Another day, another check of the migrant situation at Ogden.
Strange how things alter day to day with the same weather conditions, same time and same wind direction as yesterday but different on the bird scene.
A walk on through passerine alley found it eerily quiet with no Goldfinch flock, no Warblers and no Goldcrests , even the Bullfinch flock had gone but not before half stripping the yellow berry tree of its fruit.
As I headed back towards the duck feeding area suddenly I started to pick up birds with 8 Blackbirds all near the start of the Rhododendrons . These were either on the move, continentals arrived in, or just resident birds attracted to the berries. I started scanning around and soon realized that an overnight fall was apparent with large numbers of Blue Tits, Goldcrests, Chaffinch all in the mature tree tops including the Nuthatch tree
I went up into the picnic area behind the duck feeding station, which luckily was empty, and sat by a bench and waited.
Within 15 minutes I was surrounded with birds all around the perimeter of the grassed area flitting through the hedges, some moving across to the feeders.
I estimated 30 Blue tits, 15 Wrens, 20 Goldcrest and at least 40 Chaffinch plus a few Robins, Dunnock and Great Tit.
Next job was to check through the Chaffs for Brambling and Crests for Yellow Browed, neither of which appeared so after a frustrating attempt to snap a Goldcrest is was dash home late again which will cost me some more housework but Ive got to make up the Brownie points ready for tomorrow.
Qby vis mig a.m.
Very little signs with just a few Mipits over ................>S
BS