Sightings September 2009

          For Latest Insect Sightings click here.
The 2007 Annual Report is now available and costs £6.50 (inc. p&p)
1st A very windy day with just a trickle of birds flying west at sea including two Manx Shearwaters, 15 Knot, three Arctic Skuas and three Black Terns. There were also three additional Black Terns along with two juvenile Arctic Terns, a Little Gull and a Mediterranean Gull feeding at the Patch.

Very quiet on the land with just 50 Swallows, a Grey Wagtail and a Whinchat of note.
2nd Another windy day with showers through the morning produced an unexpectedly good seawatch with 24 Balearic Shearwaters and 13 Sooty Shearwaters passing through along with 405 Gannets, 15 Arctic Skuas, two Great Skuas, 103 Sandwich Terns and 146 Common Terns. There were also four Yellow-legged Gulls at the fishing boats and a Little Gull and two Black Terns at the Patch.

There were very few birds to be seen on the land but they did include a Buzzard, two Marsh Harriers and a Spotted Flycatcher.
3rd With the gale force wind veering further into the west there was less to be seen offshore but a juvenile Roseate Tern, six Arctic Skuas and two Great Skuas flew west in the afternoon. There were three Black Terns and a Little Gull at the Patch.

Coverage of the bushes was an almost pointless exercise.
4th There was a decent movement of raptors during the morning with a Honey Buzzard, ten Marsh Harriers and two Hobbies passing through as well as as three Sparrowhawks and three Peregrine Falcons in the area. There was also a small passage of passerines with two Tree Pipits and three Grey Wagtails going over and a Redstart, two Sedge Warblers, seven Lesser Whitethroats, eight Chiffchaffs, 13 Willow Warblers and seven Tree Sparrows in the bushes.

It was pretty quiet at sea but eight Arctic Skuas and two Great Skuas flew west during the day and two Black Terns were feeding at the Patch. Three Yellow-legged Gulls were feeding at the fishing boats.
5th   The bird of the day for one lucky observer was a Nightjar seen in the trapping area. Grounded migrants were otherwise fairly scarce but they did include a Turtle Dove, 30 Yellow Wagtails, six Whinchats, a Sedge Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher. There was a significant passage of raptors again with 11 Marsh Harriers, a Buzzard and 11 Sparrowhawks of note.

The sea was fairly although a handful of Arctic Skuas were harassing terns offshore.
6th A reasonable arrival of birds occurred this morning with a Redstart, three Whinchats, three Sedge Warblers, 14 Lesser Whitethroats, 12 Blackcaps, 55 Chiffchaffs, ten Willow Warblers and two Spotted Flycatchers whilst overhead passage included 350 Swallows, 200 Sand Martins, three Tree Pipits and two Grey Wagtails.

Seawatching produced a Balearic Shearwater, 20 Arctic Skuas and four Great Skua and there were two Little Gulls and a juvenile Arctic Tern at the Patch.

Of note from the RSPB Reserve, the Great White Egret and Red-backed Shrike continue to be seen and a Spotted Crake made a very brief appearance on the mud in front of Hanson Hide at ARC Pit.
7th A fairly quiet day after a very clear night and early morning. A handful of migrants in the bushes included five Lesser Whitethroats, four Blackcaps and three Spotted Flycatchers whilst Swallows and Sand Martins trickled through throughout the day. A Marsh Harrier and a Grey Wagtail also flew over.

Spotted Flycatcher
Click for larger image

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull and Little Gull were seen at the Patch and several Arctic Skuas were seen during the day. 

A fairly quiet day after a very clear night and early morning. A handful of migrants in the bushes included five Lesser Whitethroats, four Blackcaps and three Spotted Flycatchers whilst Swallows and Sand Martins trickled through throughout the day. A Marsh Harrier and a Grey Wagtail also flew over.

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull and Little Gull were seen at the Patch and several Arctic Skuas were seen during the day. 

Of note from the RSPB Reserve, the Great White Egret and Red-backed Shrike were still being seen and the Spotted Crake made several short appearances in front of Hanson Hide at ARC Pit.
8th Another bright moonlit night and clear skies resulted in another disappointing morning with very few migrants to be seen in the bushes. The best of the meagre offering being two Pied Flycatchers. Swallows and Sand Martins moved through in large numbers during the afternoon. 

On the RSPB Reserve, the Great White Egret was still present but the Red-backed Shrike seems to have moved on. The Spotted Crake was seen on several occasions during the day in front of Hanson Hide at ARC Pit.
9th Clear skies meant another quiet morning with just a Redstart and three Whinchats of interest.

As the wind veered more north-easterly during the afternoon a small movement of seabirds occurred with  Balearic Shearwater, 11 Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua and nine Black Terns of note. Two juvenile/first-winter Mediterranean Gulls were also feeding offshore.
10th Another clear day with an increasing north-east wind resulted in a handful of migrants appearing with four Redstarts, five Whinchats, five Blackcaps, four Spotted Flycatchers and three Pied Flycatchers of note. Two Marsh Harriers, 14 Yellow Wagtails and a  three Grey Wagtails flew over the area.

Pied Flycatcher
Click for larger image

Seawatching vas very disappointing with just 22 Teal and three Arctic Skuas of note.

On the RSPB Reserve, the Great White Egret and Spotted Crake were still present.
11th The strong north-east wind continues to blow but with clear skies there was very little to be seen. A Garden Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher were the best the bushes could offer whilst offshore, two Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull were seen.
12th A variety of birds were seen offshore including a Manx Shearwater, a Pomarine Skua and two adult Long-tailed Skuas and there was sudden movement of Mediterranean Gulls in the afternoon with at least 25 birds arriving at the Patch.

It was another quiet day on the land with just two Redstarts and a Whinchat of note although a very elusive treecreeper in the moat evaded any positive identification.

Two Marsh Harriers, a Merlin, two Grey Wagtails and ten Yellow Wagtails flew over.

On the RSPB Reserve, the Great White Egret and Spotted Crake were still present.
13th The Great White Egret that has been seen on the Reserve since August finally made a visit into the Observatory recording area when it flew around the point at 0650hrs this morning.

There were very few birds in the bushes again but they include six Lesser Whitethroats, 12 Blackcaps and two Pied Flycatchers.

A Green Sandpiper flew over the area and several Arctic Skuas, three Little Gulls and nine Mediterranean Gulls were seen offshore.

14th Another day with strong northerly winds resulted in a few birds being seen offshore including the first two Brent Geese of the autumn, 16 Shelduck, 82 Wigeon, 65 Teal, three Pintail, a Manx Shearwater, seven Avocets, an adult Pomarine Skua and three Black Terns.

It was pretty quiet on the land although two Ravens were of note.
15th A day of quality rather than quantity. A Red-breasted Flycatcher spent an hour or so in the trapping area and an Osprey came in off the sea at 0710hrs. Migrants in the bushes were otherwise very scarce with just two Redstarts and a Pied Flycatcher of note.

The sea was disappointing again. A Purple Sandpiper and five juvenile Mediterranean Gulls flew east and several Arctic Skuas were lingering offshore. There was a second-summer Little Gull at the Patch.
16th Seawatching produced 65 Wigeon, two Pintail, 15 Arctic Skua and five Little Gulls and a Spotted Flycatcher was seen in the area.
17th Two Mediterranean Gulls and six Little Gulls were feeding at the Patch.

Overhead, 420 Swallows flew through and a Redstart, two Whinchats, a Firecrest and two Pied Flycatchers were seen in the bushes.

18th The first Red-throated Diver of the autumn, a Pomarine Skua, two Mediterranean Gulls and four Little Gulls were seen offshore.

740 Swallows and 11 Grey Wagtail flew over and two Redstarts, two Whinchats, three Firecrests and a Tree Sparrow were seen in the area.

19th It was a decent day on the land with a Turtle Dove, 300 Sand Martin, 450 Swallows, six Tree Pipits, three Whinchats, 22 Blackcaps, 25 Chiffchaffs, two Tree Sparrows, the first two Siskin of the autumn, a Crossbill and 15 Reed Buntings.

A Pomarine Skua was seen offshore.

20th Another good day on the land with 1300 House Martins, six Whinchats, a Grasshopper Warbler, 12 Blackcaps, 60 Chiffchaffs, a Spotted Flycatcher, an early Brambling and 15 Reed Buntings.

A Pomarine Skua was seen offshore.

21st Three Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and two Ravens flew over.

Also of note, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was seen at Scotney.
22nd Very quiet in the Observatory area but of note elsewhere were two Glossy Ibis seen at Scotney in the morning. Later in the day, three were seen at ARC. A moulting adult Black Kite was seen at various sites around the point during the afternoon.
23rd Two Redstarts, six Blackcaps, 30 Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers and a Firecrest were seen in the bushes.

The Glossy Ibis have come together with five birds being seen at Denge Marsh.
24th Eight Grey Wagtails, a Grasshopper Warbler, 50 Chiffchaffs and 15 Reed Buntings were seen on the land.

The five Glossy Ibis were seen in the fields and damp margins around Hookers and Denge Marsh on the RSPB Reserve during the day.
25th Two Buzzards flew over and a Grasshopper Warbler, 30 Chiffchaffs and a party of nine Long-tailed Tits were seen in the bushes.

The five Glossy Ibis were seen at ARC.
26th Three Buzzards and 1800 House Martins flew over and 25 Chiffchaffs and three Siskins were seen on the land.
27th A Mediterranean Gull was seen at the Patch.
28th A reasonable arrivals of birds into the bushes with 16 Song Thrushes, a Garden Warbler, four Blackcaps, 35 Chiffchaffs, a Firecrest, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Jay, seven Tree Sparrow, five Siskins and 34 Reed Buntings.

The five Glossy Ibis wee seen around a small pool just south of Boulderwall Farm this evening.
29th Four Marsh Harriers, two Buzzards and a Merlin flew over and a Jay, four Tree Sparrows and 15 Reed Buntings.

The five Glossy Ibis wee seen around a small pool just south of Boulderwall Farm this evening and also at ARC at times.
30th A handful of birds in the the bushes included just 12 Chiffchaffs and two Blackcaps whilst 1000 House Martins and 190 Swallows, three Yellow Wagtails, five Grey Wagtails and six Siskin flew through.

The party of five Glossy Ibis were still on the RSPB Reserve.