October 22nd 2018

GORING GAP: See Trektellen. My first visit to the patch since Scilly turned out be spectacular for finch vismig. Stuff was going on as soon as I arrived and I found it hard to precisely count each species as mixed flocks bombed high overhead. In the end I was quite satisfied with my estimates as a fair reflection of what was going on: a spectacular 1,465 Goldfinches, 90 Siskins, five redpolls and 170 Linnets mainly going east. Other movers included a Knot, a Curlew, a Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Buzzard, a late Swallow, three Rock Pipits, three Reed Buntings, five Skylarks, three Chaffinches, a Grey Wagtail, 33 Pied/White Wagtails (with another 25 in the fields). On the ground were six Chiffchaffs, three Goldcrests and a further 11 Skylarks, as well as the Treecreeper calling in The Plantation. Quite a few Gannets started moving around offshore but I neglected counting them for the finches. 10 Mediterranean Gulls, 14 Common Gulls and two Little Egrets were around, as well as Sanderlings, Ringed Plovers and Turnstones which went uncounted today. DKC