Walthamstow Marshes 1030-1200 MJP
mainly bright, o/c. blustery NE. cold.
Stonechat - 3 (ad male & 2 imm males, cow field)
Redwing - 8 west
White Wagtail - 1
Yellow Wagtail - 1
Grey Wagtail - 2
Pied Wagtail - 10
Stock Dove - 5
Meadow Pipit - 20
House Martin - 6
African Grey Parrot - 1
Sparrowhawk -3 (2 high and south-west)
Chaffinch - c15
A cold, autumnal and blustery day on the marshes, with the winds from the north-east and the temperature low. The weather system lends itself perfectly to continental drift migration, and the east coast is surely the place to be, with the winds veering easterly off the lower edge of a high pressure over Scandinavia - perfect conditions for finding quality birds on the coast. However, being trapped in London, you make the best of it, and today's haul showed more interesting movements than of late.
Three Stonechats in the cow field were fresh in, a fine selection of wagtails in the horse field included both White and Yellow, Meadow Pipits were dropping in while watching and at least 20 were present, both grounded and over, and the first Redwings of the year - eight west, calling - were a pleasure to hear again.