High viewpoint, high hopes

I have been on the hunt for a good vantage point in St Albans (and within 5 miles of home) that would serve as a reliable 'vismig' or visible migration watchpoint.  Based on some recent visits I think I may have found one!  My hope is that if it delivers, it will become a key part of my local birding arsenal, perhaps connecting me to migrating passerines that I wouldn't otherwise get - like Crossbills, Hawfinch and, at this time of year, Tree Pipits.

​So, at 5.30am on 25th August I arrived at Potwells in North Mymms Park just to the southeast of St Albans.  It is part of what is probably, at 130m above sea-level, the highest point around St Albans.  It was a clear, still morning - perfect for Tree Pipits - and I had good views to the south and east with the woodland behind me.  I was interested to note the lines of movement over the site so I could know best where to pick up migrating birds.

The usual early morning southwards passage of larger gulls was evident in the valley but very little else seemed to be on the move.  Just after 6am I thought I heard some faint calls that could pass as Tree Pipits so I played the Tree Pipit calls on my phone and waited.  I heard the calls again faintly, sounding like 2 individual birds and began to get excited.  I played the calls again and before I knew it 2 Tree Pipits flew overhead, just above treetop height calling as they went!

They headed over the valley in a south-easterly direction having appeared from over the woods behind me.  By 6.30am a further 4 had flown over on the same trajectory meaning that I had now witnessed 6 (possibly more) Tree Pipits migrating over my home patch!  This was the highest count I had ever had in Herts but made me wonder what sort of numbers I might be able to get on a really good day when lots of birds are moving.

Spotted Flycatcher

That said, birds were clearly on the move that day with 2 Spotted Flycatchers on the edge of Redwell Woods as I returned to the car - my first local birds for the year.  Together with the Tree Pipits they took my 5 miles from home list to 143 species - just 7 species shy of my 150 annual target.