GEESE OVER GEDSER and our 3RD YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER!

It was clear whilst unfurling the nets that the garden wasn't going to be dripping with birds but with the winds in the east we remained optimistic!

Rune joined us for a morning of ringing which was relatively uneventful until a penultimate net round produced a Siberian sprite in the form of the autumns 3rd Yellow-browed Warbler that had found itself in the most north easterly net!

Yellow-browed Warbler, photo by Rael Butcher, another stunning addition to the days ringing list

Yellow-browed Warbler, photo Rael Butcher

We let Rune ring it before he departed and it was nice to end on a high note before he returns later on in October.

Rune with our 3rd Yellow-browed Warbler

We ringed just 51 bird that included:

Wren 3
Dunnock 3
Robin 16
Redstart 1
Song Thrush 1
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 10
Yellow-browed Warbler 1
Goldcrest 4
Blue Tit 2
Chaffinch 3
Brambling 1
Greenfinch 1
Siskin 3
Reed Bunting 1

Louis informed via text of a Great Grey Shrike trying to leave south to sea from the tip and numerous Rough-legged Buzzards that were heading over or in close proximity to the Fuglestation which we cant thank him for enough. Some were stunningly close!

Adult Male Rough-legged Buzzard photo by Louis Hansen.....phwoar!

Then the phone rang which could only mean one thing..........Louis had a RED-BREASTED GOOSE flying south in with a flock of around 45 Barnacle Goose!

We grabbed our scopes, lept out of the door in our socks and ran to the shore and scanned before picking up the flock which by this point was distant.

A shaky sift through the Barnacle Geese reveled the bird, but at this range was untickable given there is now way any of us would have been brave enough to Identify it had we not known it was within them.

Geese remained the running theme throughout the day with good numbers of Barnacle Geese, White-fronted Geese and the odd flock of Bean Geese heading south.

One of many flocks of European White-fronted Geese over the house, photo by Rael Butcher

Bird totals for in and around the garden consist of the following:

Dark-bellied Brent Geese 75
Bean Geese 8
European White-fronted Geese 438
Wigeon 12
Teal 8
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Goosander 1
Eider 140
Rough-legged Buzzard 8+
Sparrowhawk 2
White-tailed Eagle 1
Red Kite 1
Mistle Thrush 3
Crossbill 13
Siskin 67
Brambling 19+
Fringilla sp. 795
Goldfinch 16
Linnet 30
Tree Sparrow 12
Reed Bunting 2
Yellowhammer 7
Skylark 3
Meadow Pipit 26
White Wagtail

Non avian Highlights involved a 2nd Humming Bird Hawk-moth of the year at the tip!.....again too fast to photograph!