152 species so far this year

156 species by the same time last year

A total of 104 species were recorded during the month which is very much an average (104.1 over the previous ten years). There were only four additions to the year list: our first Little Stints for three years, late to the party Grasshopper and Sedge Warblers and Pomarine Skua.

30th

Cloudy, light SW wind. A Cattle Egret was on the Marsh Pool amongst the 20 Little Egrets. A Red-throated Diver in partial breeding plumage and a single duck Eider were close inshore. Waders included 44 Sanderlings on the beach and 24 Redshanks and the Greenshank (for its 15th day) on the Marsh Pool. Other birds included a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the churchyard, two Whitethroats in the scrub, seven Jackdaws dropped onto the beach, and a Reed Bunting flew west.

29th

Sunny, light southerly wind. Some wildfowl on the move with three Wigeon, six Gadwall, two Teal, five Pintail and seven Shoveler flying west, in addition to the two duck Eiders offshore. Waders included two Bar-tailed Godwits west and the Greenshank on the Marsh Pool. Other birds included two Stonechats, a Whitethroat and a Blackcap and 12+ Chiffchaffs.

Butterflies noted were Small and Green-veined White and Red Admiral.

28th

A Little Grebe was along Coot Strait and the two duck Eider were again offshore. There were 20 Little Egrets on the Marsh Pool as well as eight Redshanks and the “resident” Greenshank. A count of 58 Sanderlings was the highest so far this season. Swallows and House Martins were noted to be “pouring through” and a minimum of 12 Yellow Wagtails were also seen. Other birds noted included a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Stonechats and two Whitethroats in the scrub, a Garden Warbler along the east bank and two Jays.

27th

Cloudy, heavy rain showers, moderate SW wind. 24 Brent Geese and five Teal and two Common Scoters flew west and two duck Eiders were lingering offshore. Waders included 18 Sanderlings and five Redshanks and the Greenshank (for its twelfth day) on the Marsh Pool. A first calendar year Mediterranean Gull flew west and six Sandwich Terns were offshore. Other birds noted included two Grey Wagtails and two Stonechats.

25th

Low cloud, warm. light SW wind. There were 26 Little Egrets early morning and two Grey Herons flew west. Waders included four Redshanks and the Greenshank on the Marsh Pool. The most notable event was the grounding of hundreds, possibly thousands, of hirundines, Swallows but predominantly House Martins. Lingering and clinging two trees and bushes. Other birds noted included a Kingfisher, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Grey Wagtail, 15 Pied Wagtails on the football pitch, a Stonechat and a Wheatear, a Garden Warbler and a Whitethroat along the east bank, 20+ Chiffchaffs and a Reed Bunting.

A Brown Rat was enjoying a feast of blackberries along the east bank.

24th

Two Grey Plovers flew west and the Greenshank was on the Marsh Pool. 12 House Martins were noted and there were three Stonechats around the Marsh Pool.

23rd

Sunny, warm, light SW wind. There were 23 Little Egrets early morning and a single Grey Heron on Hampton flats. A pair of Wigeon flew west. A Little Grebe along Coot Strait was not the long-staying, breeding plumage individual. Waders included 69 Ringed Plovers on the beach and a Redshank and Greenshank on the Marsh Pool. Other birds included a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a single Sand Martin west, two Grey Wagtails, a Whitethroat, two Blackcaps, many Chiffchaffs and a Reed Bunting.

22nd

The Greenshank was still on the Marsh Pool. An increase in vis mig with 270 Swallows (but only one House Martin) and 183 Meadow Pipits NW. Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Stonechat were also seen.

21st

Sunny, warm, calm. There were six Little Egrets on the Marsh Pool and two Grey Herons were also noted. Also on the Marsh Pool were a Snipe, four Redshanks and two Greenshanks. A Merlin flew south low across the grassland and a Marsh Harrier flew high south over the area. Other birds included two Grey Wagtails, a male Stonechat, a Whitethroat, three Blackcaps, a Willow Warbler and c12 Chiffchaffs. A Jay was heard calling at the Obs and a Song Thrush was the first seen here for some time (probably inconspicuous rather than rare).

20th

Cloudy, cooler, moderate NNW wind. There were c15 Gannets offshore whilst wildfowl were on the move with 143 Brent Geese, 121 Wigeon, 102 Teal and 29 Pintail west and 148 Common Scoters. A Pomarine Skua was our first of the year, three Arctic Skuas flew west and 32 Sandwich Terns and eight Arctic Terns were offshore. Waders included 69 Ringed Plovers on the beach and the Greenshank was again on the Marsh Pool whilst another three rested along the shoreline by the Obs. Other birds included a Grasshopper Warbler which showed briefly but well along the east bank, c20 Swallows and a Sand Martin west, two Grey Wagtails and c10 Chiffchaffs.

18th

Light cloud and sunny periods, warm, light southerly wind. There were four Wigeon and two Teal and 12 Common Scoters flew east. There were 13 Little Egrets on the Marsh Pool. Waders included 109 Ringed Plovers and 11 Sanderlings on the beach and the Greenshank was on the Marsh Pool. A Hobby flew SE over the estate and other birds include a Kingfisher, five Swallows, a Yellow Wagtail and three Whitethroats.

Butterflies included our first Small Copper and Clouded Yellow and a Small Heath.

17th

The Greenshank was present again on the Marsh Pool and two House Martins were noted amongst the Swallows.

16th

Sunny, warm, light westerly wind. A juvenile Gannet flew east. There were seven Little Egrets on the Marsh Pool and a Little Grebe was in the brook. Waders included 13 Sanderlings, a Snipe and a Greenshank on the Marsh Pool and 117 Turnstones on and between the groynes at the eastern end of the beach. A Guillemot was close inshore on a flat calm sea. There were four Grey Wagtails on the beach and a Yellow Wagtail was on the football pitch with 17 Pied Wagtails. A Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a Willow Warbler were along the east bank and eight Chiffchaffs were also noted. A Jay flew into the Elm Wood, a flock of 20 Linnets were over the coastal path, a Reed Bunting was in the bushes opposite the Obs and four Buzzards were circling to the east.

15th

Cloudy, cooler, moderate northerly wind. Ten Wigeon and 15 Teal flew west, there were 40+ Common Scoters offshore and a duck Eider flew east. Five Gannets flew east, four Grey Herons flew west, and another two flew north, five Arctic Skuas and six Black Terns flew west, a Guillemot flew west and a Razorbill flew east. Waders included 41 Ringed Plovers and 56 Turnstones on the beach and eight Bar-tailed Godwits flew west. There were 21 Pied Wagtails on the football pitch and a single Grey Wagtail was noted.

14th

Cloudy with a light easterly wind. Waders included a Little Stint which dropped onto the shoreline by the Obs at 10 am and four Bar-tailed Godwits. An adult pale phase Arctic Skua was close inshore and two Arctic Terns were also seen.

13th

Light cloud, light NE wind. There were six Little Egrets on the Marsh Pool. Waders included 40 Oystercatchers east, 30 Sanderlings on the beach and two Spotted Redshanks flying high west over the sea. Other birds noted included Hobby, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, one Sand Martin east, six Meadow Pipits, two Grey Wagtails, 26 Pied Wagtails on the football pitch, two Lesser Whitethroats and two Common Whitethroats in the scrub, a Willow Warbler, two Jays, a Greenfinch on the football pitch with the wagtails and a Reed Bunting.

11th

Cloudy, cooler, light SW wind. The adult breeding plumage Little Grebe was in the brook below the sluice, a Great Crested Grebe was offshore and 27 Little Egrets were present early morning. Waders included 24 Oystercatchers and single Knot, Sanderling and Dunlin on the beach. Hirundines included two Sand Martins and a House Martin west and there were 12 Pied Wagtails on the football pitch. A Wheatear was on the beach and a Willow Warbler, amongst others, was along the east bank.

10th

A flock of 12 Knot flew east.

9th

Sunny, warm and humid, light SW wind. The breeding plumage Little Grebe (first seen on 24th August) was present again along the middle brook and a Great Crested Grebe was close inshore. An immature Gannet was offshore and 17 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron were seen. One Shelduck flew west and waders included a Sanderling, six Dunlin and three Common Sandpipers on the beach whilst a group of five Redshanks landed on the tidal ponds. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew east over he shingle ridge, settled momentarily by the bluethroat bush before continuing east over the caravan park. Another was heard calling in the sewage works. Other birds included three Swallows west, four Yellow Wagtails, a Whinchat in the bushes opposite the Obs and a Lesser Whitethroat in the scrub.

A Wasp Spider was at the Obs.

8th

Sunny, very warm with a light easterly wind. 16 Little Egrets flew west early morning and there were another seven on the Marsh Pool. Waders included 78 Ringed Plovers and three Dunlin on the beach. A Spotted Flycatcher in the Elm Wood was the first of the Autumn. Other birds noted included one Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Yellow Wagtail west, a Whinchat in the scrub and a Willow Warbler in the Elm Wood.

Butterflies noted were Small and Green-veined Whites, Small Heath, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral.

7th

A Grasshopper Warbler and a Sedge Warbler in the scrub were both additions to the year list. Five Wheatears were also seen.

6th

Sunny, warmer, light easterly wind. There were three Little Egrets and three Grey Herons on the beach. A Wigeon and four Teal flew west and a Pochard flew south. Waders included 14 Oystercatchers on the beach and single Dunlin and Greenshank. 27 Sandwich Terns flew east. Other birds included a Little Grebe, a Kingfisher, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Wheatear and a Willow Warbler.

Butterflies noted were Small and Green-veined White, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral and Shrill Carder Bee, Common Darter and Migrant Hawker were also seen.

5th

Waders included single Snipe, Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and Green Sandpiper. Other birds included two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Wheatears, a Lesser Whitethroat in the scrub and Jay by the sewage works entrance.

4th

Cloudy, cool, moderate NE wind. Four Teal flew west and two Common Scoters flew east. A juvenile Little Ringed Plover was in the remnant brook. Our second of the year and in the same location. Other waders included a Snipe in flight over the shingle ridge and a Redshank. The breeding plumage Little Grebe was again in the middle brook. Other birds included a Kingfisher, two Grey Wagtails in flight by the Obs, two Whinchats in the scrub and a Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and six Long-tailed Tits along the east bank.

3rd

Two Little Stints were on the beach early morning before flying off west. An addition to the year list and the first here since 2018. The Whinchat was also present.

2nd

Cloudy, cool, moderate to fresh northerly wind. Five Common Scoters flew east, an Arctic Skua was chasing terns offshore, a juvenile Arctic Tern flew east, a Black Tern flew west and a Guillemot flew east close inshore. The Little Grebe was along the middle brook. There were 12 Dunlin on the beach. Three Stock Doves flew south from the beach, a Kingfisher was noted, four Grey Wagtails dropped into the brook by the sluice and eight Pied Wagtails were on the football pitch. A Whinchat was in the grassland.

1st

Cloudy, cool with a moderate northerly wind. Two Fulmars flew west, six Gannets were noted offshore and a Teal was seen in flight around the brook. Waders included six Black-tailed Godwits, a Green Sandpiper heard, 28 Ringed Plovers and three Dunlin on the beach and 72 Turnstones roosting between the groynes. Single Arctic Skuas flew west and east, a Great Skua and a Black Tern flew west. Other birds included single Whinchat and Wheatear. A pale winter-plumage Starling was in a flock amongst the “pigloos”.