Sunday 23rd September

A day of two halves with rain and strong winds early morning but bright sunshine in the afternoon and quite warm in sheltered spots. These areas held a couple of Spotted Flycatcher, two Wheatear and a Whitethroat along with several Chiffchaff but numbers were seemingly down on yesterday.

Spotted Flycatcher - Simon Thurgood

In the estuary counts included 325 Wigeon, c200 Dunlin, 46 Knot, 27 Teal, 20 Sanderling and 10 Grey Plover with 38 Sandwich and a juvenile Arctic Tern offshore and a single Golden Plover in off at the seawall.

Grey Heron - Simon Thurgood

Wildlife News: A Clouded Yellow was the pick of the numerous insects that emerged to make the most of the first warm sunny conditions for a couple of days.

Clouded Yellow - Simon Thurgood

Saturday 22nd September

Weather conditions with rain starting pre dawn and continuing throughout the day delivered good numbers of migrants with minimum counts of 32 Blackcap and 21 Chiffchaff with  single Whinchat, Wheatear, Whitethroat, Willow and Garden Warbler also on site. The warblers were actively feeding in bushes and even on open ground throughout the reserve. The weather also brought down 40+ Swallow and 11 House Martin to ground level with 40+ Meadow Pipit grounded, especially in the Bight and along the Dune Ridge.

Meadow Pipit - Alan Keatley

Counts from the estuary included 330 Wigeon, 328 Redshank, 282 Dunlin, 39 Ringed Plover, 37 Sandwich and four Common Tern, 32 Turnstone, 29 Knot, 20 Bar and six Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Grey Plover, seven Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a pair of Tufted Duck were offshore early morning and single Manx and Balearic Shearwater flew east mid afternoon.

Bar-tailed Godwit - Lee Collins

The bird of the left had been ringed in Belguim

Friday 21st September

The stormy weather again past long before daybreak but two Storm Petrel flew south with five egret sp, 68 Sandwich and three Arctic Tern whilst a summer Red-throated Diver and an Eider were on the sea. Overhead the first Skylark of the autumn and c40 Meadow Pipit.

Elsewhere at least 14 Chiffchaff were in the bushes, 1060 Oystercatcher, seven Bar and six Black-tailed Godwit, three Whimbrel and a Knot were in the estuary but a marauding Peregrine prevented a count of the smaller waders.

 Sanderling - Lee Collins

Thursday 20th September

Four Balearic Shearwater flew south with 175 Gannet, most in the first hour of the day,  52 Common Scoter, 24 Kittiwake, three Great Skua and a diver sp with the two Eider and a juvenile Arctic Tern lingering off the seawall.

In the estuary counts over the evening tide included 151 Dunlin, 136 Teal, 106 Ringed Plover, 56 Sandwich and two Common Tern, 43 Wigeon, 29 Sanderling, 10 Black and seven Bar-tailed Godwit, seven Knot, two Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere 47 Swallow flew through and single Wheatear and Whitethroat were on site with 110 Goldfinch and 73 Linnet.

Rock Pipit - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: As the seasons turn the insects are beginning to reduce in number, and today were confined to sheltered areas. Just a few Small Copper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and a Small White amongst the butterflies, with several Common Darter and a couple of Migrant Hawker also on the wing. Hoverflies included Stripe-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum and Stripe-eyed Dronefly Eristalis tenax.

 Eristalis nemorum - Alan Keatley

Common Darter - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 19th September

The two Eider were still off the seawall but no other news was received.

Tuesday 18th September

Seawatching early morning saw five Balearic Shearwater head south before 9am with 210 Gannet, 43 Sandwich and two Black Tern, seven Kittiwake and two Fulmar. Elsewhere an Eider was off the seawall and in the evening the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood with 110 Redshank, 96 Great black-backed Gull, 10 Turnstone, two adult Mediterranean Gull and single Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit and Greenshank.

Monday 17th September

An Osprey was eating its catch on Bull Hill mid-afternoon before being chased off by several Carrion Crow. Elsewhere 118 Goldfinch were in Greenland Lake.

Sunday 16th September

A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper appeared in the Bight on the dropping tide with 170 Dunlin, 37 Ringed Plover, 16 Knot, 12 Sanderling, 12 Grey Plover and five Turnstone. Also in the estuary 322 Curlew, 10 Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, 55 Wigeon, six Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Offsite two Osprey were hunting up river. Offshore a juvenile Little Gull and 36 Common Scoter.

The Wryneck remained on site, but eluded most who made the trek to Warren Point, other migrants included a Whinchat in the Car Park, three White Wagtail, two Whitethroat and overhead just two Grey Wagtail. Elsewhere a site record 162 House Sparrow emerged from the roost by the Tractor Compound. 

Saturday 15th September

The pick of the migrants may not have travelled far with single Nuthatch and Jay mobile around the recording area during the morning with 14 Chiffchaff, 14 Blackcap, three Whitethroat, three Wheatear, two Reed Warbler and the Wryneck also present. Overhead 32 Meadow Pipit, four Grey and a Yellow Wagtail, two Jackdaw and single Golden Plover, Rook, Sand and House Martin.

In the estuary counts included 277 Redshank, 234 Dunlin, 25 Ringed Plover, just 20 Wigeon, 20 Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Sanderling, five Whimbrel, two Knot, a Kingfisher and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere 110+ Goldfinch were feeding around Greenland Lake and at least four Pheasant were seeking refuge on site.

Dunlin & Ringed Plover - Dave Jewell

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was in the estuary with at least eight Red Admiral along the Dune Ridge with a single Wall Brown also present. A single Rush Veneer was in Greenland Lake.

Friday 14th September

The Wryneck made a brief reappearance on Warren Point on a day with few other migrants. A juvenile Osprey was in the estuary on the receding tide, flushing many of the waders before full counts were possible but totals included 131+ Dunlin, 27 Sandwich Tern, 16 Sanderling, 15 Ringed Plover, five Whimbrel and two Black-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere 40 Swallow and 10 House Martin flew through and a Snipe flew in off the sea before landing amongst scrub on Warren Point.

 Whimbrel, Bar and Black-tailed Godwit - Simon Thurgood

White Wagtail - Simon Thurgood