10th - 12th September 2024

Thursday, 12th September: A clear night and a very chilly start for the time of year, but with the cool NW wind having eased considerably. Warming slowly through the morning as the sun rose. Becoming cloudier with sunny interludes by early afternoon, with a risk of a shower later.

Elmer Rocks: I concentrated on the local beach area this morning, covering my usual circuit from the Kiosk to Poole Place, then the fields and set-aside behind. There wasn't too much going on at sea, beyond a fairly large but distant flock of gulls, but there was a bit of variety with some visible (and sometimes invisible) migration going on above, plus plenty of Chiffchaffs in the bushes. 

My log was as follows:-

Gannet - 15W

Little Egret - 2

Oystercatcher - 12

Ringed Plover - 24

Turnstone - 12

Mediterranean Gull - c.50

Sandwich Tern - 3E

Green Woodpecker - 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 3

Buzzard - 2

Kestrel - 1

Pied Wagtail - 1

Yellow Wagtail - 6

Tree Pipit - 1

Meadow Pipit - 8

Wheatear - 1

Chiffchaff - c.30

Willow Warbler - 1

Blackcap - 4

Swallow - 10

House Martin - 6

Goldfinch - 20

Greenfinch - 2

Reed Bunting - 1

In addition there was a good selection of the commoner butterflies on the wing, including several Painted Ladies (perhaps a small influx), Comma and Small Copper amongst others.

Wheatear (above) and female Blackcap at Elmer this morning

(above) Painted Lady, (centre) Small Copper and (bottom) Comma, at Elmer Rocks

Wednesday, 11th September: A decidedly chilly start, with a brisk NW wind force 5-6, warming slowly as the sunshine increased, but with plenty of scattered cloud.

Ancton: A Coal Tit was calling from gardens this morning - still a relatively scarce species in this area.

Elmer Rocks:  The strong, blustery NW wind and cool conditions were never going to be promising for migration, but the most notable feature was a small fall of 20+ Chiffchaffs - including a couple singing - that were in the hedgerows and bushes at the back of the beach and the set-aside corner, plus a single Willow Warbler. Four Grey Wagtails were on the move, including three together which flew SE out to sea, whilst a single Wheatear was on the beach.

A couple of mass gatherings of gulls were well offshore, involving over 2000 birds, with half a dozen Gannets and perhaps 50 Mediterranean Gulls amongst them, but I couldn't locate a single tern. On the shore at low tide a number of waders gathered, consisting of four Sanderlings, 10 Turnstones, six Oystercatchers and 35 Ringed Plovers - one of the latter being a colour-ringed bird. Other species seen included three Little Egrets, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel and a Buzzard.

At Elmer Rocks this morning: (above) Ringed Plovers (note ringed bird on left), and (below) Sanderlings, (lower) juvenile Turnstone and (bottom) Chiffchaff on the wires.

Ringed Plover at Elmer - cropped image of the colour-ringed bird 

Climping Gap: A brief visit late morning to the Kent's - old campsite area, to check a couple of favoured migrant spots, but it was fairly disappointing overall. Chiffchaffs were the main feature here too, with 10 logged in a fairly small area, whilst other species logged included two Whitethroats, a Blackcap, four Yellowhammers and a few Linnets.

News received from other observers this afternoon that the (1st-winter) Red-backed Shrike is still at West beach behind the toilet block.

Chiffchaff (above) and Whitethroat at Climping

Tuesday, 10th September: A cloudy, mainly grey and blustery morning, just about remaining dry, with a brisk Westerly wind force 5-6.

Elmer Rocks: A small movement of 25+ Gannets was apparent this morning, the majority heading W,  whilst at least seven Sandwich Terns were present, moving back and forth whilst fishing, before they too headed W. There wasn't too much else on offer, although 50+ Mediterranean Gulls were amongst the gull flocks and three Little Egrets were feeding along the shoreline with a few Oystercatchers. A small number of hirundines, mainly House Martins, were on the move, with a couple of small flocks seen flying out to sea.

Behind the beach, six Chiffchaffs were present along the tamarisk and hedgerows, but otherwise the blustery conditions kept sightings of small birds to a minimum.

Gannet passing Elmer Rocks well offshore - in fairly dismal conditions!

Bilsham farm: Numbers of the regular species have increased now that autumn proper is here, with counts of 110 Coots, eight Little Grebes and 48 Tufted Ducks, plus two Pochard. There was little else however, beyond the usual gathering of mixed gull species, which held c.25 Mediterranean Gulls.

Not the greatest viewing conditions on the reservoir today; this grainy hotch-potch view shows two Pochard (centre and centre-left birds), Little Grebe (centre rear), two Tufted Ducks (left and right) and finally, Coot (front).