Saturday, 21st September: Fairly cool at first and generally overcast, before becoming more humid, with sunshine at times and some heavy cloud. Less windy than the last few days, the brisk NE breeze easing to become more E/SE force 3.
Bilsham farm: I was committed elsewhere this morning on the monthly wildfowl count (WeBS) but on my return to the patch made a short visit to the reservoir area. There wasn't anything unexpected, but I logged 140 Coots, eight Little Grebes, 34 Tufted Ducks, two Gadwall, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, four Mediterranean Gulls and a Little Egret. Several Chiffchaffs were calling from the hedgerows, whilst a small number of Swallows and House Martins passed overhead and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the tree tops.
Great Spotted Woodpecker in trees at Elmer farm
Friday, 20th September: A fairly grey start, the cloud gradually breaking to give sunny spells, but with the fresh NE wind still persisting to a force 4, though perhaps a notch down on yesterday. Still quite warm, with the risk of thunderstorms later.....
Elmer Rocks - Atherington (Climping): I decided on a walk from Elmer to the Atherington area and back this morning, but overall it was a bit disappointing, with nothing out of the ordinary seen. There was however a steady easterly flow of Swallows over the land and sea, together with a good number of House Martins mixed in; at one stage there were nearly 100 birds per minute going past me and the total number this morning would have been well into four figures. The only other species of any number was Chiffchaff, with a total of perhaps up to 25 logged in the seafront gardens, trees and bushes along my route.
At least six Sandwich Terns were back and forth close inshore, whilst a flock of four Pintail flew E further out. A single Common Gull - often surprisingly uncommon here - was along the shore at Atherington, together with a flock of Oystercatchers, the latter then re-locating to roost on the rocks, where a count of 48 was made, A dozen Ringed Plovers and several Turnstones were also present. There were more Mediterranean Gulls around today, with 120 in the stubble field at Atherington with some Black-headed Gulls. Other species noted included Kestrel, Buzzard (2), Greenfinch (2), Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers (2), Grey Heron, Little Egret (3), Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit (several).
(above) Common Gull at Atherington, (centre) Greenfinch feeding on blackberries at Elmer and (bottom) some of the Mediterranean Gulls in the stubble field
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