Visible migration; Horrid results for other diurnal migrants

And now, in no particular order*, a pot-pourri of diurnal migrants showing the pros- and cons- of viz-migging at Horrid.
(*Well, it's actually alphabetical from cutting and pasting the series of screenshots. You've caught me. But it's late and I can't be bothered to shuffle them right now)

Grey Wagtail

(Holloway, 1985; All known records are from autumn and apart from a few birds flying west most have been in the Sharpe's Green area.)
(Davenport, in Oliver, 1991; (from) middle September.. occasional Grey Wagtails can be heard flying over in the early mornings..)

Heads or tails, this one. Either there is a small passage, or there's a small roost nearby. Well, there is a small one, double figures, but to the east. And these Horrid birds invariably move west to east (downstream). I'll keep dreaming they're all movers..

Marsh Harrier

(Holloway, 1985; Just two records, both in the autumn..)
(Davenport, in Oliver, 1991; in the second week of August.. (they) begin to appear.. although their peak numbers are invariably to be seen at the end of the month..)

Let's go for a big 'un now. Everyone likes a BoP. Well, nearly everyone, I've never understood the fascination. Still, at least big and easy to identify. And all going west. Problem with this, as you watch them cross from Ham Green towards Hoo, is you have that nagging doubt in your mind because you know there are roosts just a little to the east. A doubt that becomes a shout when you watch in the evenings and see the odd bird crossing back. Ah well, if I see four or more in a morning I *might* just think I have some movers, otherwise nothing to see here, move along..

Meadow Pipit

(Holloway, 1985; Large numbers sometimes present in the autumn..)
(Davenport, in Oliver, 1991; (one of) the most typical migrants of the last two weeks of September and first week of October.. )

Oh, here we go, a species known for migration over coastal marshes. If you enjoy your specks, you'll enjoy this! Because about eighty per cent of the movement is westward over the islands. What self-respecting Mipit would want to follow the shoreline when there's marsh out there? The question I want to ask is which route do these birds take when they reach the head of the estuary?

Pied Wagtail

(Holloway, 1985; no comment on autumn migration)
(Davenport, in Oliver, 1991; (from) middle September.. occasional Pied Wagtails can be heard flying over in the early mornings..)

I've included PieWa because it was the species where I kept asking myself 'where are they?' Only when I switched to routinely including an hour onshore at the Mound did I realise that an awful lot of their movement avoided water. So, with a reasonably-sized roost a mile away, did any of these day totals shout 'movement' at me? At the time, no. Totals lower than I'd expected, but at least a pulse could be seen. Next autumn, wherever I watch, I'll be gunning for a 20 bird day to be able to say 'I was there when the Pied Wags really moved.' Until then..

Reed Bunting

(Holloway, 1985; no comment)
(Davenport, in Oliver, 1991; no comment)

My favourite memory from that autumn three decades back was of the Reed Buntings roosting in the low scrub. Praise the Lord, they were still there! Nowhere near the numbers back then, but still there, and still roosting.

Rock Pipit

(Holloway, 1985; no comment)
(Davenport, in Oliver, 1991; no comment)

A species where I felt I learnt a thing or two. All too often this winter visitor gets recorded religious on the first date of the autumn then becomes just a 'regular' on the day list. So, really interesting to pick up on the pulse dates, tying in nicely with 'B.W.P's Oct-Nov comments.

Sandwich Tern

(Holloway, 1985; more frequently seen in autumn when small family parties can sometimes be seen flying over..)
(Davenport, in Oliver, 1991; second half of July sees start of Tern passage, when the first few appear..)

A sad one. A brilliant movement by Medway inner basin standards, but only brilliant because not one local could think of a recent year like it. What was going on? To me, this was a return to the Holloway days, before a ccolony existed in the Medway. Ever the miserable beggar, I could only come up with the idea that some of the pre-'17 breeders that had deserted this year were passing by to check up on what was happening. And every time a pulse went through I asked myself if that was it or they'd do the same come 2018. Watch this space.

Skylark

(Holloway, 1985; no comment)
(Davenport, in Oliver, 1991; last three weeks of October and first two weeks of November.. is the season for large visible movements..)

Really thought there'd be more. This was one of those species you always register passing in the autumn, yet these numbers were nothing to write home about. Perhaps more move on the northern shore, or perhaps they turn south before the suburbs?

Sparrowhawk

(Holloway, 1985; no comment)
(Davenport, in Oliver, 1991; last three weeks of October and first two weeks of November.. occasional..)

Nope. Didn't happen. Always next year..