Unprecedented movement of Jays? (1 Viewer)

[prhodes]

Perhaps an early warning of a westward movement to eastern England of some rare visitors. Something unusual must have happened in the forests to our east.

 

[walshey]

Where are you seeing this? Just checked 2 East and 2 South coast b.obs websites and there's nothing there. Just a handful of birds, not unusual in October.

 

[KFC]

Where are you seeing this? Just checked 2 East and 2 South coast b.obs websites and there's nothing there. Just a handful of birds, not unusual in October.

300+ (or was it 500+) one site in Norfolk on Saturday (on Trektellen apparently) and here in Dorset there have been many seen moving west over the past week or so. The flock of 16 I saw was flying extremely high west over Weymouth. Certainly some unusual movements... but not sure where they might be collated. Perhaps there's something in another forum as it's not really Rare Bird fodder.

Ken

 

[KFC]

Just found on Bird Guides:

6/10/12
668 west over Hunstanton, Norfolk
189 over Sidestrand, Norfolk
130 over Great Yarmouth

7/10/12
448 over Hunstanton, Norfolk
340 over Reculver, Kent

I assume there are others like the Dorset birds that haven't been reported outside of our local egroup.

Ken

 

[gandytron]

More discussion on this subject on the Norfolk Birding thread.

 

[prhodes]

I just seem to be seeing more than usual. Interesting post by Lee:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bedsbirds/message/41881

 

[TerryL]

There is a report on the RSPB website about this years poor acorn crop both in the uk and in europe and its effect on jays.
Must admit that the thought of an influx of nutcrackers and arctic redpolls plus who knows what else is very interesting

 

[eddy the eagle]

I have been out in my local cork oak woods this weekend and can report that there were no acorns to be seen either on the ground or on the trees.This is very unusual and may be due to the very dry spring and summer we´ve had,there were numerous jays however no less than usual.I do´nt know about northern Spain but in my neck of the woods the acorn crop is nowhere to be seen. Eddy.

 

[simon-p]

A large influx being reported by local bloggers and tweeters locally in this part of Kent.

 

[Ian Bennell]

A birder in Italy who posts on the Herts yahoo group mentioned a while ago about the lack of acorns there and suggested that Jays could well move in numbers this autumn. He mentioned Nutcrackers aswell but isn't their favoured food the arolla pine? Have they failed to produce a crop this year too?

Ian

 

[BBandW]

Certainly seem to be more around W Sussex this year.

 

[RecoveringScot]

It may be unusual but it's happened before, in 1983. It resulted in a paper in 'British Birds'.

Cheers

 

[Andy1979]

Were there any rarities associated with the '83 movement?

 

[Phil Andrews]

Were there any rarities associated with the '83 movement?

No Nutcracker records in 1983 :-C

 

[Andy1979]

All this salivating about Nutcrackers, what chance (ever) of a Siberian Jay...?

 

[username]

Always interesting to witness such movements....:cat:

On my local patch the other day i observed a total of 22 birds in less than 2hours heading from SE to NW...[largest group of seven]....and this was without constant viz-migging.....

Okay..so not a spectacular number...but most unusual and quite fascinating....!


http://username-beast.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[dantheman]

See this existing thread -

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=241181


From that thread, and elsewhere, I think it is thought that the Jays are not originating from the same areas as Nutcrackers would. Or Siberian Jays for that matter. (Unfortunately).

 

[dantheman]

Where are you seeing this? Just checked 2 East and 2 South coast b.obs websites and there's nothing there. Just a handful of birds, not unusual in October.

PBO had one the other day! I think they're hoping for more ...

 

[username]

Forget what rarity may or not be associated with the movement...enjoy the Jays...:cat:


http://username-beast.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[Jane Turner]

I've had close to 60 in the last week, against 37 October records since 1975.