Raining Redwings

I headed to the coast today to try my hand at some seawatching.  As soon as I exited Ostend station, however, I noticed small groups of Redwing passing over and, by the time I reached the dunes, I was standing directly in the path of several low-flying flocks with hundreds of them passing all around me.  Within ten minutes, I counted at least 400 Redwings, together with a few Fieldfares and one Mistle Thrush.  Something big was obviously happening and another observer further along the coast counted 2100 in one hour.  Over the sea, things were much quieter, although I did get great looks at some passing Brent Geese, and a winter-plumaged Red-necked Grebe briefly stopped on the sea right in front of me.  Other than that, though, I just had one unidentified diver and a couple of Kittiwakes plus a slow but constant stream of Common Gulls passing by.  The day definitely belonged to the Redwings, therefore, so here again is that lovely picture I took a few years ago and have posted previously.