Ring Ouzels and Lapland Bunting

Lade - warm, dry and sunny, sw 2 - 0730hrs - After emptying the moth trap of a paltry seven common species we headed out across the shingle to work Mockmill Sewer (in shorts and tee shirt weather) and what a cracking two hour session it turned out to be. Overhead there was a steady trickle of Skylarks, Mipits, Linnets, Reed Buntings and Goldfinches for the first hour and the icing on the cake a Lapland Bunting that called (terreck) twice and carried on south.
However, the bushes were jumping with migrants, the majority being Robins, Dunnocks and Great Tits, but also a number of thrushes including 14 Ring Ouzels, ten Blackbirds, eight Song Thrushes, six Stonechats, Redwing and Wheatear. At least 10 Chiffchaffs flicked through the scrub while singles of Reed and Sedge Warblers were most surprising considering the late date. The most numerous migrant was Reed Bunting with at least 50 in the bushes and many more coming and going.
Things quietened down as we moved behind the `mirrors` with only Chiffchaffs and 20 Long-tailed Tits of note. The farmland towards the airport had hunting Kestrels and Marsh Harriers while a steady southward movement of Jackdaws was also noteworthy with at least 200 birds counted.
Walking back along the margins of south lake a mixed flock of 20 Swallows and House Martins hurried south and Barney paid his way this morning by flushing a Water Rail and four Snipe.

             Mockmill Sewer- "now, where`s that Corncrake he keeps muttering about..."

                               Ring Ouzels, Lade

                                Stonechats, Lade

                                Wheatear, Lade

Littlestone - Several garden Chiffchaffs here plus numerous Red Admirals and a flock of 20 Brent Geese overhead calling.

                               Red Admirals, Littlestone