Wagtail on the deck (68 in one field) and another 105 over NE. Also 12 White Wagtail on the deck and a few Tree Pipit over NE.
Keeping a beady open for the Laughing Gull produced a 1st-winter
Mediterranean Gull moving up-river with 10 Black-headed Gull and then the terns turned up. Eleven Black, one Common and two Arctic flew up-river in a loose 'flock'; two Black paraded up and down some flooded stubble; another Black fed just offshore; then a Little appeared really close in, before
heading up-river; finally, the two 'terrestrial' Blacks gained a bit of height and headed back to the estuary. Not a bad show,... for a river.
Other miscellaneous migrants included: Wheatears dotting about in small groups; a smart male Whinchat; a
less smart female Redstart; and 185
Goldfinch over NE plus more grounded by the rain.
Amazing what half decent winds, a deluge and six or seven hours in the field will produce.
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