4th

Sunny, very warm, light SW wind. A flagged and ringed Curlew, asleep on the beach early morning, was the same hand-reared bird, released at Elmley in July 2024, and subsequently seen here on 24th October 2024. There were also four Oystercatchers and 13 Mediterranean Gulls on the beach. A Sedge Warbler was seen well along the east bank, a Cetti’s Warbler was heard briefly and a Lesser Whitethroat sang briefly along the east bank.

2nd

Cloudy, moderate SW wind. There were eight Oystercatchers on the beach and seven Curlews flew west. Also noted were eight Swifts, a Sand Martin and three Swallows west and a Reed Warbler in song along the east bank.

1st

Sunny periods, light NW wind. A Black-tailed Godwit which flew west at 7.10 am was our first of the year, there were four Oystercatchers on the beach and a Curlew flew west. Also noted were two juvenile Kestrels together, c40 Great Black-backed Gulls, four Swifts, and three Swallows west.

A good start to the month for butterflies with 11 species noted although none were new for the year.