Saturday 26th September 2020

A bit of rain in the last couple of days and the fungi has started to appear. This is probably Paxillus obscuriporus which was first described in 2017.

Day two of wild and windy weather, with gust reaching 40 knots although there were a few more birds around.

Out on the reserve a Lapland Bunting was shuffling around, before flying over towards the Cottage and disappearing. A single Wheatear was out by the Practise Guns and 2 Chiffchaffs in the bushes.

There was a bit of vis-mig with 19 Siskins and a Redpoll passing over and 54 Meadow Pipits and 2 Swallows heading south.

A distant Pomarine Skua was the best from a rather meagre sea watch. There were a few waterfowl and waders on the move with, 9 Teal, 5 Common Scoter, 3 Brent Geese, 60 Dunlin and 2 Sanderling heading south. A Gannet was also blogging around offshore and a Turnstone was at the Jetty.

Ringing: 1 House Sparrow

Friday 25th September 2020

 A wild wet windy day, with temperatures half of what they were this time last week and the weather now reminiscent of November.

A rather quiet day with the bushes being almost silent, which is no surprise when you can barely hear over the wind. A single Blackcap was the only southbound migrant. There was a good movement of House Martins with 470 and 6 Swallows logged in late morning. Also on the move were 27 Meadow Pipits, 40 Siskins and a single Redpoll. Movement on the sea was limited to a single Shoveler and an Oystercatcher. A Common Seal was also offshore.

The first Green-brindled Crescent of the autumn which is noted here in low numbers and varies in colour intensity.

Ringing: 1 Dunnock

Thursday 24th September 2020

Hard work. Good to get some rain for the first time in a while which has dampened the dust down but failed to drop many birds in. Southbound 64 Siskin, 24 Mipit, 3 Swallow, 2 Teal, Brent Goose & Oyk. Migrants on site include 4 Wheatear, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest & Redstart.

Dusky Lemon Sallow is a declining species that inhabits areas with Elm but somehow manages to put an appearance here at this stage most autumns.

Ringing: 1 Robin.

Wednesday 23rd September 2020

 

A day of breezy south westerly winds and threatened showers, with the only significant spell just before first light.

There was a bit of vis-mig with 108 Swallows streaming south, along with 8 House Martins, 34 Siskins, 5 Meadow Pipits, a Grey Wagtail and a Hobby. The first Goldcrests of the autumn were in the bushes, filtering through with 10 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps.

The Ring Ouzel was still out on the Reserve but remained elusive and 2 Wheatears were out by the Tank Blocks.

There was a small passage of Waders on the sea with a 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Grey Plover, a Turnstone, a Golden Plover and a Oystercatcher heading south with a Teal and a Mute Swan, while 4 Gannets headed north.

Amongst the Box-tree Moths this Autumn is the occasional dark form

Ringing: 8 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Goldfinch

Tuesday 22nd September 2020

 

Another day of bright, warm weather with a little more vis-mig today, now that the wind has gone north west.

A similar range of birds were in the bushes this morning, the Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Redstarts still by the Cottage. The Ring Ouzel was still in front of the observatory and 5 Wheatears were out by the Tank Blocks. In the bushes were 12 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcap, a Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat. A single Siskin and a Great Spotted Woodpecker dropped in briefly.

Overhead 103 Swallows, 3 House Martins, 16 Meadow Pipits, 7 Grey Wagtails and 5 Redpolls headed south. A Kingfisher was on the Jetty along with 2 Turnstones.

On the sea, 18 Teal, 9 Shelduck headed south and a Brent and 2 Oystercatcher headed north.

Ancylosis oblitella is a nationally scarce species, that has had a good second emergence this year.

Ringing: 7 Meadow Pipit, 6 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Robin,1 Great Tit, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Siskin, 1 Starling, 1 Wheatear

Monday 21st September 2020

 

A foggy start to the morning, eventually clearing to a hazy sunny day.

The fog led to a few grounded migrants. The first Ring Ouzel of the Autumn was rather mobile across the reserve this morning. There was also a good scattering of Chiffchaffs with at least 27 present in the bushes and around the Obs. Also in the bushes were 6 Blackcaps, a couple of Redstarts, a Spotted Flycatcher by the mine station, a Black Redstart by the Cottage, 3 Wheatears on the beach and 3 Stonechats moving around the reserve. Overhead a Yellow Wagtail, 3 Swallows, 3 Siskins and a Redpoll headed south.

Very little was moving on the sea, 2 Mallards headed into the river and a couple of Turnstones were on the Jetty.

First noted here in 2006, Clancy's Rustic appears to have colonised the area in the last few years.

Ringing: 16 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 1 Robin, 1 Sparrowhawk

Sunday 20th September 2020

Hobby with Mipit for breakfast.

Fairly quiet migrant wise with southbound 97 Teal, 43 Wigeon & 9 Brent with northbound 9 Sandwich Tern, 6 Swallow, 2 Brent & Oyk plus a Merlin in off the sea. Grounded migrants included 3 Wheatear, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Redstart, Spot Fly & Whitethroat.

Convolvulous Hawk-moth is a migrant from North Africa.

Ringing: 2 Chaffinch, 1 Whitethroat.