19/10.

4 Whooper Swans flying over the upper valley whilst calling at 8.10 a.m. - heading north-west.

Good numbers of Fieldfare foraging in the valley - 75+ mixed flock of Starling and Fieldfare and another 150+ flock of Fieldfare. More Blackbirds than normal. Brief visit to look for the Ring Ouzels heard alarm calls but no sighting.

Also 17 Common Gull, 10 Goosander, 23 Lapwing, 2 Treecreeper and 1 Snipe.

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 13:24, 2007-10-19

18/10.

12.30 p.m to 3.00 pm.

At least 1 Ring Ouzel still present, more judging by the alarm calls being given.

Good passage of Fieldfare flocks - all heading west - c45, c110, c60 and c30.

3 Dippers - 1 of which was singing.

Cheers,

Bill.

Excellent visit this morning - at least 3 Ring Ouzels (2 males and 1 female seen), possibly a 4th present. They were feeding on hawthorn berries, with a few Blackbirds also present, in the upper valley at around 11.00 am. This is only my second record for this species at Piethorne and my first record of multiple birds. I had a little earlier disturbed a Snipe from wet grassland - this became the 100th species recorded at Piethorne this year (that I have records for anyway) and with Ring Ouzel the yearly total now stands at 101. Also seen - about a dozen Common Gulls messing about on Rooden Reservoir, 2 Stonechat and about 10 Meadow Pipits hassling a Kestrel. Cheers, Bill.