Visible Bird Migration - Burton In Kendal -from first light 0650hrs to 0800hrs
All movement South to South East unless stated otherwise. Wind: 3mph SW, 11c temp.
At long last movement picking up especially with the Chaffinch, eg: some larger parties coming through today.
Meadow Pipit: 26 (best parties 8,7)
Chaffinch: 89 (best parties: 14,12,2x5s)
Blackbird: 1
Swallow: 1
Alba Wagtail: 22 (best party 11)
Greenfinch: 2 (1,1)
Goldfinch: 8 (one party)
Woodpigeon: 3W
Burton In Kendal -from 0930hrs to 1100hrs
Meadow Pipit: 2
Chaffinch: 154 (best parties: 13,9,8,7,4x6)
Swallow: 42 (best parties: 9,30)
Goldfinch: 6 (one party)
Jay: 1
Starlings: several continental suspects!
Vismig - North West Mipits
At long last it looks like the Chaffinch are starting to come through today, probably as a result of the winds having now changed back to Westerlies or thats my opinion! But it was still dire today in relation to the other target species the Meadow Pipits. Its been so quiet up here for the past three weeks with very little to show especially in regards to the Meadow Pipits and Chaffinch migrations.
I suppose I have been found guilty of blaming this anti-cyclonic weather, or the continual day in day out Easterlies or the high pressure. Its been as good as anything to use as a excuse and it always sounds logical that if something has to be held responsible then why not come up with one of these feasible (or feeble) excuses!
So unless where I live is within a small micro-climate (like everyone keeps telling me it is!) it does not add up!
Whys that you may ask! Well although all this weather stuff has been going on here and we have had such poor counts of Meadow Pipits (bearing in mind to a far smaller proportionate amount to Walney), then just look at the record counts they have been getting just 15 miles (as the Mipit flies) west of us on Walney Island. Here are their counts over the last seven days, showing the Burton In Kendal/Hutton Roof comparison in brackets:
Also of significant note is Heyshams Bird Observatory reporting of:
Sept 18th = 2047 (61) Meadow Pipits, but sadly we dont have the Walney records for comparisons on that particular day.
In normal years at Burton In Kendal/Hutton Roof I would expect to get at least 10% to 15% amount of birds (Meadow Pipits only) proportionate to a 100% what Walney gets on any given day of the migration . But this year it falls far short on at least four out of the six recorded days as you can see against the corresponding dates and quantities.
With all those Meadow Pipits having already gone down on the West side of us I wonder if we are going to get any for our usual peaks which as a rule would be any date between the 25th September and the 1st October.
But the reason I have quickly put this piece together is that it does not explain why birds have gone through in really good numbers at other sites West of us when we were left with only dribbles of birds on the same corresponding days, and subsequently going on to thinking (for us) it was down to the unusual weather patterns we have been getting when obviously this cannot now be the case!
