First Autumn Patchwatch Day

Today was the Notts Birders' Autumn Patchwatch Day, so I planned an early walk to the Mill Lakes via the Pit Tip to meet up with the other regulars. However, nobody else was about today, but it was still a good patch day for me with 42 species recorded, including two patch ticks.

The morning began well, with two small groups of four and three Meadow Pipit flushed from the Pit Tip Top, and another possible group of three over close to Farmer Fox's Cow Field at sunrise. A group gather here every Autumn, and it seemed appropriate that they were here in time for the Patchwatch. Dawson's Corner produced a singing male Chiffchaff, a male Linnet - seemingly part of a larger group that were flushed when I arrived, and a bright male Bullfinch feeding in the hawthorn. Near the large oak along the Sustrans path a group of between six and ten Goldcrest were my first in many months.

A respectable 16 Greylag Goose were together in the middle of the Mill Lakes , along with slightly-increased numbers of Gadwall [six males and two females] and Teal [seven eclipse/female/juveniles]. Black-headed Gull numbers were still mediocre at 52, but the single Common Snipe was showing reasonably well again on the south side of Mud Island, allowing for some better VidiBin captures. Two Kingfisher were a highlight of the morning, as they chased each other around the north end of the lake, with one settling for a few minutes on the fallen tree of Mud Island. The Carrion Crow with a white outer primary was again on Mud Island. Walking along the Railway Embankment to the Leen Pastures produced a silent Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler.

Arriving a the Leen Pastures, three or four moulting male Common Pheasant ran for cover, and a Grey Heron was on the far bank of the Leen. Two Jay were causing a commotion and flushed a Green Woodpecker, which called as it flew low over the nearest field. A Willow Tit was heard calling near the feeding station, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over showing its lush red vent, and a Grey Wagtail was also over from the Leen and heading towards the small lake on the Golf Course.

Back at the Mill Lakes, two Rook flew over heading west, and I was about to head home when I picked out an odd looking duck from the Peninsula - in fact there were three of them. They had the feel of Wigeon, but the colouring was wrong in comparison to the Wigeon I'd seen last winter in Scotland. Luckily they were close by, and I took a mental description before getting some footage as a clincher. My initial thoughts were correct, but I'd no recent experience of eclipse male Wigeon to go by. They were moving off towards the south side of the lake, so I followed, but lost them before the Dipping Ponds. I did pick up another Grey Heron in the reeds at the far side, though.

The walk home produced a single Great Black-backed Gull slowly drifting southwards towards the Pit Tip - another patch tick. A male Yellowhammer was seen briefly flying along the hedgerow near Broad Valley Stables, and a couple of Barn Swallow were over the paddock. All in all, a great morning for me.