Another RING OUZEL

I finally had a day off today so although not on the hills for dawn, I covered them more extensively than of late. It was pretty much typical Autumn fayre but with a noteable number of Song Thrush on the hills.Whilst walking up the beacon I accidently flushed a RING OUZEL which must have been perched up in one of the small bushes on the South-eastern slope, it flew away from me and up and over to the North side of the beacon. It was clearly different to the stunning male in the area on Monday. It flushed from about 150 metres, and I suspect it newly arrived last night. It appeared to drop into the bushes just down from the kissing gate which is 300 metres East of the trig point; this is an area that has regularly held them in previous Autumns.

Highlight however was my second obvious continental Song Thrush in three days. This bird was in the top scrub over the road from the car park, it was one of a pair, the other looker paler and slightly greyer than 'ours' but the obvious continental was superb. It was really grey and white, just like the bird of a couple of days ago and whilst it could be argued that many of ( if not all ) the migrants on/ over Steps in Autumn are from the continent there is no doubt in my mind with these grey birds. I have only seen three birds like this in Bucks, one at the rear of my garden a few years back and these two in the last few days. This 'cline' in Song Thrush reminds me a bit of chiffchaff with grey ones further East.

A quick look at Startops produced nothing of note. At Wilstone the highlight was the juvenile GREATER SCAUP still present near the jetty and the North shore. No Rock Pipits but up to 20 Mipits were commuting between the Northern bank/ jetty area and the field behind. Other birds of note were 2 Pintail and c120 Golden Plover (Mike Wallen)