Two weeks after the huge Skylark migration, it was the turn of Fieldfares to pass through in big numbers this past weekend. I was in the Ardennes enjoying the autumn colours and we saw several big groups totalling at least 200 birds but we were hiking rather counting. The migration watchers at Scheveningen (NL), however, managed to count 15,272 of them! Other good birds in the Ardennes included a Black Woodpecker in a tree right above us, Willow Tit, and a perched (as opposed to the usual in-flight views) Nutcracker.
Today, I was originally planning to go to The Hague to try to see my first Dusky Warbler but it moved further down the coast yesterday, just as another one was found at the Belgian coast. I thus headed back to Heist instead in the hope of seeing that one but it was nowhere to be found today. Thankfully, though, it had been found at the same place as the 1st autumn Barred Warbler, which has now been there for three weeks. We actually walked straight past it last time but it was being very skulky then so nobody really knew if it was still around. Not so today, as it was showing very well, actively feeding and preening, as soon as I arrived and even allowed me to get a crappy photo as it perched briefly in the open before flying to another section of bushes.
Another Belgian tick, therefore, just nine days after the Hume's Warbler, and a nice consolation prize for failing to see two Dusky Warblers. Other than that, it was very quiet compared to my last visit and I only saw one Goldcrest all day long. I finished the day being entertained by a group of Sanderlings running around like clockwork toys on the beach at Ostend and oblivious of all the day-trippers making the most of the ridiculously warm and sunny weather. Oh, and the Siberian Accentor tally now stands at 190, but still not a single one has been found in Belgium, yet!
