News from Carr Vale in the past week is as follows starting with wildfowl with a noticeable increase in the past few days with an influx of 20 Wigeon on 11th (up from one the day before and about time too!), Teal up to 111 on 12th (the highest October count since 149 on 27th October 2007), Mallard 121 on 12th and Shoveler up to eight from 11th, but Gadwall numbers are low with just a dozen or so present most days although 21 on 7th. The Canada Goose flock peaked at 179 on 10th and 12th and continues to hold two rather ugly hybrid Canada x Grey Lags and two altogether more cute looking Barnacle x Canadas whilst the adult Whooper Swan from the 5th remained until 9th and three Grey Lag Geese flew south on7th. Other notables from the 6th onwards include Little Egret, Golden Plover, adult Common Gull, a Redwing and Cetti’s Warbler on 6th, adult Common Gull, Peregrine, Cetti’s Warbler, Rock Pipit and 25 Redpoll on 7th. Adult Yellow-legged Gull, two first winter Common Gulls, two Great Black-backed Gulls, two Peregrines and a Raven were seen on 8th with an adult and second winter Common Gulls and a flock of 70 Stock Doves on 9th. Water Rail and Cetti’s Warbler logged for the 10th with Little Egret, first winter Common Gull, 58 Collared Doves (over Longcourse Farm Duckmanton from the mound), a singing Chiffchaff and 40 Redpolls on 11th whilst the 12th weighed in with a Water Rail, two first winter Common Gulls and a late Swallow. 
Four hour visible migration sessions carried continued daily from 6th with the following recorded (direction of movement in brackets). On 6th just eight Swallows (s), on 7th two Cormorants (w), 29 Golden Plover (e), 11 Sky Larks (sw), seven Swallows (s), 560 Redwings (sw in 2 hours), nine Meadow Pipits (s), three Brambling (sw) and eight Siskin (s). On 8th 230 Redwings (sw) and 50 Fieldfare (sw). On 9th 60 Sky Larks (29 sw and 21 se), 90 Redwing (w), 100 Fieldfare (w), 12 Meadow Pipits (s) and six Siskins (s). on 10th 175 Wood Pigeons (sw), six Pied Wagtails (s), two Grey Wagtails (w), 29 Linnets (s) and 24 Siskins (s). On 11th 26 Sky Larks (sw), 240 Redwings (w), 15 Pied Wagtails (s), 13 Meadow Pipits (s), two Brambling (s) and eight Siskins (s). Too windy on 12th!