What we do in the sallows - chiffchaff
ANOTHER BTO BIRDTRACK WALK ALONG THE RIVERBANK at Ribchester from the allotments to Red Bank was again dominated by the Meadow Pipit migration, with over 250, some moving south and also this time some grounded on Red Bank too. Where there were Willow Warblers a month ago there are now chiffchaffs in the sallows, a Spotted Flycatcher was still in the dell at Red Bank and the riverside Willow Warbler is still in the same patch of vegetation opposite Old Park Wood, where it has been since 6 September! There were fewer swallows today, no House Martins and signs of winter included the first Pinkfeet of the autumn, a skein of 12 that got as far as Lower Alston Farm and then turned and headed back west. Snipe were conspicuous today and another flock of 29 lapwings flew upstream. However, the biggest event today was a total of 15 Little Egret sightings, my highest total in Ribchester by far. Eleven were definitely different, a flock of 9 followed by another 2 but the next 4 may have been duplicates. There is no doubt they are on the increase and smashed Grey Heron out of sight today 15-3. A total of 225 Mallards is apparently significant for Lancashire too, it looks like no-one shoots them along the river here.