Soil Hill

 Tough morning with strong winds and rain meaning very little in the way of moving birds. I even took an hour away from the Hill to Ogden to wait for the weather to pass. However, there were a few standouts worth reporting.

• Highlight was a nice cream-crowned Marsh Harrier that flew SE over Ovenden Moor/Ogden, gaining height, before soaring over the Soil Hill North Slope and then headed SSE towards Queensbury.

• My second Merlin in as many days blasted past south. Yesterdays bird did linger a little longer as it persued migrating Meadow Pipits.

• The only notable finches of the morning were a flock of five Crossbill that came south very low down directly over the Hill, but in the early morning gloom. 

-Marsh Harrier

Merlin

In total managed 42 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S151317920

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20231003

Yesterday was a phenomenal morning, with a steady movement of birds passing south from first light until around 10:30 when it began to slow down. 

• The main species moving was Meadow Pipit, with a autumn high count of 2383 flying south. These were accompanied by Pied Wagtails, which produced a personal site record of 46

• The last few bursts of Hirundines went through in small flocks, with 22 House Martin and 84 Swallows on their way back to Africa. 

• Decent finch totals in among the flocks of Meadow Pipits; 40 Lesser Redpoll, 54 Siskin and 6 Crossbill being the most notable counts. 
• 
  

In total managed 57 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S151248462

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20231002