Summary October 2016
Species this month = 109
New Species added to 2016 Year List in October= 10
Sanderling at Hoylake 1st October, Black Swan and Cattle Egret bot at Burton Mere Wetlands on 1st October, Long Tailed Duck at Chanonry Point and Alturlie Point on the 15th October, Black Guillemot at Chanonry Point on the 15th October, Crested Tit at Loch Garten on the 16th October, Golden Eagle at Strathdearn on the 16th October and at Dava Moor on the 17th October, Black Grouse at Dorback on the 17th October, Red Throated Diver at Roseisle on the 17th October, Mandarin Duck at Etherow Country Park on 31st October.
New UK Life List Birds In October= 0
Running Total for the 2016 UK So Far = 195
Birding Days Out
We started the month off with a visit to Hoylake, Riverbank Road and Burton Mere Wetlands on the 1st October. This was the Wirral Wader Weekend so there were events at various locations. Although there was persistent rain, it did produce a nice range of waders at Hoylake and some good birds at Burton. including year ticks of Sanderling at Hoylake and Black Swan and Cattle Egret at Burton Mere Wetlands.
I also sneaked in quick 4 day guided birding tour in the Highlands based at Grantown on Spey where I got 85 species and six new “year ticks”
Our last day out of the month was on the last day of the month when we went to Ethrow COuntry Park where we had a lovely long walk on a sunny afternoon and where I got my 195th UK species of the year – Mandarin Duck. I’m not sure where the other five are going to come from as there are only a couple more months to go !
Birding Group
The second birding group outing of the autumn term, and the first for October, was on the 4th to Burton Mere Wetlands which featured Little Stints at both the reception hide and Inner Marsh Farm. There were also good numbers of Snipe and the usual array of ducks and Godwits.
The following week it was our chance to try for Bearded Tits at RSPB Leighton Moss on the 11th where we did get a single Bearded Tit and we got our chance to see how recent problems have changed the estuary pools. I missed the visit to Wales on the 18th because I was up in the highlands birding.
The 25th saw the group at Sandbach Flashes but there was nothing special to see and it was just a nice stroll around on a sunny autumn morning.
Garden
The garden is starting to attract Goldfinches and Blue Tits in good numbers and this seems to have attracted a Sparrowhawk to the garde, We did not see it but some guests saw it from a back bedroom window on the 8th of October. It didn’t see anything as it happens ! The weather started to get quite cold in the evenings but the days have been largely very pleasant and often sunny. We have been getting a Nuthatch occasionally.