30th and 31st August
A brisk SW wind was the main feature of the day on the 30th
and while this didn’t equate to many grounded migrants it was excellent
conditions for some visible migration with 880 Meadow Pipits and 130 alba Wagtails the main event – although
this is bound to be an underestimate of the true numbers. There was a selection of other landbirds to
be seen through the day, albeit very thinly spread with the first Pied Flycatcher of the autumn at Rue, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Goldcrest, a
Grey Wagtail in Nouster, 5 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Whinchat, 21 Sand
Martins and 4 Collared Doves.
Offshore,
counts included 20 Sooty Shearwaters, 6 Manx Shearwaters and the first Great-northern Diver of the autumn while other birds of
note comprised 4 Herons, an influx of 84 Teal and 7 Gadwall, the Marsh Harrier still floating around, a Kestrel, 160 Lapwings and 26
Black-tailed Godwits. Also worth a
mention was a probable American Golden Plover which came in off the sea over
the seawatch hide and headed south but unfortunately despite extensive
searching it could not be re-found.
Swallows
The
wind had dropped right off to almost nothing on the 31st leaving a
very pleasant day to be out in the field; the main feature of the day was the
kicking off in style of the autumn’s seawatching with a single Great Shearwater north past the seawatch hide at lunchtime along with
69 Sooty Shearwaters, 49 Manx Shearwaters, 9 Storm Petrels, a Great-northern
Diver and 6 Red-throated Diver. Other
highlights through the day included the Holland Barred Warbler reappearing in a mist net,
the first Lapland Bunting of the autumn at Nether Linney, the Marsh Harrier still and some more visible migration with the first 2 Rock Pipits
of the autumn with 126 Swallows, 871 Meadow Pipits and 146 alba Wagtails logged.
The
very few grounded migrants included 12 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Garden
Warblers, a Whinchat and a Robin while 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Kestrels and a
Peregrine bombed around. Also of note
were 42 Black-tailed Godwits, a Grey Plover, 39 Teal and 23 Wigeon (a bit of an
influx).
Lapland Bunting
Wheatear
Photos Simon Davies
Comments