Red October

Quite a long walk today with not a whole lot to look at but some very nice weather made for a good trek nonetheless. It was a typical autumn day in that some of the summer species were meeting up with arriving winter visitors. A classic example of this was a first Redwing of the winter soon followed by a sighting of a Red Admiral, it's this mix that makes autumn (and spring) nature watching so interesting.

Yellowhammer and Greenfinch.

My walk took me through Weldon and on through Deenethorpe and Deene before arriving back at Weldon via Priors Hall. Not much to begin with though there were a pleasingly high number of Yellowhammers seen particularly along Bears Lane.  Chaffinches seemed to be around in good numbers too and it could be that at least some were migrants. Other migrants included Skylarks, Siskins and Meadow Pipits. A few summer visitors in the shape of Chiffchaff and Blackcap continue to liner though both could perhaps stay on throughout the winter.

Red Admiral and Small Heath.

Deenethorpe airfield has had most of its scrub removed and it was a little on the dull side though a Snipe was flushed from a small pool and I also found a pristine looking Red Admiral. Deene Lake inflow had very high water levels and held many Teals but little else of interest while the main lake was equally quiet.

Migrant Hawkers and Common Darter.

Once I'd got to Priors Hall things picked up a little and my only dragonflies of the day were seen here with many Common Darters and a few Migrant Hawkers on the wing. Sadly I could not find any Willow Emeralds and it's beginning to look as last month's individual may have been a wanderer rather than part of a new colony. Butterflies were present in small numbers and individuals of Small Copper, Small Heath and Speckled Wood were seen. The quarry pool provided my best sighting of the day when I picked out a female Pintail which was my first Corby record. Other ducks seen here included Mallard, two Gadwall, twenty or so Teal, three Wigeon and Tufted Ducks.

A couple of views of the Priors Hall Pintail.

Having reached the Shoulder of Mutton a call from another birder alerted me to the presence of a female or young Ring Ouzel at Fermyn CP. We had a quick look to see if it could be relocated but were unable to find it. Given that it was pretty late by this stage it may well merit another try as Ring Ouzels do tend to linger in favoured areas.