An Autumn Tale

Reading Boulmer birder's blog the other day and the comment from Newton stringer reminds me of a typical Autumn tale. I don't twitch anymore but I still like to see a rarity or two locally but I love the common stuff as well. In the early nineties in October I remember a fall like I've never seen since. The spectacle was unbeleivable with thousands of chiefly Thrushes dropping out of the sky and filling the fields and bushes of Newbiggin. Falls like this happened every autumn so it rapidly turned out to be the silly season. This particular day was exceptional for a few reasons. The excitement of all these birds made it possible for a rarity or two to be found and also the understatement of the century came from one birder because no-one had found anything decent. This birder came up to us through the mist of thousands of Redwings, Backbirds, robins and Fieldfares plus a variety of common Warblers, Waxwing and a few Long-eared Owls and said 'It's a bit dead isn't it? Unbelievable. He went off to Holy island to hopefully find a first for Britain. The point I am making is that despite these conditions everything doesn't have to be rare.

Today I came across Beefsteak fungus and Spectacular rosegill. Good finds for me but they equate in birding terms to finding a Bullfinch. I have included a pic of two Carrion crows; great birds with loads of character you can see the shadow of my head. However, back to reality and visual migration (I still can't bring myself to use the shortened version) has been good over Morpeth with dozens of redwings, Siskins and today my first Fieldfares. Fabulous birds with the 'Chack chack' piercing the morning cool air is always a delight to hear. Kingfisher and Dippers(2) are back on the river. Maybe it's time for a pint.