Axe Cliff Visible Migration

I am so glad today happened. So so glad.  Axe Cliff hasn't delivered for me so far this autumn, and I've been feeling like I'd missed out on the chance of a classic autumn vismig session here this year... but today was the day.

07:10 - 08:20 at Axe Cliff was just fantastic.  The clear blue skies and cooler temperatures did exactly what I was hoping for...

Such a fantastic view of the sunrise from my main vantage point

It was so good to see some passerines on the move, and although the Wood Pigeons weren't moving in the numbers we witnessed at the end of October, due to the cold northerly wind most of the flocks that were coming through were passing right in close and at times underneath the cliff edge - it is such a spectacle when they do this. The final Woody tally was not too bad, with the largest single flock containing around 1,300 birds which came through towards the end of the watch. The first few half a dozen or so flocks all numbered less than 100 birds so I didn't think I would get anywhere close to the final number that I did (see below!).

Such exhilarating birding.  Yes, that is the word to describe it, exhilarating.

One of the first Pigeon flocks coming head on

On they go!

Literally passing along the edge of the cliff!

So many Pigeons!

Even more Pigeons!

Some close and some far!

 

 

 

Last Pigeon photo I promise

 

My final total for the watch were: 12,700 Wood Pigeon (with another 2,000+ during my drive home!), 240 Starling, 192 Chaffinch, 40+ Stock Dove, 37 Redwing (most north, not west like the other species), 32 Goldfinch, 18 Meadow Pipit, 9 Skylark, 5 Brambling, 4 Siskin, 4 Song Thrush, 3 alba Wagtail, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Redpoll, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Fieldfare. 

Migrating Chaffinches

 

As has become the norm for me now, I had my *very basic* sound recorder running throughout the watch. And from this long recording I have clipped three small snippets and stuck them together to create the below, which captures:

1/ Redpoll - the only Redpoll of the watch passing at the same time as an alba Wagtail.

2/ Brambling - there were two birds in this flock of Chaffinches, and both call-types can be heard. This section of the sound clip ends with some nice Skylark calls too, plus some not so nice Herring Gull calls!

3/ Siskin - three birds went over together, with one even breaking into song!   

 

I saw a further 16 Redwing in one flock at Lower Bruckland Ponds today, where there were also three Chiffchaffs.  At least two Black Redstarts remain on the new Seaton Quay houses.

Thanks for reading.