Autumn Redwings

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by markp

Not "vis mig"?

"Vis mig" or "vis mis" are both used as abreviations. Personally I prefer the former (or to stick to the full term "visible migration"!).

It's something that anyone can look out for, wherever they are. It does help if you are somewhere where there is good all round visibility, and it is usually essential for at least one observer to be good at identification from flight calls if you want to be able to identify most of the smaller birds that are seen!
The best time to be watching is usually the first couple of hours after dawn - so if you are up early try sitting in the garden with your morning coffee each day and see what goes over.

[Deb London]

This two hour rule is useful to know. There is something very fascinating about migration and I think I will look for a beginners' guide and get it in ready for next year.

[actionfinch]

Fieldfares and redwings Im looking forward to this year... and i cant keep my eyes off the sky just in case im lucky with a stray flock or two...
I agree DL a good beginners guide would be hand , prehaps one of our forum members could knock something up..lol

[Deb London]

Someone like ROY maybe.

[actionfinch]

good idea ... prehaps we should have a poll ... lol

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Deb London

This two hour rule is useful to know. There is something very fascinating about migration and I think I will look for a beginners' guide and get it in ready for next year.

You might find this page helpful, and inspirational perhaps:

SBSG Home

From Martin Garner's blog:

Keith Clarkson’s pioneering skills in the 1970′s lead him to notice the movements of Meadow Pipits along Sheffield’s Pennine fringe. Suspicious that the behavior of autumn Meadow Pipits might not represent local breeders, as usually assumed, Keith with the late John Atter, began trapping Meadow Pipits. Several hundred birds later and no re-traps they realised something far more dynamic was going on!

Cheers
Jonathan

[Deb London]

Great link Jonathan,

I want to compile a list of around 10 bird species that I might see now. I want to learn the flight characteristics and calls. Then I can join in a little.

I just had a walk outside and saw a flock of around ten birds. And they were calling. So if I'd had better ID skills would have known what they were (is there a birding term for that? ).

Deb

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Deb London

This two hour rule is useful to know. There is something very fascinating about migration and I think I will look for a beginners' guide and get it in ready for next year.

Jonathan's link covers the subject well, and should give a lot of pointer about how to go about "Vis migging" and what to expect. I've added a little more below (even though this seems like a thread high jack - perhaps starting a "Viz mig" thread would be better?):

The two hour rule is only a general guide, and is based on the fact that many bird species tend to migrate over night, and will usually drop down to feed and rest if they find themselves passing over suitable habitat once daylight arrives. When weather conditions are suitable visible migration can continue well after dawn though - and some species such as swallows and martins (as well larger birds, like raptors, that tend to use thermals to help with their journies) can be seen migrating during the day. You will know when there is a movement of swallows, rather than just birds "milling about" feeding, because they will tend to move through relatively quickly, all heading in the same general direction.

Look out for the weather conditions that are likely to produce the largest movements of birds first of all, so you don't bore yourself on mornings when nothing is moving (and don't worry too much if you can't identify them all - just watch them passing over).
The link given by Jonathan gives a good summary of when to expect the main movements of most species, and briefly mentions weather conditions: "The best weather conditions tend to be bright days with a light south-westerly wind, particularly after periods of poor weather. Movement is much reduced during rain, easterly winds, prolonged periods of high pressure and fog."
Most birds will wait for good weather before they migrate, so periods of poor weather effectively 'stop' most migration. The first clear night (in autumn) then results in a mass influx into Britain of birds that have been waiting to cross the North Sea. Light winds are generally best, but the best wind direction could potentially vary depending on where you are watching from (try different conditions out!).

Remember than not all of the birds that you see will be migrants, there will also be some birds that are making local movements between feeding and roosting areas. If you make regular observations from the same place, you should start to learn which birds are local one, and when additional overhead migrants occur (eg. you may usually see 10-20 local Chaffinches flying overhead in various directions, but find that on some mornings this number increases to 30-40 with the majority flying south or west - indicating a pasage of approximately 10-30 individuals). If you suspect that roosting birds may be involved (eg. hundreds, even thousands, of Woodpigeons may roost together, leaving the roost in the same direction), you could try evening visits to see if similar numbers return in the opposite direction. Migrants will often be higher up, but this is not always the case.

As for learning calls, start with the species that you are most likely to record in larger numbers: Meadow Pipit, Skylark, thrushes (including Blackbird), and finches. Also remember that some of the birds seen will be identifiable by sight - most obviously species such as Woodpigeon, Lapwings, and wildfowl.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Deb London

I just had a walk outside and saw a flock of around ten birds. And they were calling. So if I'd had better ID skills would have known what they were (is there a birding term for that? ).

Yes, it's one of the terms that's widely used elsewhere as well as by birders: "experience"!

[Deb London]

Thanks for a very interesting post Roy. We are supposed to be looking for migration today. But heavy rain is forecast where we are going so I guess the birds won't show. Just my luck!

Sorry to eunatural for migrating away from the thread topic.