Sunday October 26 - Morton Bagot

 A cold morning with a sheen of frost on the roofs of cars in our close. Classic conditions for a movement of Woodpigeons, but I failed to take the opportunity until it was too late. Rather more switched on were Jim W from his garden in Hollywood, counting about 2500 from 06:45 and 07:45, and Matt G at Earlswood who tallied 4740 from 06:50 and 08:50.

By the time I finally got to Morton Bagot, at 08:45, the spectacle was much reduced. Even so Dave and I counted 463 until 11:30. The ringers who were obviously not vizmigging, reported numerous flocks heading over before we started. 

Some of the few migrating Woodpigeons we did manage to see

They have been making their own impact by capturing loads of Redpolls. It's been an excellent autumn for them. Over the the last few weeks they had caught 378 without a single retrap, which means there has been a flow of new birds through the site. 

Rosie holding a juvenile Redpoll

This morning we guessed at 50+ Redpolls and a similar number of Goldfinches on site, and the ringers were adding to their tally. Their results for today were:

Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)

Blue Tit 14 (7)

Great Tit 1 (5)

Long-tailed Tit 11

Meadow Pipit 10

Greenfinch 2

Lesser Redpoll 63 (1)

Goldfinch 4

The figures in brackets relate to re-traps (birds caught previously at Morton Bagot). I thought it was interesting that all the Long-tailed Tits were new. One of the Lesser Redpolls was a control (birds ringed elsewhere in the world and "controlled" here). I will reveal where it had been ringed when I find out from Tony.

On the whole it was just a case of more of the same today. About 80 Fieldfares with Redwings in trees along the Morton Brook, two Red Kites and an immature Peregrine regularly appearing, 53 Teal, four Lapwings and a Snipe mainly in the flash field, a Chiffchaff, and a Marsh Tit.

The Peregrine eventually settled on a pylon

Just outside my Circle, Andy G was photographing several of the 10 to 20 Crossbills in Hay Wood. Perhaps I need to check out some of the coniferous woods closer to home.

PS: A Lesser Redpoll controlled here on 11 Oct 2025 had been ringed just nine days earlier on 2 Oct 2025 at Thorpe Marsh, South Yorkshire. It seems likely it had been hatched in the summer further north (maybe Scotland) and was detained on its migration southwards.

Friday October 24 - Lower Bittell, Earlswood, and a few moths.

 It's been a very quiet week for me. The only birding I've done concerns a rare visit to Lower Bittell on Tuesday on the strength of a Scaup reported on Birdguides, but relating to Saturday morning. I knew there had been one earlier the previous week (possibly Thursday), but also that it hadn't been seen the following day.

Anyway the upshot was that there was no sign of it, and from talking to Chris T there didn't seem a great deal of confidence in the Birdguides report (maybe it was crossed wires about the earlier bird). Both Chris and I independently heard a Cetti's Warbler singing. This was only my second at Bittell, but to be fair I hardly ever go there and I don't think it is all that unusual nowadays....(but see post script below)

A few Skylarks were heading west overhead, but other than that there wasn't much to see.

Today I gave Earlswood a go. Things started decently when I heard a Redshank calling as I was donning my wellies in Malthouse car park, but unfortunately there was no sign of it when I reached Engine Pool. I bumped into Matt who had been there since dawn and had seen nothing of note. All I managed was 31 Teal, nine Tufted Ducks, 22 Cormorants, 12 Snipe, a Little Egret, about 100 Woodpigeons heading south, plus a few calling Siskins, Redpolls, and Meadow Pipits.

Things can only get better.

PS: I've heard from Rob W that the Cetti's Warbler was only the seventh or eighth record for Bittell Reservoir. It's also the first one he has ever heard singing there. 

PPS: I put the moth trap out for the penultimate Garden Moth Survey of the season, expecting to wake to an empty trap. I was therefore pleased to find three moths in it this morning; Large Yellow Underwing, Chestnut (the first since 7 March, this species is a late autumn specialist which hibernates before reappearing in early spring), and White Point, a moth which is spreading up from the south. My first was only last year, but this was my third in 2025.

White Point

Sunday October 19 - Morton Bagot

 The forecast rain held off until mid morning, and didn't really get heavy until we were done. In the meantime Dave and I spent an enjoyable time trying to assess how much overhead passage was going on.

Throughout the morning Redwings, Redpolls and our first Fieldfares of the autumn were flying over in droves. It was difficult to work out how many there were because some flocks heading east for example, would later return. Or maybe they were different birds. A conservative estimate was 150 Redwings, 200 Fieldfares and 200 Redpolls. If the latter figure seems a lot, bear in mind that the ringers caught 104 yesterday with no re-traps.

Also present were two juvenile Red Kites which seemed completely unconcerned by our presence, often approaching quite closely as they circled in search of food. One of them had a white feather among its primaries.

A few of the Fieldfares paused in Stapenhill Wood

Other birds seen included two Stonechats, two Snipe, and 23 Teal. 

Yesterday the ringers caught, in addition to all the Redpolls, a juvenile male Yellowhammer. A species which is no longer resident here.

Yellowhammer - Leigh Kelly

Saturday October 18 - Garden Moths

 I've been trying to prioritise birds over moths this year, but I can't get away from the fact that I've caught more moths in my garden this year than ever before, and have added at least 31 new species to my garden list (almost all of them lifers).

Last night saw another new moth for the garden and six more new for the year, so I can't resist blogging about them.

The new one was a Figure of Eight, although it took me a while to figure it out. On seeing it on the fence in the torch light I assumed it was a Figure of Eighty, but fortunately on checking the books I realised it didn't look quite right and also that Figure of Eighty should not occur so late in the year. The penny finally dropped. Figure of Eight is quite an uncommon moth and has been in serious decline since the 1970s. However, I've heard that several moth-ers have caught the species this year, including Jason Waine in a different part of Redditch (it was his first too), so it looks like they're having a good year.

As for the rest, the most exciting were a moth called the Brick which was my first since I trapped two in my very first year of moth trapping (2018), followed closely by Green-brindled Crescent my first since 2019, Yellow-line Quaker the first since 2021, Feathered Thorn first since 2022, two White-points the second and third for the garden since it joined the list last year, and two Black Rustics.

Figure of Eight

White-point

Feathered Thorn (and White-point)

Brick

Green-brindled Crescent

Yellow-line Quaker

Black Rustic

If you throw in two Merveille du Jours which just look great, and a late Yellow-tail its fair to say it was quite a night.

Thursday October 16 - Earlswood Lakes

Although the weather remains exactly the same as its been for about a week, grey with barely any breeze, I was still optimistic that a visit to Earlswood Lakes could be productive. As it turned out, it was certainly eventful.

To begin with, I was pleased to see that the Stonechat was still present at Springbrook Lane.

Stonechat

 As I made my way through the Scrublands towards the bottom end of Windmill Pool, it quickly became clear that the autumn migration was in full swing. I counted 113 Redwings, and started logging Skylarks as they headed south overhead, eventually getting a count of 25. Small numbers of Redpolls, Siskins, and Chaffinches also headed over at regular intervals. 

Once I got to Windmill Pool, after surveying the mud and counting some Teal, I noticed a large, long-winged bird of prey heading north-east far in the distance. I Whatsapp'd a message that an unidentified raptor was going over. With hindsight I wished I'd left it at that, but I couldn't resist trying to photograph it. Peering at the image in the back of the camera I concluded it could be an Osprey carrying a fish. Fortunately, John Oates was a lot closer to the bird and saw that it was actually a Red Kite dangling a leg for some reason. Egg on face, probably not for the last time.

Red Kite

Once I reached the dam my luck, and bird identification skills improved. A Rock Pipit called, and after a little scanning around I saw it as it pitched down onto the dam. I started to walk along the road, and managed a record shot when it landed again. Unfortunately a crowd of people overtook me, and flushed what turned out to be two Rock Pipits. Another dodgy photograph showed them both, before the hordes flushed them off to the north.

Rock Pipit

Two Rock Pipits (they're both there honest!)

I met up with John, who had found a Redshank on the mud at Engine Pool. He later added a first-winter Common Gull to the tally. What was presumably the same bird later flew south at the bottom of Windmill.

Redshank

Redshanks are traditionally an early spring bird in the Midlands, so this one was particularly noteworthy. Also present were six Shovelers, 20 Teal, and a Kingfisher.

Inevitably I ran out of time and had to make my way home. However, today felt like the start of autumn proper, and it will be interesting to see how the next fortnight pans out.

Tuesday October 14 - Morton Bagot

 Another grey, dank day with barely a breeze. Maybe northerly. I decided to park at the church for a change and covered the northern part of the patch. An early boost was provided by a Goshawk which flew into Bannams Wood. It was probably a young male. 

Overhead migration was largely limited to Redwings. I logged 65 by the end of the morning and saw none in the hedgerows. Other birds may have been migrants, but it's hard to be certain. For example I saw 16 Chaffinches, which was more than usual. Most were flying over heading north-east which doesn't make much sense. The odd one landed.

Chaffinch chomping

The Redpoll count reached 40, mostly from birds flying over, Siskins numbered seven, Skylarks six, but hardly any Meadow Pipits were moving.

Meadow Pipit

I counted seven Blackbirds and nine Song Thrushes in the hedgerows. Again it's likely at least some of these were migrants, but their increased visibility might just be down to birds completing their summer moult. At least three Stonechats are still present.

There are still 20 - 30 Teal on the nearest flash, while three Lapwings were new.

Finally I've added Steve Nuttall's Belvide Birding Blog to my blog list. The birding at Belvide Reservoir in south Staffordshire is a lot more exciting than it is around here and Steve's blog is always an entertaining read. He also blogs every day, so its always worth a look.

Sunday October 12 - Morton Bagot (and some moths) and STOP PRESS Brent Goose at Earlswood

It was a rather misty grey morning, so I arranged to meet Dave at Morton Bagot a little later than usual.

We knew there should be a lot of Redpolls present because yesterday's ringing totals were pretty impressive. We eventually found a flock of about 150 finches which we estimated to contain c 50 Goldfinches and the rest Redpolls. They were all buzzing around the birches in the ridge field, so I suspect the numbers have been underestimated. With them was a substantial Tit flock, a female Blackcap, and five Stonechats.

Lesser Redpoll

Stonechat

Going back to yesterday, the Redpoll ringing figures make impressive reading; Blue Tit 25 (10), Great Tit 2 (1), Long-tailed Tit 2 (1), Blackcap 1, Goldcrest 1, Wren 1, Meadow Pipit 4, Greenfinch 10, Redpoll 86 (1), Goldfinch 4 (1).

The flash field was even less impressive than on Friday. Just 28 Teal and a few Mallard. Mind you, the family who own the land around the Kingfisher Pool were enjoying themselves fishing there, so there may have been some disturbance to the flash pools on our side of their hedge. We were careful not to be seen.

I'm pleased to say I have some decent moths to report from yesterday morning when I opened the trap. The quantity was low, just 15 moths, as you'd expect at this time of the year, but eight species included some good ones.

Top of the pile was my first ever Cypress Carpet. This is a colonising species spreading up from the south, still just rare enough to be noteworthy in the county.

Cypress Carpet

It had actually avoided the trap altogether and was found resting on the brickwork at the side of the garage.

Also new for the year were two Merveille Du Jours, and a Treble Brown Spot. The former is annual, although reduced autumn trapping last year meant that I missed one in 2024. The latter is overwhelmingly a spring moth (although I hadn't caught one since 2022) so it was particularly surprising to get one in autumn when there is usually a very small second generation.

Merveille Du Jour

Treble Brown Spot

PS: I'd almost finished writing this post when a message popped up on Whatsapp from Matt G. Brent Goose on Engine Pool at Earlswood.

This is MEGA locally. The two previous records for Earlswood concerned one which was shot in 1897, and one seen by Alan Dean in 2002. So basically it was new for everyone, and a drop everything bird. I was out of the house like a shot.

Thankfully it was still there. Presumably having got lost in the fog while migrating down the east coast, once inland it found Earlswood to be the nearest it could find to a muddy estuary.

Adult Brent Goose (dark-bellied race)

I was very relieved it hadn't flown off. Sunday afternoon at Earlswood is absolute chaos, with literally hundreds of people streaming out of Birmingham for a wander around the lakes. Many regard the shore as a substitute beach.

People wandering obliviously between birders and the Brent Goose

There was also a Rock Pipit knocking around, and I may have heard it, but with all the disturbance I would have needed lots more time and a big slice of luck to get a decent view.

Friday October 10 - Morton Bagot

 A cloudy morning with barely any breeze. Ideal for ringing at Morton Bagot so Tony and Anna were doing just that by the time I arrived. Before reaching them, I had already logged my first three Redwings this autumn heading south, and clocked a juvenile Peregrine sitting on a pylon (the first since May).

Tony greeted me with news that I'd arrived just in time. What he meant was that they'd just caught a Stonechat. Surprisingly this would be the only one I'd see this morning.

I spent much of the morning vizmigging while the ringers got on with catching whatever they could. My tally for the morning was 15 Redwings, 51 Lesser Redpolls, 27 Meadow Pipits, six Siskins, four Skylarks, six Greenfinches, six Linnets, three Pied Wagtails and a Yellowhammer.

Ringing Stats

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Blue Tit 27 (7), Great Tit 3, Blackcap 1, Goldcrest 1, Wren 2, Stonechat 1, Meadow Pipit 11, Dunnock 1, Greenfinch, 4, Lesser Redpoll 35 (1), Goldfinch 14.

Today's highlight came after I'd left the ringers and was heading for the flash field. Alerted by calling crows I spotted a juvenile Goshawk heading north-west and had time to photograph it before it disappeared from view.

A rather better effort than my last one. At least this time the streaked sides of the breast can be seen in the shot.

The flash field itself was disappointing; just the usual Teal and Mallard with one or two Snipe and a Green Sandpiper.

Back in the field where Tony was ringing I photographed what I took to be a Puffball fungus.

Finally I'll mention a visit to Earlswood on Tuesday. I saw very little, just a handful of Meadow Pipits, two Swallows and two Skylarks. Also a very pale bellied Cormorant among 19 others.

Cormorant at Earlswood on Tuesday

Morton Bagot - Sunday October 5

 This morning the strong wind which had characterised the last twenty-four hours had subsided somewhat, although it was still somewhat fresh at Morton Bagot. I was joined by Dave, back from an eventful birding holiday on Scilly. From the sublime to the ridiculous, the local patch cannot remotely compete.

There was one species which stood out today, although we probably overlooked most of them. For the first hour, against a backdrop of clear blue skies, the odd Meadow Pipit was logged as and when we heard their calls. Towards the end of the visit some cloud rolled in, and suddenly we could see them as well as hear them. In about thirty minutes our count had ballooned to a reasonably impressive 93 birds, all heading south-west. For every call we heard, a quick scan would reveal a loose group of up to twenty birds. We couldn't help reflect that if we'd just stood still all morning we would probably have logged a lot more of them.

The rest of the walk round had produced six Stonechats, each one perching briefly in full view before being blown into cover by the next gust of wind. A Kingfisher called as it flew over our heads, Dave seeing it (or another) twice more before the morning was out. Occasional Redpolls, Siskins and Skylarks called high above, presumably migrating.

The flash pool revealed the same old stuff; 44 Teal, a number of Mallard, two Snipe and two Green Sandpipers. Nothing was perching up for long enough to tempt me to get the camera out, but eventually a Kestrel took pity.

It won't be long before the wind eases and maybe shifts to the east, and then the first Redwings will be back and the next phase of autumn will be in play.

Friday October 3 - Earlswood Lakes (and some moths)

 I finally got out into the field today having recovered sufficiently from an annoying cold picked up after last weekend. Mind you I haven't missed much, and I rather wondered why I bothered today. I went to Earlswood and came away with 27 Teal, four Shovelers, six Snipe, and a couple of Swallows.

The most interesting thing was the extent that the water-level has now dropped on Engine and Windmill Pool. Loads of mud and only Teal exploiting it.

Engine Puddle Pool

On Wednesday night I decided to stick the moth trap out. That was a little more successful. I caught 21 moths of just five species. However, two of the five were new for the year: Garden Rose Tortrix and Deep-brown Dart. The latter was only my second. The taxonomy of that species appears to have settled that the species formerly known in the UK as Northern Deep-brown Dart Aporophyla lueneburgensis is actually a race of Deep-brown Dart, which is now Aporophyla lueneburgensis while "Deep-brown Dart" Aporophyla lutulenta is a different European species which may not even occur in the UK. 

Deep-brown Dart Aporophyla lueneburgensis

Garden Rose Tortrix