Summary November 2024
New “Year Ticks” in November 2024: 2
New “Life Ticks” in November 2024: 0
Total Species for 2024 so far: 143
Our quiet spell of birding continued into November with more bad weather being a disincentive. Also we were had a week in Sicily that limited our birding opportunities. Be that as it may, November did have one or two nice birding experiences.
We stayed at a hotel on Ortygia island, Syracuse in Sicily between 5th and 12th November but the weather was so bad that heavy rain most days limited our activities in general. However, we did get lots of sightings of Black Redstarts among various ruins – possibly the bird we saw the most often. We also found a fantastic Starling roost and saw an impressive murmuration right in the centre of the old town.
Apart from this the only birding we managed to get was a birding group visit to WWT Martin Mere on 26th November where we got our first winter thrushes of the year – a small flock of Redwing and a pair of Fieldfare. We also saw a good number of Ruff and a couple of Buzzards and Marsh HArriers and a Kestrel. There were lots of Pink-footed Geese and a fair number of Whooper Swans though I don’t think the Swan numbers are what they used to be.
I was starting to get worried that the birds would never return to our garden, but mid-November saw a good variety come back with Blackbird, Robin and Dunnock all showing and, on the feeders, Goldfinches, House Sparrows and even a Coal Tit. The Parakeets continue to be a problem, however.
Our hedgehog did not show at all in November; the last camera sighting was on the 29th of October so it seems to have gone into hibernation early this year.
New Species for the Year
- Fieldfare on 26 November2024 at WWT Martin Mere
- Redwing on 26 November2024 at WWT Martin Mere