Evening walk 08.10.08

My first October wander after a few days camping in windy and wet North Norfolk. With the nights now drawing in it is difficult fior me to be out after work, so a special effort was made yesterda

y evening. Very glad I did.

Numbers of birds were supplied by 76+ lesser black backed gulls heading south to their evening roost (probably Amwell gravel pits) However, highlight was a new record. As I walked along the Ridge path towards Winding Hill I flushed a common sandpiper from the ditch. A most unsuspected species for the area. This, a migratory bird heading south, flew off fast and gained height as it disappered from view in a south easterly direction. Shall send to county recorder as this could constitute a late record of this sumer visitor.

Sunset was wonderful, with photos taken from Bush Wood bench around 6.45pm, whereupon the temperature dropped rapidly. Alos, 2 common buzzards were flushed from Bush Wood. Yellowhammers, finches and tits were abundant as were jackdaws, rooks, wood pigeons and carrion crows. All of these numbering in excess of 100 per species. 3 red legged partridge were recorded on open fields and a, as yet, unidentified moth was snapped in hedgrow near Acremore Street