A 'Blue-headed Wagtail' was probably the best bird of the month but other highlights included an Osprey, a Curlew Sandpiper and a Black Tern.
More details on the above birds and the rest of this month's sightings follow below...
Present throughout with 710 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
Black Swan...
Two were present throughout.
Canada Goose...
Present throughout with 440 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th. Barnacle Goose...
One was present on the 18th and 19th.
(Eurasian) Wigeon...
One was seen on the 3rd but then regular from the 18th with a peak of 50 on the 29th.
Gadwall...One was seen on the 3rd but then regular from the 18th with a peak of 50 on the 29th.
Three on the 20th.
(Eurasian) Teal...
Present throughout with 450 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.(Eurasian) Teal...
Mallard...
Present throughout with 513 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
(Northern) Pintail...
The first three of the autumn arrived on the 14th. There were then near daily sightings with a peak of 200 on the 28th.
(Northern) Shoveler...
Present throughout with a peak of 50 on the 29th.
(Common) Pochard...
Present throughout with 30 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
Tufted Duck...
Present throughout with 156 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
Red-breasted Merganser...
The over-summering female lingered until the 19th. |
| The female Red-breasted Merganser September 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Common) Pheasant...
Present throughout.
(Northern) Gannet...
An adult flew over The Fleet on the 26th.
(Great) Cormorant...
Present throughout with 25 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
Little Egret...
Present throughout with at least 20 in the roost on the 30th.
Present throughout with a peak of four on the 17th.
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| 1st winter Grey Heron September 2016 © Steve Groves |
Little Grebe...
Present throughout with 17 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
Great Crested Grebe...
Present throughout with 40 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
(Western) Marsh Harrier...
A juvenile was seen on the 18th, 20th and 23rd. |
| Juvenile (Western) Marsh Harrier September 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Eurasian) Sparrowhawk...
Singles on the 4th, 5th and 26th.
(Common) Buzzard...
Single figures were seen regularly.
(Western) Osprey...
One from the 11th to the 13th.
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| (Western) Osprey September 2016 © Dave Callaby |
Water Rail...
Heard regularly from the 4th but one was not seen until the 29th.
(Common) Moorhen...
Present throughout with five counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
(Eurasian) Coot...
Present throughout with 430 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
(Eurasian) Oystercatcher...
One on the 28th.
Grey Plover...
There was a marked passage from the 18th to the 28th involving at least 37 birds with the largest group of 18 seen on the 18th.Singles on the 18th, 20th and 22nd; seven on the 19th.
(Northern) Lapwing...
Present throughout with the flock building up from nine to 12 by the end of the month.
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| (Northern) Lapwing September 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Eurasian) Whimbrel...
One on the 1st.
(Eurasian) Curlew...
Three on the 7th.Black-tailed Godwit...
Seen regularly with a peak of 34 on the 5th.
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| Black-tailed Godwit September 2016 © Steve Groves |
Bar-tailed Godwit...
One or two were seen regularly but there were three on the 17th and 18th.
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| Bar-tailed Godwit (with Mute Swan) September 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Ruddy) Turnstone...
Two on the 4th and 17th, one on the 27th and two on the 28th.
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(Red) Knot...
One from the 1st to the 3rd; three on the 23rd.
Ruff...
One on Meadow Pool on the 5th.
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| Juvenile Ruff (with (Eurasian) Teal) September 2016 © Steve Groves |
Curlew Sandpiper...
One was seen on the 21st.
Sanderling...
Two on the Chesil/Fleet shoreline on the 17th.
Dunlin...
Regular with a peak of 12 on the 21st. |
| Juvenile Dunlins September 2016 © Steve Groves |
Common Sandpiper...
From one to five were seen almost daily.
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| Common Sandpiper September 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
Green Sandpiper...
One on the 2nd.
(Common) Greenshank...
Two were regular from the 2nd to 5th and at least one was heard on the 13th.
(Common) Redshank...
One on the 17th.
(Common) Snipe...
Singles were seen regularly from the 8th with a peak of at least three on the 19th.
Black Tern...
One (a juvenile) on the 2nd was the first since August 2014 and the only tern of the month!One on the 17th.
(Common) Snipe...
Singles were seen regularly from the 8th with a peak of at least three on the 19th.
Black Tern...
Black-headed Gull...
Present throughout with 180 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
Mediterranean Gull...
At least one was seen regularly from the 2nd to the 4th, whilst over thirty were present on the 28th.
Common Gull...
Three on the 20th and one on the 23rd.
Lesser Black-backed Gull...
Single figures were seen regularly.
(European) Herring Gull...
Present throughout with no significant counts.
Yellow-legged Gull...
Single first calendar year birds were seen regularly. |
| 1st calendar year Yellow-legged Gull September 2016 © Steve Groves |
Great Black-backed Gull...
Present throughout with a peak of 200 on the 3rd.
(Feral/Domestic) Rock Dove...
Seen regularly.
(Common) Wood Pigeon...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Collared Dove...
Seen regularly.Tawny Owl...
One was heard on the 17th.
(Common) Kingfisher...
Singles were seen regularly.
(European) Green Woodpecker...
Seen regularly.
Great Spotted Woodpecker...
Seen regularly.
(Common) Kestrel...
Seen regularly.
Merlin...
One on the 2nd was the first since October 2015.
Peregrine Falcon...
Singles on the 4th and 7th.
(Eurasian) Magpie...
Seen regularly.(Western) Jackdaw...
Present throughout.
Rook...
Present throughout.
Carrion Crow...
Present throughout.
(Northern) Raven...
Seen regularly.
Goldcrest...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Blue Tit...
Present throughout.
Great Tit...
Present throughout.
Coal Tit...
Present throughout.(Eurasian) Skylark...
Present throughout with a peak of 10 over on the 22nd.
Sand Martin...
Seen regularly with a peak of 10 on the 17th.
(Barn) Swallow...
Seen regularly with a peak of 100 on the 17th.Seen regularly with a peak of 10 on the 17th.
Cetti's Warbler...
Present throughout.
Long-tailed Tit...
Present throughout.
(Common) Chiffchaff...
Present throughout with a peak of at least 50 on the 23rd. |
| (Common) Chiffchaff September 2016 © Steve Groves |
Willow Warbler...
A few were still being noted in the first half of the month with at least 10 on the 5th but none were seen after mid-month.
(Eurasian) Blackcap...
Present throughout.
(Common) Whitethroat...
Singles seen regularly until the 23rd.
Sedge Warbler...
Seen regularly.Seen regularly.
(Eurasian) Treecreeper...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Wren...
Present throughout.
(Common) Starling...
A roost of around 20 formed early in the month and swelled to over 100 by the 26th.
(Common) Blackbird...
Present throughout.
Mistle Thrush...
One on the 21st/22nd.
(European) Robin...
Present throughout.Spotted Flycatcher...
One on the 2oth/21st.
Whinchat...
One to two were regular from the 3rd to the 8th and again on the 18th/19th.
(European) Stonechat...
One to two were seen regularly.
(Northern) Wheatear...
Seen regularly until the 23rd with a peak of at least five on the 5th. |
| (Northern) Wheatear September 2016 © Steve Groves |
Dunnock...
Present throughout.
House Sparrow...
Present throughout.
Yellow Wagtail...
Regular with a peak of 500 in the roost on the 5th, the same day that one of the Continental form known as 'Blue-headed Wagtail', was trapped, ringed and released.
Grey Wagtail...
One to two were seen regularly.
Pied Wagtail...
Present throughout with a peak of at least 30 in the roost on the 14th. Two of the Continental/Icelandic form known as 'White Wagtail', were trapped, ringed and released on the 21st.
Meadow Pipit...
Present throughout with a peak of 300 east on the 17th.
(Eurasian) Rock Pipit...
Singles were seen regularly.
(Common) Chaffinch...
Present throughout.
(Common) Linnet...
Present throughout.
(European) Goldfinch...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Siskin...
One, the first of the autumn, was heard on the 22nd.
(Common) Reed Bunting...
Present throughout. I'll leave you with Charlie's shot of a Convolvulus Hawk-moth that was seen this September...
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| Convolvulus Hawk-moth September 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
October's sightings to follow shortly.
