Wednesday 5 November 2014

Woodpigeon Migration

Last few days been getting similar numbers of Woodpigeon in the early morning as what Wintersett have been recording, so presume the same birds have been crossing Wintersett south-west to the Cawthorne/Silkstone corridor then appearing to then turn more south in a direction to Oxspring (viewed from Higham). They are possibly then following the River Don south?
On Trektellen migration watch other sites are getting large number such as - Berry Hill Stoke on Trent on 4/11 had 43350 birds SW for example and the pattern seems to be down the centre of the UK.
Additionally, on Trektellen 25100 birds were seen over Start Point, Devon heading out to sea (and France).
The BTO Migration Atlas suggests UK birds are sedentary and rarely leave the UK and that we rarely receive Continental birds? So, maybe we are missing Continental birds coming very high over the East Coast? or they are UK birds leaving for the Continent? Has the Atlas got both ideas wrong?
Perhaps more Woodpigeon watching needed - its as easy as counting sheep!!

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