Thursday 24th September

Last night the minimum temperature dipped into single digits, the barometer plummeted to 991mb, the lowest since Feb and in the afternoon the rain fell hard; it was a decidedly autumnal day. In the breeze, 106 Gannet foraged early morning; also a Common Scoter offshore. Skulking in brambles, a Sedge Warbler was the best of the migrants; eight Chiffchaff hunted for insects on the sunny sides of wooded edges, and some of the seven Blackcap munched blackberries. Also today, 14 Greenfinch, some with the Goldfinch flock; 12 Long-tailed Tit, two Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk. A Kingfisher was on the Main Pond briefly.

Attending the late morning tide, 22 Pale-bellied Brent Goose (in juvs) and 19 Dark-bellied Brent Goose were the highlight. Selected other waterbird counts were 265 Curlew, 220 Wigeon, 187 Dunlin, 68 Ringed Plover, 34 Turnstone, 22 Mute Swan, six Little Egret, two Grey Plover, the male Eider and a Grey Heron.

No obvious overhead passage and only a few other, mostly grounded migrants included just eight Meadow Pipit, seven Pied Wagtail, also six Swallow and a Grey Wagtail. Other notables were three Raven, five Skylark still on Warren Point, a Bullfinch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Wildlife news: some warmth before the rain arrived encouraged out a few regular dragonflies and Ivy Bee.

Ivy Bee - Alan Keatley

 

Sedge Warbler - Alan Keatley