It's Definitely Autumn

It looks like that's it for evening birding until next year, boo. So, I'm stuck to weekends. And a definite change in the air, a horrible northerly wind that just hasn't stopped. But would it bring anything good in that I could find, like a Lapland Bunting or Pectoral Sandpiper. That was the hope anyway. It's certainly moved most hirundines out, taking advantage of a following wind, and I don't blame them.

So starting off yesterday at Uttoxeter Quarry. Pretty quiet really. A decent sized flock of about 180 Lapwings, but no Pec Sand with them. Also around were a Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 37 Teal, 1 Swallow, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Red-legged Partridge, 1 Kingfisher and a nice Linnet flock building up.

Still with Pec Sand in mind, I wanted to check Branston Gravel Pits, particularly the Sandy Pit. And it still looks fantastic for waders. A big Lapwing flock here, as were 2 Ruff, 2 Golden Plover, 10 Curlew, 2 Little Egret, 1 Shelduck.

Thought I'd check Blithfield before going home. Tad bay held an adult Yellow-legged Gull, 16 Goosander, 21 Wigeon, 1 Pintail, stacks of Teal, 1 Black-tailed Godwit. There was also a Fox, which must've learned it's hunting skills from Basil Brush.




No sign of a passing Gannet around the causeway, but there was a Wheatear, a Ringed Plover and fresh in from Rocester, four Egyptian Geese. I recognise the blonde one!


This would be the same bird that paid a spring trip to Uttoxeter Quarry in April. On the way home, I found the results of the Labour Party leadership vote on the radio, which was won by Ed Miliband. Just beating his brother David, who really must be kicking himself for not standing against Gordon "Golden" Brown a few years ago. Personally, I've always preferred their other brother, Steve:


And with that tumbleweed-enducing gag (I've been waiting ages for that!), onto today. Which was even quieter really. Couldn't find a Lapland Bunting up on the Weaver Hills, a good number of about 30 Skylarks but the wind defeated the exercise. Then Brookleys Lake, which was good to me last year, held 17 Mandarin and 66 Tufted Duck. So that all bodes well for the forthcoming winter. Oh dear, thinking about winter already.