'The Big Fall'......Kilnsea,25.10.12.

Angle Shades.

Angle Shades.

After a frustrating 4 days at work and one of the biggest falls of common migrants for some years,i finished  my nights this morning and was dying to get out,so i went home,got changed and drove to the Spurn area.Perhaps a crazy decision after a twelve hour night shift,but you have to make the effort when this sort of phenomena occurs.The last mile or so was all roadside Redwings,Fieldfare,Blackbirds and even a Ring Ouzel!,things were looking promising.My whole day from 8.00 am until 4.00 pm was spent in the 'Triangle' and Kilnsea Cliff area and provided me with a cracking days birding.After speaking to some of the locals,the migrant numbers had dropped down,but it was still impressive,with hundreds of birds present.The commonest species involved were Redwing and Brambling and as a rain cloud passed over,birds dropped out of the sky into the hedge next to were i was stood.This included a superb flock of 40 Brambling and smaller numbers of Redwing,Fieldfare and Blackbirds.In one bush alongside the Triangle a flock of 6 Ring Ouzel gave superb views,which included 2 adult males,2 females and 2 1st winters,the latter being particularly appealing with their scaly plumage.The Ouzels were to feature all day,with more excellent sightings from the Canal scrape hide as birds came down to drink.Other notable sightings in the Triangle area included 2 roadside Mealy Redpoll,watched feeding on Rosebay willowherb heads,2 Snow Bunting over,heading west,a Merlin over the fields and a roosting Tawny Owl in Kilnsea churchyard.Bird of the day was found mid-afternoon,a stonking Olive-backed Pipit,it had been inadvertently flushed from cover at 'Pallas's pond',but after what seemed a life time was relocated on the borrow pits area and gave very nice views as it preened and bathed on the edge of the pool.It then flew and headed towards were it had first been seen,it then flew again over our heads and landed in 'Big Hedge' and that was that.It was also heard to call on 3 occasions with a distinct 'Spiz' which was a bonus,being similar to Tree's call.After getting a tip off about a female Black Redstart,which showed admirably along the beach near the Riverside Hotel,i found a very pale Chiffie,which i i'ded as a Sibe Chiffchaff.It showed all the features,Pale grey/brown uppers,buffy flanks,black legs and bill and a hint of a wingbar.It was also sporting a ring and i wondered if it was the bird that had been trapped at Kew a few days before.I watched the bird for about ten minutes as it fed in low vegetation giving superb views,before it flew into a graden and i lost it.Also along the beach here,was a nice Purple Sandpiper watched feeding along the shoreline,the first i have seen on the deck at Spurn/Kilnsea.The only diversion away from birds today was a cracking Angle Shades Moth found roosting on a fence at Sunnycliff farm.So what a fantastic day and i know it won't be long before iam back again at this superb area for birding.