13 oktober 2011 - Eltenberg

This morning i headed back over the German border (this is still a strange feeling) and was in position at Eltenberg by 8am. I was actually in position earlier but the dense fog meant seeing anything, or working out what direction birds were flying, was all but impossible. After a an hour of counting passerines Frank, Ronald and Arjan turned up, which meant i could concentrate on the small stuff while they scanned for raptors.

A couple of Great Egrets flew over

and it wasn't long before the first of 20 Sparrowhawks headed south.

as well as this juvenile we saw 119 Buzzards in total.

The one below appearing to the west of Elten church (a handy landmark)

This was the 2nd of 4 Hen Harriers that flew south

and yet more Sparrowhawks

and Buzzards

and Eurasian White-fronted Geese totalled 1460 throughout the day

another Hen Harrier

and my first Rough-legged Buzzard of the autumn, a juvenile?

this Goshawk was thought to be a local bird

and the 4th Hen Harrier

Aside from all the raptors we also had a respectable list of 'other stuff', namely:-

Lapwing 384

Woodpigeon 2397

Stock Dove 153

Fieldfare 201

Redwing 81

Mistle Thrush 13

Song Thrush 14

Thrush sp 26

Ring Ouzel 1

Blackbird 1

Skylark 73

Woodlark 18

Meadow Pipit 246

Barn Swallow 13

White Wagtail 141

Grey Wagtail 1

Starling 603

Redpoll sp 2

Siskin 35

Chaffinch 584

Brambling 83

Reed Bunting 26