THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS OCTOBER 2016 An excellent month of records for the patch – total species recorded was 133(an October record) (c/f 2015 – 108, 2014 – 113) with 11 year ticks the total rose to 192 (c/f 2015 – 183, 2014 – 179) In with a chance of getting the magical 200 total this year – need some cold weather and some good autumnal/winter storms with F10 winds.   New species added this month EIDER, CATTLE EGRET, BLACK TERN, RED KITE, LITTLE OWL, RING OUZEL, WOODLARK, ORTOLAN BUNTING, BRAMBLING, CROSSBILL and YELLOW BROWED WARBLER.   Must mention the YELLOW BROWED WARBLER records, this year unprecedented numbers have been recorded particularly in the Scottish Islands and along the East Coast.   Our patch total was 8 which is close to the combined total over the previous 8 years.   Unfortunately none of the other East Coast  megas reached this far west.   Weather has been quite unseasonal with “warm” spells – even 15C on 30th , mostly Easterly winds, no autumnal gales, heavy rain on the 24th which produced pools on the dry parts of the Marsh.   Highlights for the Month. GEESE CANADA GOOSE – flocks coming to South Huish Marsh reached 580+ on 19th (a site record) – included 3 WHITE GOOSE and 1 questionable GREYLAG GOOSE. BRENT GOOSE – D.B> - 3 flew west on 5th and 9th.   DUCKS,  DIVERS and GREBES SHELDUCK – An early returning bird flew east on 4th, only patch record. WIGEON – Very few  - max 17 on 23rd and 25th. TEAL – Numbers rose rapidly after the rain on 24th, South Huish Marsh 70+. South Efford Marsh – 250+.  30 flew east on 5th. EIDER – 2F and 2 im male flew east on 31st. PINTAIL – 10 flew east on 4th and 3 on 23rd. TUFTED DUCK – A male on the Ley on 20th. COMMON SCOTER – Only recorded on 4 days, max 15 on 20th. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER – first returning bird on 4th, 2 on 23rd and 1 on 25th were  Juv, on 30th  an adult still in partial summer plumage close inshore. LITTLE GREBE – Present on South Huish Marsh throughout with a max of 2.   GANNET – Counts of over 100 were – 280 on 4th, 235 on 5th and 150 on 20th.   RAPTORS and OWLS RED KITE – Nick T had 1 neat South Milton Village on 6th. MERLIN – 1 watched flying in the sea on 5th (another or same one an hour later over the Marsh) 1 over South Milton Ley on 8th. OSPREY – singles along the River Avon on 9th and 16th. Status of BUZZARD, SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL unchanged. TAWNY OWL – heard calling from several sites. BARN OWL – recorded over Thurlestone Marsh and south Milton Ley LITTLE OWL – 1 seen by Roger and Helen at South Milton ley on 19th.   EGRETS and RAILS LITTLE EGRET – Present on both Marshes – max 10 at South Efford CATTLE EGRET – 1 at South Efford Marsh on 6th, 2 on 7th and presumably the same 2 at South Huish Marsh on 8th. WATER RAIL – Up to 3 recorded at both marshes.   WADERS – A total of 19 species recorded. OYSTERCATCHER – Max 26 on 3rd. RINGED PLOVER – Max 39 on 5th. GOLDEN PLOVER – One in off the sea over the Golf Course on 21st. GREY PLOVER – 3 on 5th with singles on 6th and 7th. LAPWING – 2 on South Huish Marsh on  7th and 19th, 1 in off the sea on 23rd. SANDERLING – Max 3 on 6th. LITTLE STINT – 1 on South Huish Marsh on 8th. DUNLIN – Max 31 on 5th. RUFF – Singles on South Efford Marsh on 3rd and 5th. JACK SNIPE – 1 on South Huish Marsh watched “bobbing” feeding action on 24th. SNIPE – Max 10 at South Huish Marsh on 25th and 19 at South Efford Marsh on 29th. BLACK TAILED GODWIT – Max 5 at South Efford Marsh on 6th. BAR TAILED GODWIT – 1 on Avon River a 1st. CURLEW – Max 35 at South Efford Marsh on 25th. COMMON SANDPIPER – Max 6 on South Efford Marsh on 9th. GREEN SANDPIPER – 1 on South Efford Marsh on several dates. GREENSHANK – Max 8 at South Efford Marsh on 5th. REDSHANK – Up to 3 on South Efford Marsh . TURNSTONE – Max 3 on the rocks on 9th.   GULLS, TERNS and AUKS. MED GULL – Max 3 on 30th on the rocks. BLACK TERN – A Juv flew east on 5th. SANDWICH TERN – Max 3 in the Bay on 4th. COMMON TERN – One flew through on 4th. PUFFIN – An unusual autumn record – 1 landed on the sea on 20th.   KINGFISHER and CRESTS KINGFISHER – singles at both South Huish Marsh/Rocks and at South Efford Marsh.   1 ringed at South Milton ley on 21st was the 3rd this year. GOLDCREST – A total of 25 ringed at South Milton Ley max 6 on 8th and 9th. FIRECREST – Singles in lanes by South Effford Marsh on 16th and 25th.   HIRUNDINES HOUSE MARTIN – Passage totals of 420 on 7th and 455 on 9th. SWALLOW – Highest count 155 on 9th. SAND MARTIN – 13 on 3rd and 5th were high counts for October. WARBLERS – All ringing undertaken at South Milton Ley YELLOW BROWED WARBLERS – 3 were ringed at South Milton Ley, 1 in a village garden at South Milton, 5 records from gardens around Aveton Gifford. CHIFFCHAFF – a total of 137 ringed, up to 6 in village gardens on many days. WILLOW WARBLER – 1 ringed on 21st is the latest patch record. BLACKCAP – 19 ringed, several more in village gardens. SEDGE WARBLER – 1 in the reeds on 2nd. REED WARBLER – 1 ringed on 9th. CETTIS WARBLER – 1 ringed on 9th and 3 on 14th.     THRUSHES FIELDFARE – 1 on 21st and 5 on 22nd over Thurlestone. REDWING – 3 on 9th, 5 on 28th, 20 on 31st were only records. RING OUZEL – 1 at South Milton Ley on 19th was in the same tree as last year’s record. SONG THRUSH – Recorded from 4 sites, a total of 9 ringed. BLACKBIRD – a total of 9 ringed. MISTLE THRUSH – singles noticed on Viz mig watches on 3 days.   CHATS, STARTS and WHEATEAR STONE CHAT – max 12 around the patch on 2nd. WHINCHAT – At South Huish Marsh 1 on3rd and 2 on 9th. WHEATEAR – Last record a single on 20th. BLACK REDSTART – first was an adult male in an Aveton Gifford garden on 24th, 3 Juv on 25th, 1 on 26th and 1 Juv male on 30th – Sites by Rock Flats and Thurlestone Village. REDSTART – A Juv F on the roof of the flats by the Car Park on31st.   A late date and a most unusual location.   WAGTAILS GREY WAGTAIL – Recorded most days max 3. YELLOW WAGTAIL – last record was a single on 6th flying east. PIED/WHITE WAGTAIL – Max 145 on the Golf Course on 3rd.   67 ringed at roost on 21st (4 were WHITE).   PIGEON AND DOVES WOOD PIGEON – Max was 540 moving South in 1 hour on 22nd. STOCK DOVE – 25 flew south on 11th and 8 on 21st.   LARKS, PIPITS and SHRIKE WOODCHAT SHRIKE – The juv found at South Efford Marsh at the end of last month was refound on 3rd and 5th. WOODLARK – 1 flew south on 1st. SKYLARK – Max viz.mig count 100 on 21st. MEADOW PIPIT – Max viz.mig count 375 on 3rd.   FINCHES and BUNTINGS ETC. CHAFFINCH – Good viz.mig counts of 67 on 22nd and 65 on 26th. GOLDFINCH – Max 54 on 19th. BRAMBLING – 1 flew east on 25th. SISKIN – Viz.mig counts of 20 on 1st, 8 on 3rd with small numbers on several dates. LINNET – Max 90 on 7th. REDPOLL – One flew east on 21st. CROSSBILL – 6 landed in Sycamore Trees in Thurlestone a 30th. CIRL BUNTING – Viz.mig counts of 2 on 20th, 2 on 21st and 1 on 25th. ORTOLAN BUNTING – 1 picked up flying over Golf Couse during a viz.mig watch on 10th, landed in a bush to give good views. BULLFINCH – Recorded at 4 sites. YELLOWHAMMER – Recorded in the lane hedgerows. REED BUNTING – 9 ringed, recorded at 2 other sites.   Only 2 months left to try and add 8 year ticks to reach 200 for the first time.   Mike Passman thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk     THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS OCTOBER 2016 An excellent month of records for the patch – total species recorded was 133(an October record) (c/f 2015 – 108, 2014 – 113) with 11 year ticks the total rose to 192 (c/f 2015 – 183, 2014 – 179) In with a chance of getting the magical 200 total this year – need some cold weather and some good autumnal/winter storms with F10 winds.   New species added this month EIDER, CATTLE EGRET, BLACK TERN, RED KITE, LITTLE OWL, RING OUZEL, WOODLARK, ORTOLAN BUNTING, BRAMBLING, CROSSBILL and YELLOW BROWED WARBLER.   Must mention the YELLOW BROWED WARBLER records, this year unprecedented numbers have been recorded particularly in the Scottish Islands and along the East Coast.   Our patch total was 8 which is close to the combined total over the previous 8 years.   Unfortunately none of the other East Coast  megas reached this far west.   Weather has been quite unseasonal with “warm” spells – even 15C on 30th , mostly Easterly winds, no autumnal gales, heavy rain on the 24th which produced pools on the dry parts of the Marsh.   Highlights for the Month. GEESE CANADA GOOSE – flocks coming to South Huish Marsh reached 580+ on 19th (a site record) – included 3 WHITE GOOSE and 1 questionable GREYLAG GOOSE. BRENT GOOSE – D.B> - 3 flew west on 5th and 9th.   DUCKS,  DIVERS and GREBES SHELDUCK – An early returning bird flew east on 4th, only patch record. WIGEON – Very few  - max 17 on 23rd and 25th. TEAL – Numbers rose rapidly after the rain on 24th, South Huish Marsh 70+. South Efford Marsh – 250+.  30 flew east on 5th. EIDER – 2F and 2 im male flew east on 31st. PINTAIL – 10 flew east on 4th and 3 on 23rd. TUFTED DUCK – A male on the Ley on 20th. COMMON SCOTER – Only recorded on 4 days, max 15 on 20th. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER – first returning bird on 4th, 2 on 23rd and 1 on 25th were  Juv, on 30th  an adult still in partial summer plumage close inshore. LITTLE GREBE – Present on South Huish Marsh throughout with a max of 2.   GANNET – Counts of over 100 were – 280 on 4th, 235 on 5th and 150 on 20th.   RAPTORS and OWLS RED KITE – Nick T had 1 neat South Milton Village on 6th. MERLIN – 1 watched flying in the sea on 5th (another or same one an hour later over the Marsh) 1 over South Milton Ley on 8th. OSPREY – singles along the River Avon on 9th and 16th. Status of BUZZARD, SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL unchanged. TAWNY OWL – heard calling from several sites. BARN OWL – recorded over Thurlestone Marsh and south Milton Ley LITTLE OWL – 1 seen by Roger and Helen at South Milton ley on 19th.   EGRETS and RAILS LITTLE EGRET – Present on both Marshes – max 10 at South Efford CATTLE EGRET – 1 at South Efford Marsh on 6th, 2 on 7th and presumably the same 2 at South Huish Marsh on 8th. WATER RAIL – Up to 3 recorded at both marshes.   WADERS – A total of 19 species recorded. OYSTERCATCHER – Max 26 on 3rd. RINGED PLOVER – Max 39 on 5th. GOLDEN PLOVER – One in off the sea over the Golf Course on 21st. GREY PLOVER – 3 on 5th with singles on 6th and 7th. LAPWING – 2 on South Huish Marsh on  7th and 19th, 1 in off the sea on 23rd. SANDERLING – Max 3 on 6th. LITTLE STINT – 1 on South Huish Marsh on 8th. DUNLIN – Max 31 on 5th. RUFF – Singles on South Efford Marsh on 3rd and 5th. JACK SNIPE – 1 on South Huish Marsh watched “bobbing” feeding action on 24th. SNIPE – Max 10 at South Huish Marsh on 25th and 19 at South Efford Marsh on 29th. BLACK TAILED GODWIT – Max 5 at South Efford Marsh on 6th. BAR TAILED GODWIT – 1 on Avon River a 1st. CURLEW – Max 35 at South Efford Marsh on 25th. COMMON SANDPIPER – Max 6 on South Efford Marsh on 9th. GREEN SANDPIPER – 1 on South Efford Marsh on several dates. GREENSHANK – Max 8 at South Efford Marsh on 5th. REDSHANK – Up to 3 on South Efford Marsh . TURNSTONE – Max 3 on the rocks on 9th.   GULLS, TERNS and AUKS. MED GULL – Max 3 on 30th on the rocks. BLACK TERN – A Juv flew east on 5th. SANDWICH TERN – Max 3 in the Bay on 4th. COMMON TERN – One flew through on 4th. PUFFIN – An unusual autumn record – 1 landed on the sea on 20th.   KINGFISHER and CRESTS KINGFISHER – singles at both South Huish Marsh/Rocks and at South Efford Marsh.   1 ringed at South Milton ley on 21st was the 3rd this year. GOLDCREST – A total of 25 ringed at South Milton Ley max 6 on 8th and 9th. FIRECREST – Singles in lanes by South Effford Marsh on 16th and 25th.   HIRUNDINES HOUSE MARTIN – Passage totals of 420 on 7th and 455 on 9th. SWALLOW – Highest count 155 on 9th. SAND MARTIN – 13 on 3rd and 5th were high counts for October. WARBLERS – All ringing undertaken at South Milton Ley YELLOW BROWED WARBLERS – 3 were ringed at South Milton Ley, 1 in a village garden at South Milton, 5 records from gardens around Aveton Gifford. CHIFFCHAFF – a total of 137 ringed, up to 6 in village gardens on many days. WILLOW WARBLER – 1 ringed on 21st is the latest patch record. BLACKCAP – 19 ringed, several more in village gardens. SEDGE WARBLER – 1 in the reeds on 2nd. REED WARBLER – 1 ringed on 9th. CETTIS WARBLER – 1 ringed on 9th and 3 on 14th.     THRUSHES FIELDFARE – 1 on 21st and 5 on 22nd over Thurlestone. REDWING – 3 on 9th, 5 on 28th, 20 on 31st were only records. RING OUZEL – 1 at South Milton Ley on 19th was in the same tree as last year’s record. SONG THRUSH – Recorded from 4 sites, a total of 9 ringed. BLACKBIRD – a total of 9 ringed. MISTLE THRUSH – singles noticed on Viz mig watches on 3 days.   CHATS, STARTS and WHEATEAR STONE CHAT – max 12 around the patch on 2nd. WHINCHAT – At South Huish Marsh 1 on3rd and 2 on 9th. WHEATEAR – Last record a single on 20th. BLACK REDSTART – first was an adult male in an Aveton Gifford garden on 24th, 3 Juv on 25th, 1 on 26th and 1 Juv male on 30th – Sites by Rock Flats and Thurlestone Village. REDSTART – A Juv F on the roof of the flats by the Car Park on31st.   A late date and a most unusual location.   WAGTAILS GREY WAGTAIL – Recorded most days max 3. YELLOW WAGTAIL – last record was a single on 6th flying east. PIED/WHITE WAGTAIL – Max 145 on the Golf Course on 3rd.   67 ringed at roost on 21st (4 were WHITE).   PIGEON AND DOVES WOOD PIGEON – Max was 540 moving South in 1 hour on 22nd. STOCK DOVE – 25 flew south on 11th and 8 on 21st.   LARKS, PIPITS and SHRIKE WOODCHAT SHRIKE – The juv found at South Efford Marsh at the end of last month was refound on 3rd and 5th. WOODLARK – 1 flew south on 1st. SKYLARK – Max viz.mig count 100 on 21st. MEADOW PIPIT – Max viz.mig count 375 on 3rd.   FINCHES and BUNTINGS ETC. CHAFFINCH – Good viz.mig counts of 67 on 22nd and 65 on 26th. GOLDFINCH – Max 54 on 19th. BRAMBLING – 1 flew east on 25th. SISKIN – Viz.mig counts of 20 on 1st, 8 on 3rd with small numbers on several dates. LINNET – Max 90 on 7th. REDPOLL – One flew east on 21st. CROSSBILL – 6 landed in Sycamore Trees in Thurlestone a 30th. CIRL BUNTING – Viz.mig counts of 2 on 20th, 2 on 21st and 1 on 25th. ORTOLAN BUNTING – 1 picked up flying over Golf Couse during a viz.mig watch on 10th, landed in a bush to give good views. BULLFINCH – Recorded at 4 sites. YELLOWHAMMER – Recorded in the lane hedgerows. REED BUNTING – 9 ringed, recorded at 2 other sites.   Only 2 months left to try and add 8 year ticks to reach 200 for the first time.   Mike Passman thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk     THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS OCTOBER 2016 An excellent month of records for the patch – total species recorded was 133(an October record) (c/f 2015 – 108, 2014 – 113) with 11 year ticks the total rose to 192 (c/f 2015 – 183, 2014 – 179) In with a chance of getting the magical 200 total this year – need some cold weather and some good autumnal/winter storms with F10 winds.   New species added this month EIDER, CATTLE EGRET, BLACK TERN, RED KITE, LITTLE OWL, RING OUZEL, WOODLARK, ORTOLAN BUNTING, BRAMBLING, CROSSBILL and YELLOW BROWED WARBLER.   Must mention the YELLOW BROWED WARBLER records, this year unprecedented numbers have been recorded particularly in the Scottish Islands and along the East Coast.   Our patch total was 8 which is close to the combined total over the previous 8 years.   Unfortunately none of the other East Coast  megas reached this far west.   Weather has been quite unseasonal with “warm” spells – even 15C on 30th , mostly Easterly winds, no autumnal gales, heavy rain on the 24th which produced pools on the dry parts of the Marsh.   Highlights for the Month. GEESE CANADA GOOSE – flocks coming to South Huish Marsh reached 580+ on 19th (a site record) – included 3 WHITE GOOSE and 1 questionable GREYLAG GOOSE. BRENT GOOSE – D.B> - 3 flew west on 5th and 9th.   DUCKS,  DIVERS and GREBES SHELDUCK – An early returning bird flew east on 4th, only patch record. WIGEON – Very few  - max 17 on 23rd and 25th. TEAL – Numbers rose rapidly after the rain on 24th, South Huish Marsh 70+. South Efford Marsh – 250+.  30 flew east on 5th. EIDER – 2F and 2 im male flew east on 31st. PINTAIL – 10 flew east on 4th and 3 on 23rd. TUFTED DUCK – A male on the Ley on 20th. COMMON SCOTER – Only recorded on 4 days, max 15 on 20th. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER – first returning bird on 4th, 2 on 23rd and 1 on 25th were  Juv, on 30th  an adult still in partial summer plumage close inshore. LITTLE GREBE – Present on South Huish Marsh throughout with a max of 2.   GANNET – Counts of over 100 were – 280 on 4th, 235 on 5th and 150 on 20th.   RAPTORS and OWLS RED KITE – Nick T had 1 neat South Milton Village on 6th. MERLIN – 1 watched flying in the sea on 5th (another or same one an hour later over the Marsh) 1 over South Milton Ley on 8th. OSPREY – singles along the River Avon on 9th and 16th. Status of BUZZARD, SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL unchanged. TAWNY OWL – heard calling from several sites. BARN OWL – recorded over Thurlestone Marsh and south Milton Ley LITTLE OWL – 1 seen by Roger and Helen at South Milton ley on 19th.   EGRETS and RAILS LITTLE EGRET – Present on both Marshes – max 10 at South Efford CATTLE EGRET – 1 at South Efford Marsh on 6th, 2 on 7th and presumably the same 2 at South Huish Marsh on 8th. WATER RAIL – Up to 3 recorded at both marshes.   WADERS – A total of 19 species recorded. OYSTERCATCHER – Max 26 on 3rd. RINGED PLOVER – Max 39 on 5th. GOLDEN PLOVER – One in off the sea over the Golf Course on 21st. GREY PLOVER – 3 on 5th with singles on 6th and 7th. LAPWING – 2 on South Huish Marsh on  7th and 19th, 1 in off the sea on 23rd. SANDERLING – Max 3 on 6th. LITTLE STINT – 1 on South Huish Marsh on 8th. DUNLIN – Max 31 on 5th. RUFF – Singles on South Efford Marsh on 3rd and 5th. JACK SNIPE – 1 on South Huish Marsh watched “bobbing” feeding action on 24th. SNIPE – Max 10 at South Huish Marsh on 25th and 19 at South Efford Marsh on 29th. BLACK TAILED GODWIT – Max 5 at South Efford Marsh on 6th. BAR TAILED GODWIT – 1 on Avon River a 1st. CURLEW – Max 35 at South Efford Marsh on 25th. COMMON SANDPIPER – Max 6 on South Efford Marsh on 9th. GREEN SANDPIPER – 1 on South Efford Marsh on several dates. GREENSHANK – Max 8 at South Efford Marsh on 5th. REDSHANK – Up to 3 on South Efford Marsh . TURNSTONE – Max 3 on the rocks on 9th.   GULLS, TERNS and AUKS. MED GULL – Max 3 on 30th on the rocks. BLACK TERN – A Juv flew east on 5th. SANDWICH TERN – Max 3 in the Bay on 4th. COMMON TERN – One flew through on 4th. PUFFIN – An unusual autumn record – 1 landed on the sea on 20th.   KINGFISHER and CRESTS KINGFISHER – singles at both South Huish Marsh/Rocks and at South Efford Marsh.   1 ringed at South Milton ley on 21st was the 3rd this year. GOLDCREST – A total of 25 ringed at South Milton Ley max 6 on 8th and 9th. FIRECREST – Singles in lanes by South Effford Marsh on 16th and 25th.   HIRUNDINES HOUSE MARTIN – Passage totals of 420 on 7th and 455 on 9th. SWALLOW – Highest count 155 on 9th. SAND MARTIN – 13 on 3rd and 5th were high counts for October. WARBLERS – All ringing undertaken at South Milton Ley YELLOW BROWED WARBLERS – 3 were ringed at South Milton Ley, 1 in a village garden at South Milton, 5 records from gardens around Aveton Gifford. CHIFFCHAFF – a total of 137 ringed, up to 6 in village gardens on many days. WILLOW WARBLER – 1 ringed on 21st is the latest patch record. BLACKCAP – 19 ringed, several more in village gardens. SEDGE WARBLER – 1 in the reeds on 2nd. REED WARBLER – 1 ringed on 9th. CETTIS WARBLER – 1 ringed on 9th and 3 on 14th.     THRUSHES FIELDFARE – 1 on 21st and 5 on 22nd over Thurlestone. REDWING – 3 on 9th, 5 on 28th, 20 on 31st were only records. RING OUZEL – 1 at South Milton Ley on 19th was in the same tree as last year’s record. SONG THRUSH – Recorded from 4 sites, a total of 9 ringed. BLACKBIRD – a total of 9 ringed. MISTLE THRUSH – singles noticed on Viz mig watches on 3 days.   CHATS, STARTS and WHEATEAR STONE CHAT – max 12 around the patch on 2nd. WHINCHAT – At South Huish Marsh 1 on3rd and 2 on 9th. WHEATEAR – Last record a single on 20th. BLACK REDSTART – first was an adult male in an Aveton Gifford garden on 24th, 3 Juv on 25th, 1 on 26th and 1 Juv male on 30th – Sites by Rock Flats and Thurlestone Village. REDSTART – A Juv F on the roof of the flats by the Car Park on31st.   A late date and a most unusual location.   WAGTAILS GREY WAGTAIL – Recorded most days max 3. YELLOW WAGTAIL – last record was a single on 6th flying east. PIED/WHITE WAGTAIL – Max 145 on the Golf Course on 3rd.   67 ringed at roost on 21st (4 were WHITE).   PIGEON AND DOVES WOOD PIGEON – Max was 540 moving South in 1 hour on 22nd. STOCK DOVE – 25 flew south on 11th and 8 on 21st.   LARKS, PIPITS and SHRIKE WOODCHAT SHRIKE – The juv found at South Efford Marsh at the end of last month was refound on 3rd and 5th. WOODLARK – 1 flew south on 1st. SKYLARK – Max viz.mig count 100 on 21st. MEADOW PIPIT – Max viz.mig count 375 on 3rd.   FINCHES and BUNTINGS ETC. CHAFFINCH – Good viz.mig counts of 67 on 22nd and 65 on 26th. GOLDFINCH – Max 54 on 19th. BRAMBLING – 1 flew east on 25th. SISKIN – Viz.mig counts of 20 on 1st, 8 on 3rd with small numbers on several dates. LINNET – Max 90 on 7th. REDPOLL – One flew east on 21st. CROSSBILL – 6 landed in Sycamore Trees in Thurlestone a 30th. CIRL BUNTING – Viz.mig counts of 2 on 20th, 2 on 21st and 1 on 25th. ORTOLAN BUNTING – 1 picked up flying over Golf Couse during a viz.mig watch on 10th, landed in a bush to give good views. BULLFINCH – Recorded at 4 sites. YELLOWHAMMER – Recorded in the lane hedgerows. REED BUNTING – 9 ringed, recorded at 2 other sites.   Only 2 months left to try and add 8 year ticks to reach 200 for the first time.   Mike Passman thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk