Thursday 17th October

A visit to the evening tide saw a Spotted Redshank amongst the Redshank around The Bight, with counts including 970 Wigeon, 378 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 14 Greenshank, six Sanderling, five Great Crested Grebe, three Grey Plover, three Knot, three Sandwich Tern, two Mediterranean Gull and a Kingfisher.

Wednesday 16th October

The immature Merlin was again around Bight early morning, unsuccessfully chasing a Kingfisher which evaded capture by repeatedly dropping into the water and flying amongst swimming wildfowl. 

Counts from the morning high tide included 357 Curlew, 28 Bar-tailed Godwit, 87 Dunlin, 74 Great Black-backed and three Mediterranean Gull, the seven Eider, four Pale-bellied Brent Geese, four Sanderling, threes of Grey Plover, Knot and Sandwich Tern and a female Pintail.

Other records included 10 Meadow Pipit and a Chaffinch in the dunes, a flock of 11 Cattle Egret that flew in from the north before foraging for a while on the Golf Course and a Spoonbill was on Bull Hill, a 2cy/ad so different to yesterday's bird. 

Other Wildlife: A Vestal, two Rush Veneer and a Rusty-dot Pearl were flushed from the wet vegetation.

Vestal - Kevin Rylands

Rusty-dot Pearl - Kevin Rylands

Tuesday 15th October

Another good start to the day with another early morning flyover Great White Egret, this time heading north over the seawall into the estuary, yesterday's bird returning? Also offshore two Balearic Shearwater, 20 Common Scoter and seven Eider.

The elusive Yellow-browed Warbler was in Dead Dolphin Wood with 12 Long-tailed Tit, eight Chiffchaff and single Coal Tit and Jay, with 95 Goldfinch and two Blackcap in Greenland Lake, two Grey Wagtail at the Main Pond and an immature Merlin was on Warren Point.

Merlin - both Jim Summers

Records from the estuary included five Cattle Egret, a juvenile Spoonbill and, on Finger Point, a 1cy Caspian Gull, all a sign of the times. Counts included 318 Dark and five Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 125 Turnstone, 106 Dunlin, 60 Ringed and three Grey Plover, 22 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Greenshank, nine Sanderling, eight Mediterranean Gull, three Knot, two Sandwich Tern and a Whimbrel.

Caspian Gull - Lee Collins

Other Wildlife: Hardly any flying insects apart from foraging Common Vespula vulgaris and Tree Wasp Dolichovespula sylvestris, with fungi on the woods included Frosty Bonnet Mycena tenerrima and several Spectacular Rustgill Gymnopilus junonius.

Frosty Bonnet Mycena tenerrima - Alan Keatley

Spectacular Rustgill Gymnopilus junonius - Alan Keatley

Valenzuela flavidus, a barkfly - Alan Keatley

Two Brown Rat were enjoying breakfast at the service road bird table.

Monday 14th October

A vocal Pectoral Sandpiper paused briefly in The Bight on the evening tide, the fourth occasion two North American waders have been on site this autumn, as the Long-billed Dowitcher remains in an area with no general access. 

Elsewhere the Yellow-browed Warbler was in Dead Dolphin Wood and a Great White Egret flew S early morning.

Year list addition:

178. Pectoral Sandpiper

Sunday 13th October

The Yellow-browed Warbler was still in Dead Dolphin Wood, with two Jay and half a dozen Chiffchaff around the Main Pond. 

The monthly WeBS counts recorded 1078 Wigeon, 626 Teal, 305 Curlew, 283 Redshank, 22 Snipe, 14 Greenshank, four Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, three Great Crested Grebe, a Pintail and the Long-billed Dowitcher in the estuary corner. 

Overall tallies of those species predominately around The Bight included 1139 Oystercatcher, 175 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 53 Dunlin, 49 Ringed Plover, 31 Turnstone, 10 Knot, seven Eider, two Sanderling and a Whimbrel.

Other Wildlife: A distinctive leafmine on a small Blackthorn in the Buffer Zone revealed a new moth for the Recording Area, Striped Bent-wing/Blackthorn Blister Moth Lyonetia prunifoliella, previously extinct in the UK this species has increased rapidly since returning in 2007.

Lyonetia prunifoliella - Kevin Rylands

Saturday 12th October

The Yellow-browed Warbler remained around Dead Dolphin Wood, with a Firecrest also amongst the Chiffchaff and tit flocks.

Another 1400 Woodpigeon flew SW, on more inland route than yesterday, with a Great Northern Diver heading high upriver and also overhead three Swallow, two Golden Plover, two Snipe and a Song Thrush.

Friday 11th October

The second Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn, an elusive and largely silent bird, was mobile around Dead Dolphin Wood, with a late Willow Warbler, 12 Chiffchaff, four Blackcap and a Coal Tit also in the bushes.

Yellow-browed Warbler - Kim Summers

Blackcap - Jim Summers

The Long-billed Dowitcher remains in an area with no general access with counts from the estuary including 260 Teal, 151 Redshank, 80 Dark and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 77 Dunlin, 29 Turnstone, 28 Ringed Plover, eight Sandwich Tern and single Black-tailed Godwit, Pintail and an immature Spoonbill.  

Elsewhere a Great Northern Diver and seven Eider were offshore and overhead an early pulse of 3570 Woodpigeon headed high SW, along with 12 Skylark, two Stock Dove and a Rook. 

Thursday 10th October

The Long-billed Dowitcher remained in the estuary corner (no general access) with 87 Dunlin, 62 Ringed Plover, eight Sanderling and six Sandwich Tern around The Bight.

Elsewhere the first Jay of the year noisily moved through the bushes around the Main Pond and Dead Dolphin Wood, seven Eider and a Red-throated Diver were offshore with 11 Chiffchaff and single Blackcap and Goldcrest on site.

Year list addition:

177. Jay

Other Wildlife: Into October and insects are still on the move with a "new in" Hummingbird Hawkmoth nectaring on Sea Rocket along the beach with at least five Red Admiral passing through with a few Small White. A Locust Blowfly Stomorhina lunata on Michaelmas Daisy in Greenland Lake added to the migrants.

Locust Blowfly Stomorhina lunata - Alan Keatley

Also on the wing two Ectophasia crassipennis tachinid flies; a recent addition to the British fauna, now a site regular with several sightings this year, a few Green Furrow Bee Lasioglossum morio were still active near Langstone Rock with at least ten Common Darter and a few Migrant Hawker.

Ectophasia crassipennis - Alan Keatley

Lined Froghopper Neophilaenus lineatus - Alan Keatley

Green Furrow Bee Lasioglossum morio - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 9th October

The Long-billed Dowitcher again made a brief foray to the Bight, with the seven Eider on Finger Point with other records including 224 Curlew, 154 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, all adults, 70 Shelduck, 42 Ringed and two Grey Plover, 29 Dunlin, 13 Sandwich Tern, six Sanderling, four Bar-tailed Godwit and single Kingfisher and Mediterranean Gull.

Long-billed Dowitcher 07/10/24 - Lee Collins

Elsewhere seven Swallow flew through, there was a noticeable arrival of eight Blackcap, and 50 Goldfinch and 30 Linnet in Greenland Lake.

Tuesday 8th October

The Long-billed Dowitcher remains in the estuary, flying to the Bight with Redshank when disturbed by strong winds and heavy showers. They all returned to the saltmarsh (no general access) when the weather cleared. Closer views revealing the extent of moult since its arrival on 13 September. 

Long-billed Dowitcher - Alan Keatley

Also in the estuary 83 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 82 Shelduck, 64 Dunlin, 60 Ringed Plover, 46 Turnstone, 18 Greenshank, 12 Sandwich Tern, four Sanderling and a Whimbrel. 

The female Eider was again on Finger Point with six birds offshore, an eclipse male and presumed returning the three male and two females. Elsewhere nine Swallow flew through and four Chiffchaff were on site.

Other Wildlife: The weather also affected the few insects that were about, including a Hairy-backed Boxhead Wasp Crossocerus megacephalus in a torpid state on an evening primrose. The flight period is normally to September, so this record is particularly late.

Hairy-backed Boxhead Wasp Crossocerus megacephalus - Alan Keatley