Wirral Mega !

Weather SE 2, warm and overcast: heavy overnight rain

Classic conditions overnight resulted in plenty of grounded migrants and as the day developed plenty of visible migration kept us going.

The first circuit of the morning produced what is now a Wirral mega. A cracking 1st winter TURTLE DOVE. Found in a private garden the bird quickly relocated and spent it's time on telephone wires by Lingham bridge. This is the first widely available Turtle Dove on Wirral for 7 years !  More eyes, more birds and birders 'twitching' the dove came up trumps by finding an additional 2 Yellow browed Warblers to the one earlier in the week.

Turtle Dove. The The blue/grey rump caused some momentary concern over  spp meena . Photo AMC

Grey Wagtails on the move are a classic sign of autumn migration

Visible migration during the morning included Jackdaw (15)  Reed Bunting (4)., Skylark (4) Grey Wagtail (2) Chaffinch (50), Greenfinch (40), Sisikin (4) Meadow Pipit (150). Two late Swallows pushed south in the afternoon. Blackbirds had definetly increased with at least 40 being recoreded as well as 7 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush and 2 Great spotted Woodpecker.

3 Teal came in off and 3 Mute Swans moved west mid afternoon and a Kingfisher was at Lingham bridge

Other grounded migrants included Blackcap (1), Chiifchaff 12, Wheatear (1), Whinchat (1) .

A great day and the best of the autumn, So far .................
(AMC,MJG JJ, KGR,MGT et al)