More ROCK PIPITS at Wilstone

A good morning's birding, but somewhat hampered on the hills by the cloud that rolled in and out. I spent over two hours on Steps Hill and the Beacon, much in the company of David Bilcock. Here we witnessed the first real arrival of REDWING ( c90 ), and amongst other typical Autumn fayre, highlights were a Common Snipe very low over and our first FIELDFARE.

A brief call at Startop's End Reservoir produced a couple of Grey Wagtails. I then moved on to Wilstone Reservoir where in the jetty area where I discovered two SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPITS feeding together. They were very mobile and skittish, and after only a short time they were both flushed by a jogger. One bird took off and flew right over the cemetery and was heading for Startop's whilst the other fortunately landed by the jetty and allowed a few other observers (including Steve Rodwell and Charlie Jackson ) to get on to it. This was then flushed and took off high into the sky, proceeded right across the reservoir, cleared the Poplars and flew off strongly SW into Bucks. Both birds were clearly different to last week's bird, one of these being really quite bright (Mike Wallen).

Also of note at Wilstone Reservoir today, 5 PINTAIL, the RINGED PLOVER, a long-billed 'alpina' DUNLIN, 7 COMMON SNIPE, 168 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER, a juvenile HERRING GULL, the 2 LITTLE OWLS and two Grey Wagtails (Lee Evans & Steve Rodwell)