Shorncote

30 Sep - My first visit to Shorncote for a while. A fairly good selection of autumn birds and Shorncote specialities - 2 Little Grebes, a flock of a hundred or so Tufted Duck and the first Wigeon of the winter, calling Water Rail, Lapwing flock in flight, 2 Kingfishers including one perched, a passage of Meadow Pipits, 3 fairly confiding Stonechats, and 3 Greenfinches, a local scarcity these days. 2 late Swallows, and a late juvenile Wheatear, were a sign of ongoing migration.

Blakehill recently

3 Oct - Several recent walks at Blakehill. Stonechats are passing through and hopefully arriving for the winter, with a flock of 8 seen this evening, and a late Whinchat this week as well. The Wheatears seem to have finally moved on southwards, still a few Chiffchaffs calling in the hedges though. I’ve seen Peregrine on 2 of my last 3 visits. Good numbers of Swallows present especially in the strong winds at the end of Sept, swooping low around the cattle, a Snipe flyby, and good numbers of Meadow Pipits passing overhead.

WWT

25 Sept - A fairly quiet early morning at Slimbridge, but very nice light on the pools especially on the Black-tailed Godwits feeding in front of Robbie Garnett Hide. Increasing numbers of wintering is now arriving and moulting out of eclipse into smart winter plumage.

Local outings

23 Sept - Recent visits to Blakehill and Shorncote. A definite autumnal feel, with Meadow Pipits passing in good numbers, the Wheatears having moved on to southern climes, and the Swallow passage petering out. Stonechats beginning to appear, with one accompanying a late Whinchat and Blakehill, and 4 the next day at Shorncote - also 2 late (presumably juvenile) Hobbies at Shorncote feeding on dragonflies - mainly Migrant Hawkers - in the windy weather - in view of the unsettled forecast, probably my last sighting this year of one of my favourite birds. Wintering Teal and Wigeon beginning to arrive. An interesting time of year for passage species with one or two scarcities to be expected......

Farmoor wader hotspot

21 Sept - A late afternoon visit to Farmoor on the last of the cloudless September days. The evening light was excellent, and I had really superb views of the tiny juvenile Little Stint that was still present on the causeway, keeping company with a juvenile Dunlin that appeared much bigger and more bulky on this direct comparison. Waders always appear, to me at least, smaller when seen very close to, and the Stint was barely bigger than the Pied Wagtail that was at one point adjacent to it on the causeway. It is always fascinating to see these Arctic breeders on their way south, presumably the juveniles have not encountered much of humanity and they always appear fearless, especially so for some reason on the causeway at Farmoor. Also present, a juvenile Knot, only my second ever here, and 2 juvenile Ruffs, a new species for my Farmoor wader list.

Farlington Foray

19 Sept - Another perfect cloudless day in prospect. I decided to head down to Farlington where a rare vagrant, an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, has been present for the last few days. As back up there is a good variety of waders especially on passage, and high tide was early afternoon. I arrived to see a small group of birders watching the hawthorn bushes, the EOW was still present and I had excellent views within 5 minutes of arriving - distinctively long-billed, with distinctive tail-dipping and a soft call that enabled the bird to be tracked when within the vegetation. I therefore had plenty of time to look for waders as the tide gradually rose, and I checked the adjacent Langstone harbour and also drove round to a couple of wader spots on Hayling Island. Langstone proved the most productive with birds gradually moving onto the lagoon as the tide rose, with Greenshanks and Grey Plovers proving the last to be pushed off by the rising tide as it covered the remaining mud islands. There was a good variety of waders present including 2-3 Curlew Sandpipers, at least 15 Greenshanks and 25+ Knot, amongst the more numerous Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank and Dunlin, together with impressive Curlews with their decurved bills. Greenshanks are one of my favourite waders, always so elegant, so a flock of 13 in one scope view was a real treat. Some of the Grey Plovers were only just beginning to moult out of their stunning summer plumage, presumably having recently arrived from their Arctic breeding areas. The Curlew Sandpipers present were fairly easy to pick out from the neighbouring Dunlin, with longer decurved bills and legs, and larger size, together with their active feeding behaviour thigh-deep in the water. Hayling held about 15 or so Bar-tailed Godwits, a regular site for them. I also saw the remarkable total of at least 46 Little Egrets during the morning. An excellent day.

Lower Moor

18 Sept - The perfect autumn weather continues, and I called in at Lower Moor to look for hawking Hobbies, as there is a good dragonfly population (prey) here. None seen amongst the hawking Gulls feeding on insects. A good view of a female Kestrel perched along the entrance track, a few Swallows moving, and a calling Nuthatch and Green Woodpecker. Insect highlight was definitely a perched Brown Hawker - these normally zoom around in the sun, and I've hardly ever seen one perched. let alone photographed one.

Blakehill

17 Sept - An early morning visit on a beautiful misty autumnal morning. A busy morning - A flyover Peregrine and a hunting Kestrel, a flyover Snipe calling and heading steadily SW, 2 Green and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a calling Jay - and a definite autumnal feel with a steady movement of Meadow Pipits and groups of Swallows, and calling Skylarks - 2 Wheatears still present, Warblers including Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Blackcap, and a group of 6 or so Reed Buntings.

Moor Green

16 Sept - A look at the juvenile Black-winged Stilt at Moor Green which has been present now for several days - possibly a UK-bred bird in view of the time of year and the nature of the occurrence? Characteristically long-legged, with pale dusky imm plumage. Also present for comparison, Greenshank and 2 Ruff, 8 Snipe, and Green and Common Sandpipers.

Wryneck!

15 Sept - A rare local opportunity for chance look for a Wryneck, one of those scarce migrant species that always gets the pulse racing in birders. A drive over to Sodbury Common, and an initial brief glimpse of the bird perched up, it then dropped between some bushes and after a few minutes wait we spotted the Wryneck feeding, Woodpecker-like, on the hillocks between the bushes. Amazing cryptic bark-like plumage, it moved unobtrusively among the tufts, sometimes only its head visible. Probably my best-ever prolonged views of the species. Also present on the common - Redstart, Wheatear and Whinchat.

East coast waders

6-11 Sept - A few days in Norfolk within striking distance of both Cley and Titchwell. A decent total of 22 wader species seen, no rarities but several scarce migrants including 3-4 smart Spotted Redshanks and several elegant Greenshanks at Cley, and a Curlew Sandpiper and a very confiding Purple Sandpiper at Titchwell - as well as good views of both Black-tailed and especially Bar-tailed Godwits - good numbers of Ruff - and Knot, Sanderling and Turnstone on the beach, a flyover Whimbrel, and a high-tide Curlew flock at Cley. Snipe were present but fairly elusive, and Avocets still at both sites after the end of the breeding season. Also seen - Water Rail, Marsh Harrier, Great White Egret and Mediterranean Gull.

Nearctic wader etc .....

4 Sept - A high-tide visit to Goldcliff, across the Severn bridge, and good ‘scope views of the juvenile Semi-palmated Sandpiper from the hides, alongside a Little Stint in the Dunlin flock. Small, pale, short-billed, stint-like feeding action, plain upperparts, A surprising lack of larger waders except for 2 Ruff, but a distant Marsh Harrier and Red Kite. In CWP, a quick look at Eysey produced 2 LRPs and a Green Sandpiper, with a flyover Marsh Harrier, and a male Sparrowhawk, both struggling in the strong wind.

Blakehill

3 Sept - An evening visit in fairly calm conditions produced a line up of no less than 8 Whinchats along the fenceline, accompanied by 4 Wheatears - an impressive spectacle.

Skye Munro bagging

31 Aug - 2 Sept - A few wet days on Skye but despite this some decent birds seen while walking/ climbing. The absolute highlight was an amazing view of a Golden Eagle, my closest ever in the UK...... as we started the walk in early sun, I heard Ravens calling behind me and I turned to see a magnificent Golden Eagle flying at eye level no more than 30 meters away, dwarfing the Ravens - a stunning view of the broad wings, large bill and the all-dark plumage of an adult bird. The same afternoon an adult White-tailed Eagle soared over the road near Carbost, and a pair of Red-throated Divers on a loch in Glen Brittle, where the beach also held a few passage waders including Sanderling, Dunlin and Ringed Plover. Overall, an autumnal few days, but a few good sightings.