148 species so far this year

147 species by the same time last year

A total of 97 species for the month compared with an average 89.8 species over the previous ten-year period. Seven species were knew for the year. However, a combination of predominantly SW winds in the first half of the month and light to moderate northerly winds towards the end did not produce much in the way of surprises. A Great White Egret on 5th was only our third record, a flock of 40 Sanderlings on 14th was exceptionally early for such numbers and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover on 23rd-24th was the first since 2019. There was a reasonable passage of skuas towards the end of the month, predominantly Arctics, but perhaps too early, and the winds too light, to produce much variety.

31st

Cloudy, cool with a fresh northerly wind. Five Gannets, a Shelduck in the company of three Oystercatchers, three Wigeon and eight Teal flew west. There were about 50 Common Scoters moving to and fro offshore. Waders included a Dunlin on the beach, a juvenile male Ruff flying west close inshore at 7.20 am, one Curlew east, a Redshank on the Marsh Pool, two Green Sandpipers circling the area before flying off west and four Common Sandpipers west with another on the Marsh Pool. Seven Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua, five Common Terns and our first Arctic Tern of the year, a juvenile, also flew west. Other birds included a Kingfisher in the brook by the sewage works entrance, three Yellow Wagtails on the beach, a Whinchat in the grassland, a juvenile Song Thrush along the east bank and a Lesser Whitethroat in the scrub. One of out better days this autumn to finish off the month!

30th

Cloudy, cool with a fresh NE wind. Two Gannets flew east, seven Wigeon, six Teal, seven Arctic Skuas, three Great Skuas and ten Common Terns flew west. Waders included c60 Oystercatchers east, nine Sanderlings and eight Dunlin on the beach, a Whimbrel west and a Snipe.

29th

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen by Andy Bowers.

28th

Cloudy with a fresh northerly wind. There were about 30 Gannets offshore, 71 Wigeon and two Pintail, and ten Arctic Skuas and three Great Skuas flew west. Waders included 24 Oystercatchers, 30 Sanderlings and nine Dunlin on the beach and two Bar-tailed Godwits which flew east. A Whinchat was in the scrub and a Willow Warbler along the east bank.

Butterflies noted included a Painted Lady.

27th

Cloudy, moderate northerly wind. Waders included eight Dunlin and 117 Turnstones on the beach. One Common Scoter flew east and two Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua flew west. Seven Sand Martins flew west, a juvenile Willow Warbler was along the east bank where a Song Thrush was the first seen for some time.

26th

Cloudy, cool with a fresh northerly wind. A Fulmar flew west, three Gannets and five Common Scoters flew east. Waders included 20 Oystercatchers and a Dunlin on the beach, four Sanderlings west and Whimbrel and Redshank were heard. The winds encouraged a movement of skuas with 13 Arctic Skuas and one Great Skua heading west. A Marsh Harrier was also noted.

25th

Cloudy, cool, moderate NE wind. An adult Great Crested Grebe was on the sea, a juvenile Shelduck on the beach, a Teal, and seven Common Scoters flew west. Waders included 46 Ringed Plovers and three Dunlin on the beach, a Bar-tailed Godwit flew east over the tidal ponds and a Common Sandpiper was on the Marsh Pool. Five Common Terns flew west. Other birds our first returning Kingfisher, a Wheatear and a Willow Warbler.

24th

An adult Little Grebe in breeding plumage along the lower brook was a surprisingly early bird whilst our first Whinchat of the autumn was rather late. The juvenile Little Ringed Plover appeared in the remnant brook again. Two Green Sandpiper were noted, two Arctic Skuas flew west and a Marsh Harrier and Hobby were also seen. A Reed Bunting was the first of the autumn.

23rd

Cloudy, fresh northerly wind. Flocks of eight and 14 Teal flew west, 30 Common Scoters flew west and 20 flew east. Waders included 13 Oystercatchers on the beach, a single Golden Plover which landed on the beach by the Obs, one Sanderling on the beach, four Dunlin west, singles of Whimbrel, Redshank, Greenshank and Common Sandpiper west but best of all a juvenile Little Ringed Plover in the remnant brook, our first for two years. The fresh northerly winds produced 27 Arctic Skuas, one Great Skua and 84 Common/Arctic Terns heading west and a single adult Kittiwake heading NW.

21st

Cloudy and calm. Six Teal flew west. Waders included 50+ Ringed Plovers, 31 Sanderlings, one Dunlin, two Greenshanks, a Green Sandpiper heard calling, a Common Sandpiper and 116 Turnstones. An adult Mediterranean Gull flew west and a juvenile was on the football pitch with Black-headed Gulls. Two Meadow Pipits were on the beach and seven Yellow Wagtails included five together between the groynes by the caravan park. A Wheatear was on the shingle ridge and a Willow Warbler was also noted.

20th

A single Sanderling was amongst the waders on the beach and a Great Skua which flew high westwards was our first of the year. A single Swift and a trickle of Swallows and Yellow Wagtails flew west. There were four Blackcaps and two Willow Warblers along the east bank.

19th

Cloudy with a light westerly wind. Four Gannets flew east, a Marsh Harrier, two Arctic Skuas and a juvenile Black Tern (new for the year) flew west. Waders included 55 Ringed Plovers, a juvenile Knot, two Dunlin, two Common Sandpipers and a 101 Turnstones on the beach and a Black-tailed Godwit flew west close inshore at 12.35 pm. A Swift, five Sand Martins, c10 Swallows and seven Yellow Wagtails flew west. There were two Wheatears on the shingle ridge and two juvenile Willow Warblers along the east bank.

18th

Cloudy, light SW wind, some rain. A good day for waders with 11 species recorded which included a breeding plumage adult Grey Plover west, three Ruff, a juvenile male and female west at 7.10 am and another juvenile male at 11.35 am west, a flock of eight Redshanks west, two Greenshanks, one west and one briefly on the beach, three Whimbrels and a Curlew west and two Common Sandpipers. Other birds included one Fulmar west, one Gannet west and three east, 17 Common Scoter and three Sandwich Terns west. Away from the water, there were two Wheatears on the shingle ridge and a juvenile Willow Warbler in the bluethroat bush.

A young Common Seal pup was on the beach between the groynes at the eastern end of the beach.

17th

Waders included a flock of 12 Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper. A Hobby flew west and three Wheatears included two on the beach and one flying west over the sea.

16th

Cloudy, cooler with a fresh NW wind. The highlight of the morning was a juvenile Pochard which flew west close inshore at 7.45 am and was an addition to the year list. A Fulmar, 13 Gannets and a drake Common Scoter flew west and there were three Little Egrets on the Marsh Pool. Waders included a single Sanderling on the beach, 17 Redshanks roosting on the Marsh Pool early morning, 56 Turnstones roosting between the groynes and single Black-tailed Godwit and Dunlin. Late in the morning there was a flurry of activity along the east bank with a Whitethroat, four Blackcaps, three Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler noted and a surprisingly early Goldcrest.

14th

Sunny with a light SW wind. Waders included 33 Ringed Plovers, an exceptional for August 40 Sanderlings, two Redshanks and 105 Turnstones on the beach and a Common Sandpiper on the Marsh Pool. Three Sandwich Terns flew east and a Sand Martin and a Yellow Wagtail flew west.

Butterfly of the day, and the year, was a Purple Hairstreak in the trees along the upper brook. Only the second record for the site and in the same area as the previous record in July 2016. There is a mature oak nearby!

13th

There were two Whimbrel on the beach and a Wheatear on the shingle ridge. A few Sand Martins and Swallows passed through.

12th

Light cloud and a light SW wind. There were two Little Egrets on the beach and a Grey Heron was also seen. Waders noted included 14 Oystercatchers, eight on the beach, 30 Ringed Plovers, a Golden Plover, a Dunlin and 30 Turnstones on the beach and a Bar-tailed Godwit east. A Hobby flew over the estate, a Sandwich Tern was offshore and four Common Terns flew east. Mallard broods of five and two large ducklings were noted. A Yellow Wagtail flew west over the Obs and there were three Whitethroats in the scrub.

11th

A flock of 40+ Black-tailed Godwits flew west and a Willow Warbler was also noted.

10th

Sunny, light SW wind. Waders included 25 Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin on the beach and a Common Sandpiper on the Marsh Pool. An adult Mediterranean Gull flew west and there were seven Sandwich Terns offshore. Five Swifts, three Sand Martins and two Swallows flew west as did a rather “unseasonal” Redpoll. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the churchyard.

A Dingy Footman moth was at the Obs and a Willow Emerald Damselfy was found in the scrub.

9th

An adult Moorhen with two small chicks.

7th

A Shelduck flew west.

5th

Sunny, light SW wind. A Great White Egret flew west close inshore at 7 am. Our third record for the site after others in November 2011 and April 2018. Eight Teal flew west. Waders included a Green Sandpiper, which landed briefly on the shoreline before continuing west, 14 Whimbrel, including a flock of ten heading south inland, three Redshanks briefly on the shoreline and 11 Ringed Plovers on the beach. A Green Woodpecker was heard calling from the sewage works; only the second of the year after one in March. In the last few years, this species has become much scarcer.

4th

Sunny, light easterly wind. A juvenile Great Crested Grebe was close inshore. Waders included 21 Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin, two Curlews and six Common Sandpipers on the beach (a seventh was on the Marsh Pool where it has remained since July 28th). A migrant Reed Warbler and Willow Warbler were also noted.

A Shaded Broad-bar moth was also noted.

2nd

Sunny, light easterly wind. A Fulmar flew east over the beach and c10 Common Scoters also flew east. Waders included ten Sanderlings and 24 Turnstones on the beach, a Common Sandpiper on the Marsh Pool and singles of Oystercatcher, Dunlin and Curlew. Other birds included two Swallows flying west, a Lesser Whitethroat along the east bank and a single, and latterly scarce, Greenfinch.

Butterflies included Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Comma and Speckled Wood.

1st

Cloudy, cool, light SW wind with showers. A quiet start to the month. An immature Gannet and eight Common Scoters flew east. Waders included 11 Ringed Plovers and two Sanderlings on the beach and a Common Sandpiper on the Marsh Pool. Other birds included three Little Egrets, a Peregrine offshore, a Mediterranean Gull and three Sandwich Terns flying east.

Butterflies noted were Small, Large White and Green-veined Whites, Gatekeeper, Essex Skipper and Red Admiral.