Wryneck on patch

Back on Yeovil patch yesterday evening and early this morning turned up some excellent numbers of autumn migrants passing through the farm by the River Yeo. A short walk on 6th Sept produced 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler and 5 Whitethroat in the long grassy meadow vegetation down by the farm track. Always a good sign of decent birds when you see Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler feeding on insects around the Teasle and Hemlock patches of vegetation, both numbering 10-15 each. Other sightings of note yesterday evening include movement of 30 Meadow Pipit and 12 Skylarks around 6.30pm over the stubble & meadow fields. First decent numbers of the Autumn.

A walk this morning 7th Sept 2016 9am-12.30pm turned up a very brief WRYNECK feeding on one of the farm tracks down by the railway line. Bird flushed close and disappeared from view, never to been again during my walk around patch. Excellent numbers of Blackcap and Whitethroat present on the Elderberry and Bramble bushes. Good numbers of Willow Warbler also present with fewer numbers of Chiffchaff today (8 counted). Singles of Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer, Sedge and Reed Warbler at various locations across the patch.

During this mornings walk there seemed to be an increase in numbers of Robins, Dunnocks, Blackbirds during the walk present particularly around dense patches of Elderberry with large berry crops. Resident birds feeding up or autumn migrant birds passing through??!! Both Goldfinch and Linnet flocks now doubled in size with increase in juvenile birds joining the flocks.

With new job and now based at Charmouth, birding Yeovil patch will be scarce from now with occassional visits. Hopefully see big increase in Slyvia warblers moving through in next few weeks there since berry group is massive and probably best year for elderberries here on patch.

Patch birding now at Charmouth has clocked up some good birds here too with  plenty of Blackcap, Whitethroat, Garden warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff passing through here. Will be keeping very close eye on the berry crop and movement of birds here over the next month or so too and bring regular up to date sightings of Charmouth birding and from Seaton Marshes too