Meadow Pipits on the move

A large movement of Meadow Pipits over Beeley Moor this morning. Parties of generally 15 to 30 were moving SW across the moor on a broad front but some groups numbered several hundred. Difficult to estimate the number of birds involved but 10,000 were counted passing over Wintersett Reservoir this morning. Many of these birds will be travelling down to the Iberian Peninsula for the winter.
A Northern Wheatear on Flash Lane allowed a very close approach but in heavily overcast conditions. I think this bird is an adult male, with lots of grey showing through on the crown and mantle and uniformly fresh plumage. It could be a 'Greenland' Wheatear, race leucorhoa, looking at the length of the primaries. These birds migrate from Greenland and Iceland through the UK and western Europe to Africa and, as is generally the case, longer distance migrants have longer wings.

Northern Wheatear - adult male

At least 6 Stonechat and 6 Red Grouse, which is my largest group of the autumn, rounded of the morning. 
I then headed over to Carsington where a second Grey Phalarope had turned up but I failed to find it.

Grey Phalarope - Carsington

The recent spell of gale force winds have impacted on migrating birds with large numbers of seabirds seen close inshore off the SW coast whilst some have been driven inland including this Grey Phalarope found by Alan Stewardson at Carsington Water this morning. This is a juvenile moulting in to 1st winter plumage and is only the eight time the species has been recorded at Carsington.
Breeding within the Arctic Circle, with a small number of pairs in Iceland, they migrate down the North Atlantic at this time of year, remaining at sea until they reach their wintering grounds off eastern and southern Africa. Their occurence inland is almost always as a result of displacement due to very strong westerly winds like we have experienced recently. There have been around half a dozen on inland waters, and around another 40 around the UK coast during the last couple of days, and they will doubtless continue their southward journey once the wind decreases.

Grey Phalarope moulting to 1st winter plumage

Kingfisher - Rowsley

A scarce bird locally Kingfishers are again being seen around Caudwells Mill canal and the adjacent River Wye where this bird was photographed this morning. The all dark bill and red feet indicate that this bird is an adult male.

Kingfisher - adult male

Relatively quiet on the moors but a juvenile Whinchat at Whitesprings was in an unusual location. 

Whinchat - juvenile