I
n the previous issue I covered the birds heading north to breed and by the time you read this many will be heading south for the winter. Non breeders and failed breeders pass through rst followed by families, adults and groups of juveniles. In fact, for birds, Autumn starts in June! I was sitting in a hide in Devon when a local birdwatcher commented that redshank numbers were building up and that autumn passage had begun before the summer solstice.
For many birdwatchers, Autumn migration is the most exciting time of year. A combination of storms and young inexperienced birds inevitably leads to many perishing, but some turn up way off course and with instant news on the Internet a rarity soon attracts groups of twitchers.
More usual are birds such as Curlews and Redshanks arriving to swell the ranks of the few summering birds, with Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, Godwits
(black tailed and bar tailed), perhaps a few Knot and returning Turnstones and Lapwings. As always, high tide is the time to seek out these waders and many that have edged in the remote northern lands can be very conding.
ern .
Storms can bring sea birds to the channel, the most obvious are Gannets (they are big and white), but Kittiwakes, Manx Shearwaters and tiny Petrels are seen whilst there is a gale from the west or south west. The best conditions are often uncomfortable for humans (although the dog walkers always seem to cope).
o the are white),
waters hilst st or
tions ar umans
Wheatears, Whinchats, perhaps Yellow Wagtails will rest on their journey south. Again, poor weather is the most productive. On clear autumn days the birds will y high and make the most of favourable weather but rain forces them to land and feed up before continuing, so a dull day is often good for seeing some grounded migrants.
By October
By October, nches are arriving from Scandinavia. Wans Hill is a favoured watchWaiins Hill is a favoured watch point with nches often cir point, with nches often circlling to orientate before heading off towards Sand Point, the next big visible land mark. Early morning is the most productive as nch migration usually peters out by mid morning but watching is unpredictable, hundreds of birds passing over one day then virtually none the next. If it all was predictable, birdwatching would soon lose its appeal.
ing ff
Article courtesy of Trevor Riddle
rning always, out t have
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