Friday, 27th September: After overnight rain, a notably cool start with a brisk N/NE wind force 5-6, grey skies, heavy cloud and occasional showers...
Elmer Rocks: The rain abated for a while after 08:00, but when I ventured out the change in the weather was obvious and a cold northerly wind soon made its presence felt. It was however disappointingly quiet for birds and surprisingly the cooler weather hadn't prompted much visible movement...with virtually no action offshore on the high tide.
As the tide slowly dropped a number of waders appeared, feeding briefly before moving on, when I logged 20+ Ringed Plovers, six Turnstones, at least 10 Sanderlings and 12 Oystercatchers. There were also a couple of pulses of Swallows moving through over the sea and the shore, mostly going E/NE and totalling about 70, together with at least seven House Martins, but these apart there was little or no visible migration today. Around the set-aside and hedgerows there was a noticeable drop in Chiffchaffs with only six counted, plus two Blackcaps feeding on berries, accompanied by up to four Song Thrushes. A Wheatear was again on the rocks beside the footpath on my way back.
Sanderling (top) with Ringed Plover feeding on Elmer beach and Song Thrush feeding in blackberry bush
Bilsham farm: There was a good count of 155 Coots on the reservoir, but the colder weather seemed to have prompted a bit of a clear out with other species, with only ten Tufted Ducks and five Little Grebes left amongst them. Nearby a group of 12+ House Martins were over the fields but there was nothing else of note.
Thursday, 26th September: An autumnal day of sunny periods interspersed with heavy grey cloud and frequent periods of heavy and torrential showers, blown through on a strong and blustery W/SW wind force 5-6, gusting to force 7.
Elmer: A day that saw me off the patch with other commitments - but later also catching up on some paperwork and emails indoors. One such was an interesting update from Germany on the colour-ringed Ringed Plover seen here on 11th September (see below pic). It transpires that this bird was ringed (as an adult) in Germany in May 2022 where it was presumably nesting.
Ringed Plover with colour-rings, Elmer beach, 11th September...having arrived from Germany!
Interestingly, this bird migrated from Germany (at a place called Beltringharder Koog, Gebiet) after the breeding season and was later found in autumn/winter that year at Climping (observed by friend and local birder Bola Akinola). It seems this bird then repeated it's journey, heading back to the same spot in Germany in spring 2023 and returning to our patch again in autumn. And guess what....it repeated the process yet again this year, when this time I was lucky enough to find it back, this time at Elmer. The wonders of migration!
Wednesday, 25th September: A generally grey and cloudy morning with a couple of heavy showers and a moderate SW wind, but it proved to be somewhat better than forecast thereafter, with a few brief dry and sunny interludes... until early afternoon when heavy and more persistent rain and showers returned.
Elmer Rocks: With rain predicted for most of the morning, I was pleased to take the opportunity of visiting the local beach when it didn't materialise; however before long I was trying to shelter from a torrential shower, though fortunately it was fairly brief....
There was little moving offshore beyond a couple of distant Gannets and a few of the regular gulls, but five Sandwich Terns were close in, fishing for a while before drifting off W, whilst along the shore (low tide) were seven Little Egrets, 15 Oystercatchers and half a dozen Ringed Plovers. Mediterranean Gull numbers were much reduced with no more than 15 seen, one of which bore a white ring (so presumably originating from Belgium), but it remained too distant for me to read the number code details.
There was a good deal of activity around the Elmer rife/woods and 'hotspot corner' set-aside. At least a dozen Blackcaps were feeding on berries, moving from bush to bush, a couple of Song Thrushes and Greenfinches were doing likewise and c.15 Chiffchaffs and 10 Goldfinches were along the hedgerows and bushes. As further rainclouds gathered it was time to leave, but as I made my way back, there was a loud screeching as a Peregrine flew past offshore, struggling with prey in its talons whilst followed by a mob of angry gulls.
(above) Sandwich Tern off Elmer Rocks and (below) Ringed Plovers at low tide
Blackcaps at Elmer rife area... female (above) and male (below)
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