Ring Ouzel - second record this year

28/10/2026 09:25 to 13:00

Finally a new bird today, a male Ring Ouzel which flew up on to the sheep fields above Black Harry Gate joining about 50 Redwing and a dozen Fieldfare but before I could get a photo they all flew back to the bushed below the dam wall. 

I searched for about 20 minutes before I saw it fly across the trees towards the hide but fortunately all the thrushes returned and the Ring Ouzel landed briefly in the top of a Rowan tree below the dam wall. They have been scarce this year and this is only the second record following one in Spring.

Ring Ouzel - male

A skein of 45 Pink-footed Geese flew east at 09:35 but there was not much to report from the lagoons. The 6 Pintail are still present but I only managed 75 Teal and no sign of Gadwall or Wigeon today.

11 Common Gull was a slight increase but only 55 Lesser Black-backed Gulls this morning.