Soil Hill birding; updates from the week 21st - 25th September

 This was again a short week due to spending the first half in Ireland visiting Lia’s family that are living there. That said, this condensed week really brought out the best of Soil Hill, with some very enjoyable visible migration (although very limited migrant numbers in the bushes), as well as a couple of huge surprises. Although for the most part the winds have been from the northwest and quite chilly, conditions have been clear with any rainfall occurring overnight. 

• There is one undoubted highlight of this week, with not one but two mega species for me here. At 09:09 on the 24^th I was stood on the North Slope VP counting the lively morning passage. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a small flock of birds passing directly overhead which I did not immediately recognise. Quickly grabbing the camera, I rattled off as many shots as I could while the birds headed west and out of sight. A quick glance at the photos showed me clearly two Bar-tailed Godwit, recognised by their long, slightly upturned bills, as well as three other waders. In a panic, I messaged out the news should any other birders be able to pick them up. It was not until later when I studied the photos a bit better did I spot that the other three birds had black armpits, making them Grey Plover. This is two patch ticks, in the same flock and brings me up to 16 wader species for Soil Hill. Of all the amazing birding encounters I have had on this patch, this ranks up there with the very best. 

-Bar-tailed Godwit & Grey Plover

-Grey Plover

Its been quite the week for waders on Soil Hill, even away from the two exceptional species that I added to my list on the 24^th. 

• On the 25^th my optimistic search produced the first Jack Snipe of the autumn, as it typically erupted from the grass under my feet before flying a short distance and dropping into the adjacent field. It is still quite early, but good to know they are using the site despite its overall dryness.

• One species that has been regular on the weeks VizMig has been Common Snipe, with the highest count being 14 that all flew west on the 22^nd, followed by eight that flew west on the 24^th. A boot around the wetter areas also on the 24^th, flushed five different individuals.

• On the 24^th the first Golden Plover of the autumn could be heard calling, before picking them up as they headed south. These birds then u-turned and flew back north passing straight over me.  

• The only other wader species encountered this week include a Curlew that was feeding on the Bottom Cattle Fields on the 23^rd, and two sightings of Northern Lapwing that flew north on the 24^th and then one that flew east on the 25^th.

-European Golden Plover

-Common Snipe

In spite of the winds been mostly northerly, with just one day of southwesterlies, the main feature of the week has been visible migration. I’ve been looking forward to this ever since I knew my schedule would give me a full autumn here. Every day I have even taken the scope with me to help pick up distant migrants, and it has paid off with quite a few bits of interest. 

• The main species on passage this week has been Meadow Pipit. While the numbers have not be exceptional, they have been reasonable and consistent with 344 on the 24^th being the highest count of the week, followed by 259 on the 23^rd and 213 on the 25^th. Most have travelled directly over the hill, but others have passed further to the west, down the valley.

• There have been a few notable others moving, including Lesser Redpoll on the 23^rd, 25^th and two on the 24^th which are the first of the autumn. There have also been Siskins on two dates, the 24^th and 25^th. Commoner finches have also been moving in smaller numbers, but no counts of more than 10 for any species.

• Hirundines have continued in small numbers throughout the week, but have gone missing on some days. The best count of Barn Swallow was 24 south on the 23^rd, with 13 south on the 25^th being the only other double figure count. Eight House Martin flew south on the 21^st and nine flew north on the 23^rd, for some reason.

• Small totals of Pied Wagtail have also flown south, with 10 on the 25^th being the highest count, followed by 9 on the 23^rd. Grey Wagtail on the other hand has been in very small numbers, with no more than two on any date.

Migrants in the bushes have been well down on the previous weeks, as almost all of the summer breeders have moved on. Although stranger things have happened, it seems unlikely that any of them will make a late reappearance. 

• Although I said it the previous week, what is almost certainly the last Whinchat of the year was present distantly on Taylor Lane on the 22^nd. The revised final total for the autumn is now a conservative 17 individuals. 

• The only grounded migrant that has seen an increase in numbers this week is Stonechat, with birds seen nearly every day generally scattered around the site, with high counts of four on the 21^st and 23^rd.

• The last warbler standing of the autumn is Chiffchaff, and they have been present every day although in small numbers, with a high count of three on the 21^st being the best of the week. 

• Finally, Goldcrest has been seen every day but the only day with multiple individuals was the 24^th when three were recorded in different locations.

-European Stonechat

While the winter wildfowl still keep arriving I will continue to break down sightings of these species until the variety returns to simply small counts of common species. Once again it was a good if not an exceptional week for geese and ducks on Soil Hill. 

• After last weeks near continuous stream of Pink-footed Geese, a single skein of 71 on the 21^st and two skeins totalling 182 on the 22^nd was not what I had imagined for this week. That was until the final day, the 25^th when the floodgates opened and 662 flew past between 08:00 - 10:00, in 10 different skeins. The largest of these were 151 and 111, both of which passed well to the north over Keighley. Greylag Geese were limited to four flying north on the 25^th.

• The Eurasian Teal remained on the NK Pond throughout the week, with the highest count being five on the 23^rd. The only other notable duck sighting of the week was a Goosander that flew south on 22^nd, before dropping into Ogden. 

-Pink-footed Goose

-Eurasian Teal

That has pretty much covered all the sightings from the week, with very little else of note. There have been a few Raven sightings during the week, with two on the 23^rd and then three together on the 21^st. And finally a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew east on the 24^th. 

-Northern Raven

Species List:
Soil Hill: Greylag Goose, Pink-footed Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Goosander, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Grey Plover, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Little Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Common Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Common Reed Bunting,