Birds, birds and more birds

Today was Barnacle Goose day. An incredible 46,440 migrated past Sydvestpynten between 0700 and 1615. Even coming from Norfolk, I wouldn't have enough fingers to count these: the total count posted here is courtesy of Frank Jensen-Hammer who put in a mammoth stint at the point today. I was there for a measly 2 hours between 1000 and 1200 before the urge to potter around looking in bushes for the ever hoped-for Yellow-browed Warbler got the better of me. I failed (again) to locate a YBW but I did have a pretty good day. Migration was again heavy after the coldest night of the autumn so far with Woodpigeons (33000+), Chaffinches/Bramblings (50000+) and Eider (3500ish) dominating and there were also good numbers of Reed Buntings, Meadow Pipits, Larks (both Wood and Sky), Siskin and lots of Goldcrests in the surrounding area (I counted 200+). There had clearly been an arrival of Wrens, too, with every bush seeming to hold at least one and sometimes several. Robins were also apparent and the first good numbers of Redwing were passing overhead with regularity, uttering their characteristic "seeeeep" call. A few of the local Bearded Tits were flirting with migration but could only manage it across the canal to the adjacent reedbed.. even that looked tough for them - their wings really are tiny and they whirr at an incredible rate to get not very far, not very fast..

Highlight of the day must go to a Jack Snipe that flew in from the west, almost settled about a metre away from me before finally settling just a few metres away in some short wet grass on the edge of a pool. Could I see it once it landed? Not a chance.. Thinking it would be a good photo opportunity I slowly edged towards the area where it landed, scanning with my binoculars every few paces. But, as is often the case with this species, it proved invisible and I almost trod on it before it flew up and settled further away on the lagoons.

As I searched every bush and shrub (is there a difference?) for a YBW I came across more Goldcrests, Siskins, Chiffchaffs (many of an eastern race with a two-tone call) and lots more Wrens.. An adult White-tailed Eagle overhead was a bonus as was a Red Kite that drifted west. The only thing that slightly spoilt my day was a puncture on my bike (my fourth in two weeks after having none for two years!) that meant I had a 3 mile walk pushing said bike to the Metro station to get home... Grr..

As I write I can hear the Swedish football supporters who have, as is the tradition here, taken over the main square in Kongens Nytorv ahead of their World Cup qualifier clash with Denmark later this evening... all seems to be in good spirits (so far at least).

Photos: Barnacle Geese; White-tailed Eagle; a Bearded Tit flirting with migration; and one of the hundreds of Goldcrests that arrived overnight.