The Lincolnshire Bird Club

A Siberian Stonechat was present at the south end at 0950 near the Old Copse at TF 436985. It entails a long walk from either Stonebridge or Howden's Pullover. Graham Catley, Dave Hursthouse, Neil Drinkall and Chris Atkin undertook the journey from Pye's Hall and were suitably rewarded by the bird which remained at least until early afternoon. Also present at the south end were 3 Yellow-browed Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 7 Blackcaps, 2 Reed Warblers, 30 Robins, 30 Song Thrushes, 2 Ring Ouzels, 30 Redwings, 50 Goldcrests, 2 Bramblings, one Whinchat, one Common Redstart, 2 Marsh Harriers, one Peregrine and 13 Brent Geese.

Main highlights Between Pyes Hall and the Quad 2 tower today:

1 Red-breasted Flycatcher - found late afternoon at the RAF base but generally elusive and mobile
3 Yellow-browed Warbler
1 Merlin
1 Stonechat
1 Wheatear
3 Common Redstart
1 Ring Ouzel
6 Chiffchaff
10 Blackcap
2 Brambling

Regards

Chris (with GPC, Neil Drinkall & Dave Hursthouse)

Anew Ouzel this evening Chris plus a Jack Snipe came in and did a low drifting flight over the dunes clearly exhausted and looking for somewhere suitable to pitch down.
The racial ID of the Sib Stonechat may be open to discussion: it is certainly a male from the black underwing coverts.

The Siberian Stonechat was still present at the south end today. It showed well at times, but there were also long periods when it was very evasive. Other migrants, including some trapped and ringed, were 80 Song Thrushes, 45 Redwings, 2 Ring Ouzels, 40 Robins, one Wheatear, 2 Whinchats, one Stonechat, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, one Common Whitethroat, 15 Blackcaps, 70 Goldcrests, one Brambling, one Woodcock and one Jack Snipe. Also seen were 2 Peregrines, one Merlin, 4 Common Buzzards and one Marsh Harrier.

Between the RAF base and Pyes Hall today:

3 Pallas's Warbler - one approx halfway along the track between Stonebridge and Pyes Hall + two birds seen together at Stonebridge.
1 Firecrest - at Pyes Hall
2 Common Buzzard inc one mobbed over the beach
2 Marsh Harrier
1 Peregrine
1 Short-eared Owl in off over the beach
1 Kingfisher
4 Swallow south
1 Wheatear
1 Whinchat
5 Common Redstart
1 Ring Ouzel
5 Fieldfare
7 Blackcap
8 Chiffchaff
10 Brambling

Plenty of Robins, Song Thrushes, Redwings and Goldcrests with a conspicuous increase in numbers during the afternoon

Regards

Chris (with Josh Forrester and Dave Wright)

I have posted a set of poor images of the Siberian Stonechat on my blog with some brief discussion on the racial identification o this bird which in some respects appears to be a fit for Stejnegeri -- the images are poor as the bird was particularly flighty but in at least two images the blackish shaft streaks on the two longest uppertail coverts are visible; the general colouration of the bird can also be gauged though this did vary somewhat with the intensity of the light; as noted by Steve it often disappears and unlike Common Stonechats seems to spend quite a bit of time on the floor in dense vegetation appearing several 100m away apparently without moving; the debate over identification of Stejneger's Stonechat continues and any comments would be appreciated

http://pewit.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/sib ... -nook.html

The Siberian Stonechat is still around the same area, but often difficult to find. The south end was quieter today, highlights being 2 Common Stonechats, one Whinchat, 3 Ring Ouzels, 2 Chiffchaffs, 5 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 30 Goldcrests, 4 Bramblings, one Lapland Bunting, one Swallow and one Great Skua.

The Siberian Stonechat is still showing on and off, although I could not locate it at first in the early morning (9th). Other birds of note at the south end were a Pallas's Warbler trapped and ringed, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 10 Chiffchaffs, one Lesser Whitethroat, 20 Blackcaps, 120 Goldcrests, 150 Redwings, one Fieldfare, 3 Ring Ouzels, one Whinchat, one Common Redstart, 23 Bramblings, one Grey Wagtail, 3 Woodcock, one Jack Snipe, one Hen Harrier, one Short-eared Owl, 80 Pink-footed Geese, 13 Brent Geese, 35 Common Scoters, one Yellow-legged Gull and one Red-throated Diver.

The Siberian Stonechat was showing quite well this morning in the company of a Common Stonechat and a Whinchat. The south end was quieter otherwise, most notable being a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Ring Ouzel, 3 Red-throated Divers and an Arctic Skua.