Saturday 20th September 2025

The resident Peregrine soon appears when we have unexpected guests.

Kudos to our excellent team of counters today as more flocks of hirundines poured through. By late morning 2324 Swallow, 249 House Martin and 7 Sand Martin had passed over. Numbers of Meadow Pipit starting to wane but still tallied 358. An Osprey drifting South likely regretted passing over the docks where the Peregrine gave it some grief. A Great Skua sat on the sea momentarily before continuing Southbound. Other migrants 30 Blackcap, 1 Chaffinch, 12 Chiffchaff, 3 Grey Wagtail, 1 Skylark, 1 Sparrowhawk, 5 Siskin, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 6 Wheatear and 4 Yellow Wagtail. 

Offshore 15 Dunlin, 1 Marsh Harrier, 5 Sandwich Tern, 10 Shelduck, 48 Teal and 5 Wigeon.

Nationally scare, Shore Wainscot has been having a small second emergence in recent years.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 21 Blackcap, 13 Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 34 Meadow Pipit, 4 Robin, 1 Sedge Warbler.

Friday 19th September 2025

A Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher fly on to a bar... 

 Another cracking day for Mipit migration - up to 1396. Plenty of hirundines departing too including 82 House Martin, 555 Swallow and 7 late Sand Martin. A fair selection of standard Autumn migrants such as 10 Blackcap, 20 Chiffchaff, 4 Grey Wagtail, 22 Goldfinch, 25 Robin, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Siskin, 7 Wheatear, 5 Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler and 2 Yellow Wagtail. Marsh Harrier drifted South and the Wryneck is still cropping up when it feels like it.

The first Feathered Ranunculus of the Autumn slightly late on parade.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 8 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 3 Great Tit, 1 Greenfinch, 3 Grey Wagtail, 25 Meadow Pipit, 2 Robin, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Wren.

Thursday 18th September 2025

 

4 Wheatear on site today.

1283 the final Meadow Pipit count throughout the morning but by midday mipit movement had for the most part, ceased. 2 Spotted Flycatcher still around and a Wood Warbler seen just South of 'Icky Ridge.' Wryneck back in that area too around lunchtime. 2 Merlin heading South which makes 3 this month already - could be a good year for them! Also on the move 6 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 1 Garden Warbler, 16 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Greenfinch, 94 House Martin, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 12 Siskin, 44 Swallow and 1 Yellow Wagtail. Offshore 20 Sandwich Tern and 2 Golden Plover.

Lesser Cockroach is a regular in one of our moth traps.

Ringing: 5 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Garden Warber, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Linnet, 27 Meadow Pipit, 3 Reed Warbler, 6 Robin, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler.

Wednesday 17th September 2025

 

Plenty of Great Tit across the site after a good breeding year.

A cold and wet start. Rain didn't let up till around 10am but hunkered down migrants eventually began to emerge. 170 Meadow Pipit went South and a single Tree Pipit announced itself. A Short-eared Owl and 2 Snipe flushed on a walk round. 2 Spotted Flycatcher early afternoon in the compound and Wryneck still seaward side near concrete path. Other migrants 5 Blackcap, 40 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Little Egret, 2 Sand Martin, 4 Swallow, 2 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, 30 Willow Warbler and 1 Yellow Wagtail. Very little on the sea but 3 Gannet, 2 Gadwall, 3 Med Gull, 7 Sandwich Tern and 3 Teal.

Poplar Hawk Caterpillars often get blown out the trees in strong winds.

Ringing: 3 Blackcap, 21 Chiffchaff, 14 Willow Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatcher.

Tuesday 16th September 2025

 

Purple Sandpiper on the point.

 Not as wild as yesterday but still gusty enough to blow your cap off if you're not careful! Today saw a movement of around 94 Meadow Pipit South and a further 72 House Martin. Juvenile Kestrel doing the rounds and a Peregrine flew out the river. Wryneck still in usual place this morning but around lunchtime it moved in to the compound - almost accidentally flushed it into a net! Other migrants 10 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Siskin, 22 Swallow, 2 Wheatear, 5 Willow Warbler and 3 Yellow Wagtail. Offshore 2 Teal and 1 Grey Plover. 

A very recent arrival Radford's Flame Shoulder is likely colonising.

Ringing: 6 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler.

Monday 15th September 2025

 

"Blowing a hooley" makes birding difficult. Paltry selection of birds compared with yesterday including 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, Blackcap, House Martin, Wheatear, Whinchat & Wryneck. Offshore poor but included single Arctic Skua, Razorbill & the first 2 Brent of the autumn.

Square-spot Rustic should be common but is having a very poor year here.

Ringing: 1 Blackcap

Sunday 14th September 2025

 

Decent arrival of migrants including at least  61 Mipit, 35 Chiffchaff, 30 Blackcap, 8 Willow Warbler, 6 Lesser 'throat, 5 Grey Wag, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Wheatear, Goldcrest, Spot Fly, Wood Warbler & Yellow Wag plus loitering 3 Black Red & Wryneck. Southbound 93 Swallow, 8 Sand Martin, 3 House Martin & Marsh Harrier. Hoopoe still present in the children's play area in a nearby housing estate.

Musotima nitidalis is an adventive from the Antipodes that first turned up six years ago & is now well established.

Ringing: 15 Chiffchaff, 13 Blackcap, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Robin, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Wood Warbler.