Tuesday 27 September 2016

100 UP!


Autumn is well under way but it's still a bit of a slog,due partly,I think to the loss of a lot of the decent habitats being removed by the local farmers.
The first Mediterranean Gull (96) flew over on 13th July with a small movement of Black-headed gulls.This was followed the next day by cracking Wood Warbler (97) which called constantly and was still around the following day.
On the 20th 3 Redpolls were present,an unusual record,for me.
On the 23rd a Yellow Wagtail(98) went over plus a Siskin was seen.
Mistle Thrush numbers increased during the month with 26 in the orchard on 27th as did Linnet with a flock of 300 on 29th.
Into August and it was good to find Willow Warblers around the lake plus a few Spotted Flycatchers in the paddocks in Shirrenden.
On the 21st Mistle thrushes peaked at 33 in the orchard and a flock of 40 Chaffinches was in the rape stubble on Swigs side.
The first Wheatear of the autumn was on Hononten farm track on 24th with another on the 30th
 and two more flyover Yellow Wagtails went over on 28th.

September came in with 2 Hobbies hunting over the orchard on 3rd and the next dat it was great to find a Turtle Dove feeding with 28 Collared Doves in stubble in Kirkins.
On the 6th a much awaited Sedge Warbler (99) was at the lake and on the 11th 2 Tree Pipits and another Yellow Wagtail went over.
A Whinchat (100) was at the top of Kirkins on 12th with another there on 16th.
Wheatears were found on 17th and 24th.
On the 17th two Ravens were circling over the bottom end of the lake before drifting off to the west and the same day,what appeared to be an Abietinus type Chiffchaff was feeding amongst a group of Chiffchaffs in the pine plantation.
House Martins were passing through in numbers on 24th when a Willow Warbler was also present.
Probably the last Reed Warbler of the year was in the southeast corner of the lake the same day.

A Little Grebe was on the lake on the 24th but little else has appeared recently.