The month’s weather was rather more changeable than the early autumn period. The first of a series of weak Atlantic fronts brought a dull and relatively cool start to the month compared with the high temperatures that had become a constant feature of August and September.
The first true frost of the autumn occurred on the morning of 5 October, but the ensuing week saw a return to milder weather with some good sunny periods. Up to 20 October, the weather remained fairly benign with easterly winds. But long spells of warm sunshine raised midday temperatures into the low teens Celsius. Thereafter, a colder northerly air-stream developed and the wind chill factor made for a much cooler latter end to the month. The first substantial rain of the autumn fell on 29 October and 30-31 October as a series of fronts tracked north-east across the country. But their effects were hardly noticeable on the water starved ponds in the park.
October is very much a month of change in the avian calendar. The last of the summer visitors depart in a rush at the advance of the first colder weather of the autumn. Meanwhile, winter visitors from Scandinavia and the Baltic countries can flood into the country as their summer homes become locked in frost and ice. Waterfowl, waders and passerines are the most obvious movers, but raptors and some owls, like the Short-eared, are regular autumnal migrants. With exceptionally fine and warm weather throughout September, most of the summering migrants had already left before October arrived. However, there were still six Swallows on 4 October and a late bird was seen on 15 October taking advantage of a good crop of insects on a warm late autumn day.
A small passage of Meadow Pipits was evident early in the month but peaked with only 14 birds. Two to three Rock Pipits were occasional visitors to the northern ponds from the adjacent foreshore from 13 October to the month’s end. Grey Wagtails also became frequent visitors during the month as they commuted between feeding areas around the Middle Lagoon, the sewage works and the Humber Bridge viewing area. Two of the regular birds were juveniles, with their striking yellowy orange flush to the underparts and the amazingly eye-catching fluorescent yellow undertail coverts.
Winter thrushes arrived in small numbers after the first Song Thrushes in the first week. Blackbirds were the most obvious, but the seeping calls of Redwing were often audible as small flocks passed overhead. The resident flock of Mistle Thrushes was joined by three Fieldfares on 15 October when a fine young male Ring Ouzel was also located in the hawthorns of the south-western park. This striking thrush has bold black plumage fringed with creamy-white feather edges and a white half collar. Its very loud and distinctive chak chak call is often the first indication of its presence.
Wednesday 15 October became a mega thrush day with all six regular British species - Blackbird, Song and Mistle Thrushes, Fieldfare, Redwing and Ring Ouzel - being seen on the park. This was a local record. Ring Ouzels are a scarce visitor to the clay pits scrub, occurring in March to May and September to November, but there are only one or two records in most years. This was the third record for Water’s Edge, following single birds on 27 September 2001 and 26 October 1999.
Kingfishers were still present on most days, especially by the pond nearest Maltkiln Road, where they fished from the surrounding bushes. Great Spotted Woodpeckers were also frequent and a Treecreeper was heard in the south-west wood on a few days. A female Stonechat present at the end of September was seen through to 3 October. A second bird for the autumn appeared in the same area on 23 October, but its stay was a brief one. A Bearded Tit was heard in pond B on 30 October - hopefully a sign of more regular occurrences in the coming year. Two Snow Buntings flying around the northern park giving their distinctive trilling calls on 30 October were a fine sight, but a definite sign of the approaching winter!
A male Kestrel was frequently observed hunting the northern park and the adjacent foreshore. This bird was still in tail moult and seems likely to have been the bird which bred on the park in 2003. Odd Sparrowhawks were present on most days and there were a few sightings of Peregrines. These were usually the birds which were roosting and loafing on the southern towers of the Humber Bridge. A Water Rail was seen walking across the path between the south-western ponds on 22 October; the first encounter with this species during the autumn.
Wildfowl did not figure prominently during the month. Water levels were very low in most of the ponds and the Middle Lagoon remained dry. However, there were peaks of 54 Moorhen, 34 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler and also records of up to seven Wigeon, three Goldeneye and a single Scaup on 6 October. One of the two Garganey that had frequented the eastern site of special scientific interest (SSSI) at the end of September remained to 3 October. This duck is our only truly migratory summer wildfowl, with the bulk of the population spending the winter in sub-Saharan Africa.
Waders were thin on the ground, but there were a few Redshank and Dunlin around the ponds on most days. Larger high tide roosts gathered on some days. A single Knot was present on 23 October and there were up to five Snipe on the new lagoons.
With cooler temperatures from the end of the first week, insect activity was quickly snuffed out and there were no reports of butterflies or dragonflies after 15 October. Sightings of foxes became more frequent and two or three Grey Squirrels munched their way through the wild rose hips and the hawthorn haws of the western park.