Amwell

Today was distinctly different, cool and low cloud, distinctly autumnal.
This made the morning visit to Amwell pretty interesting. All morning small parties of hirundines were moving, along with Meadow Pipits. Got on the wrong bird at one point and missed a Yellow Wagtail. Huge flock of Mistle Thrush was seen to the north-count of 27 or 28 depending on who did the counting.
 Usual assortment of duck and geese. Two Snipe were seen, and thanks to hints from Messrs Ball and Ward I saw the Common Sandpiper and Dabchick (the latter is rather unusual on the main pit and is usually found elsewhere).
Went for a walk down to the Water Vole pit A Cetti's Warbler was singing quietly continuously.  Big Tit flock going through, Great, Blue and Long Tailed. A warbler with them seen feeing on elder berries was not Chiffchaff as expected but a Lesser Whitethroat-don't see them all that often this time of year.
 Back at the watchpoint Simon had arrived so we got to see images from his recent Irish holiday-two American Goldens together, Pec Sand, Wilsons Phal etc. Not a bad haul but not as good as he had last year.