What started off a drab foggy morning was soon brightened by a phone call firstly from DCB and then from HC telling me of mega numbers of Fieldfare and Redwings piling over.
By mid morning the mist had all but lifted and the view was breath taking with wave after wave of hundreds of winter thrushes going over, firstly west then later in the day turning south west. Some of the flocks were over 300 strong, mostly high but lower when the mist was hanging.
By mid afternoon the flocks had got smaller and less frequent but the move continued throughout the day until dark.
Had to decide whether to go for dinner or head to the top of the Dailies at midday, no contest, so with a rumbling stomach I stood and watched in amazement at the amount of birds coming over.
With the casual and brief time I watched I estimated over 3000 birds, 70% Fieldfare and 30% Redwing with about 150 Meadow Pipits and 38 Skylark >S.
The Thrushes were on a broad front and this must surely have been a record breaking day where hundreds of thousands of thrushes must have come down the country.
Thanks for the call Dave and Howard, cant wait to see your counts.
A Pied Wagtail roost seems to be building at Illingworth Morrisons with 20+ birds present this evening.
BS
