October 2025 Ramsbury Bird Notes by Paul Swan

Green Sandpiper

Unusually, there are still some swallows and house martins around, but they will surely have left before the beginning of October. Those summer visitors will be replaced by our autumn visitors, including redwing and fieldfare as well as our regular flock of golden plover. The redwings and fieldfare only travel at night, and it is worth heading outside on a clear frosty October evening and listening hard with your hands cupped over your ears. You may well hear the ‘chuckle ‘of the fieldfare or the high pitched ‘seep’ whistle of the redwing. This is also the month when gardens are often visited by mixed flocks of tits and finches. If you are lucky enough to see a flock of long tailed tits it will consist of an adult pair, their offspring and several aunts and uncles, all relatives of the male bird. They will stay together right through the winter and disperse in the Spring. Two great sightings have been reported this month. A pair of green sandpipers have been pausing in their migration to Africa in the Seven Bridges area. These are rare birds and are seldom seen in this area. Their dark upperparts contrast vividly with pale underparts and a white rump. The second sighting was of a peregrine near West Lodge. This was probably one of the pair that are now resident on the roof of the church in Aldbourne.