Autumn Migration Watch - October 2016

This annual event, led by Andrew Grace, is always well attended, this year 21 people joined him at 8 0’ clock for a walk around the Firehills. Despite a few spots of rain early on, the weather gradually improved, and the birds responded.

The highlight of this autumn so far had been the influx of Ring Ouzels all round the SE coast, including 100 or so in the Country Park. Remembering the 2013 event when we saw an amazing 205, we were anxious that participants should see these birds. [They breed in N Britain and Scandinavia, and are on their way to SE Europe and NW Africa].

Eventually we managed to see six, and hear their distinctive calls, together with other migrant thrushes-Song Thrush, Blackbird and Redwing.

A range of small migrants headed east , Swallows, House Martins, Pied Wagtails, Meadow Pipits, Siskins and Linnets, amongst these was a real surprise, a Shorelark [or Horned Lark], flying west and seen only by me. This is a rarity in Sussex, and it was very pleasing to hear that Andrew caught up with it the next day at St. Leonards!