UK Bird Sightings
A comprehensive round-up of birds seen during September
Highlights
While the Scottish islands overflowed with headline rarities, Scilly ducked under the radar, though still producing the likes of Great Snipe and Western Bonelli’s Warbler, while Cornwall produced Semipalmated, Baird’s and Spotted Sandpipers, Pallid Harrier, and a reported Brown Booby.
AVON
CLEVEDON-WESTON-SUPER-MARE: Clevedon-Yeo had two Common Scoters (1st) and 250 Ringed Plovers. There were two Nightjar reports from Weston-super-Mare.
SEVERNSIDE: Northwick Warth had a Pectoral Sandpiper (13th-25th), six Curlew Sandpipers, three Little Stints, Ruff, Knot, Sanderling, Golden Plovers and Grey Plovers. Avocets lingered along Severnside (to 11th). A Garganey and Little Ringed Plovers were at Pilning Wetlands throughout.
THE RESERVOIRS: Chew and Blagdon held a few Garganeys. Chew logged 174 Pintails, 2,420 Teal, 110 Pochards, 2,360 Tufted Ducks, two Goldeneyes, two Black-necked Grebes, 3,000 Coots, a Spotted Redshank, seven Ruff, two Little Stints, a Curlew Sandpiper, 14 Green Sandpipers, a Wood Sandpiper, Osprey, Mediterranean Gull and Yellow-legged Gull. Barrow Gurney had a Red-crested Pochard.
OTHER SITES: Three Quails were at Marshfield (1st), with singles on two other dates. A Red-backed Shrike stayed there for nearly a week early in the month. A Dotterel flew over (2nd). A Mandarin was at Yate. Groups of up to nine Swifts passed through in the first week. The first Fieldfare and Redwing arrived (28th). A Yellow-browed Warbler was in a Kingswood garden, Bristol (30th). Jane Cumming
CHANNEL ISLANDS
JERSEY: At least 23 Ravens were noted. Grouville had eight Cirl Buntings, three pale bellied and hundreds of dark-bellied Brent Geese, five Cattle Egrets, a Wryneck, Curlew Sandpiper, 150 Curlews, 11 Bar-tailed Godwits, 200 Sanderling, 200 Dunlin, 200 Ringed Plovers, 20 Grey Plovers, 200 Turnstones, 10 Redshanks, 300 Oystercatchers, 10 Greenshanks, a Knot, a few thousand Swallows, thousands of House Martins, hundreds of Yellow and White Wagtails, a few Grey Wagtails and thousands of Meadow Pipits.
Garganeys bred at the Wetlands Centre. Also there were four Lapwings, a Snipe, 40 Herons, a Great White Egret, Spoonbill, Little Stint, eight Marsh Harriers, a Kingfisher and many Reed and Sedge Warblers. Grosnez logged 1,000 Balearic Shearwaters, Great Skuas, Arctic Skuas, hundreds of Razorbills, a few Puffins, Guillemots, Sooty and Manx Shearwaters, thousands of Sandwich Terns, and a few Little, Black, Common and Arctic Terns. A Short-eared Owl was at the Minquiers reef.
Noirmont had a Short-toed Lark, Ortolan Buntings, a Yellow-browed Warbler, Wryneck, Ring Ouzel, eight Hobbies, two Ospreys, a
Honey Buzzard and Merlin. Petit Port held 200 Mediterranean Gulls. A Hen Harrier was near the Sandpits. Nightjars bred at two sites. Two Dotterel were at Les Landes. Saint Ouen’s Bay had a Kentish Plover. A Lapland Bunting was at Les Platons. Bertram Bree
CORNWALL
HIGHLIGHTS: Pinkfeet included seven around Hayle (27th-28th). Seven Ruddy Shelducks were on the Camel and Walmsley (15th-19th). Forty Great White Egrets included seven at St Just (17th). A Glossy Ibis was on Hayle (3rd), where a Honey Buzzard flew over (20th). A Black Kite drifted around the far west (12th-21st). A Pallid Harried was over Penzance (19th), and Polgigga and Porthgwarra (20th). Ospreys included four on the Fal (17th).
American Golden Plovers were at Polgigga (3rd), Caerthillian (15th) and Pendeen (20th). Seventeen Dotterel included seven at Pendeen (18th). A Baird’s Sandpiper was on Hayle (11th-24th). Buff-breasted Sandpipers were at Nanjizal (4th), Porthgwarra (7th), Park Head (6th-10th) and Predannack (20th). Pectoral Sandpipers were at Windmill Farm (13th), Siblyback (8th-19th), Loe Pool (20th) and Hayle (30th). Semipalmated Sandpipers were at Hayle/Godrevy (2nd-28th), and on the Camel (23rd-28th).
Wood Sandpipers were widespread (1st-16th). An Iceland Gull was at Gwithian (28th), a Caspian Gull at Drift (22nd) and a Glaucous Gull on Hayle (21st). A Bee-eater was around Porthgwarra, St Levan and Polgigga (16th-17th). A Hoopoe was at Nanjizal (7th). At least 23 Wrynecks were recorded. A Greenish Warbler was at Porthgwarra (23rd). Fourteen Yellow-browed Warblers were noted (20th-30th). Barred Warblers were at Porthgwarra (5th) and St Ives (20th).
Icterine Warblers were at Porthgwarra (7th-11th), Porth Joke (13th) and Nanquidno (20th). Melodious Warblers were at Porthgwarra (6th) and Nanjizal (15th). Porthgwarra had a Paddyfield Warbler (22nd), Citrine Wagtail (7th) and Tawny Pipit (16th-17th). A Red-breasted Flycatcher was at Polgigga (25th). Ortolan Buntings were at Nanjizal (9th), Coverack (13th), Polgigga (14th) and Hayle (20th).
A Snow Bunting was at Porthgwarra (13th-14th). Lapland Buntings were at Porthgwarra (18th-27th), Kynance (five on 27th) and Sennen Cove (30th). A Brown Booby was off Trevose (17th). Eight Sabine’s Gulls were off Pendeen (25th). Sara McMahon
DEVON
LUNDY: Highlights included a Storm Petrel, Marsh Warbler, 150 Blackcaps, our tenth Dartford Warbler, 350 Meadow Pipits, a Red-backed Shrike, two Lapland Buntings, our first ever Sora, eighth ever Goshawk, a Snow Bunting, Yellow-browed
NORTH DEVON: Fremington had a Glossy Ibis. Braunton had an Osprey, four Whimbrels, six Cattle Egrets, a Marsh Harrier and four Curlew Sandpipers. Taw Estuary had a Marsh Harrier, three Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret, Osprey, nine pale-bellied Brent Geese and 26 Mediterranean Gulls. Ilfracombe had a Pomarine Skua. Fifteen Fieldfares were at Monkleigh. Burrator had 18 Crossbills. Rillage Point had a Hen Harrier and Iceland Gull. Lower Tamar Lake had a Scaup and four Willow Tits.
SOUTH DEVON: Bowling Green Marsh had a Spotted Redshank, 19 Curlew Sandpipers, two Garganeys, a Scaup, 50 Pintails and 90 Wigeon. Branscombe had 60 Yellow Wagtails. Soar had 28 Stonechats, a Wryneck, eight White Wagtails, 330 House Martins, an Ortolan Bunting, 150 Skylarks, a Little Stint, three Grey Plovers and seven Cirl Buntings. Plymouth had a White Stork and Osprey. South Huish had two Curlew Sandpipers, a Little Stint and three Sanderling.
Berry Head had 122 Arctic Skuas, a Long-tailed Skua, 17 Great Skuas, five Arctic Terns, a Pomarine Skua, 28 Balearic Shearwaters, 22 Common Scoters, a Red-throated Diver, Black Tern, 75 Balearic Shearwaters, a Yellow-browed Warbler, Leach’s Petrel, 19 Storm Petrels, 29 Sooty Shearwaters, 400 Kittiwakes and a Great Northern Diver. West Charleton Marsh had eight Cattle Egrets and 3,000 Swallows. A Marsh Harrier was at Exminster. Torbay had two Arctic Skuas.
Ivybridge had 15 White Storks over, with three at at Bovey Tracey (5th). Wembury had three Curlew Sandpipers, 20 Whimbrels, 66 Mediterranean Gulls, a Yellow-legged Gull and three Arctic Skuas. The Exe Estuary had an Osprey, two Curlew Sandpipers and nine Grey Plovers. A Wryneck was at Bantham. Slapton had a Honey Buzzard. Prawle Point had two Great Shearwaters, a Sabine’s Gull, 214 Balearic Shearwaters, five Sooty Shearwaters, eight Arctic Skuas, two Great Skuas and 291 Kittiwakes.
A Merlin was at Cox Tor. Ospreys were at Lopwell Dam, Haldon Forest, the Tamar Estuary and Dart Estuary. Dawlish Warren had two Eiders, 14 Common Scoters 13 Grey Plovers. Hallsands had a Short-eared Owl. Lyme Bay had two Sooty Shearwaters, a Balearic Shearwater, two Common Scoters and three Arctic Skuas. Venford Reservoir had 1,000 House Martins. Powderham Marshes had a Caspian Gull. Labrador Bay had 15 Cirl Buntings and a Short-eared Owl. Four Ring Ouzels were at Hound Tor.
THURLESTONE BAY: Highlights included five Common Scoters, eight Manx Shearwaters, 45 Balearic Shearwaters, three Fulmars, 765 Gannets, a Cattle Egret, 12 Little Egrets, a Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, 41 Oystercatchers, 50 Ringed Plovers, a Golden Plover, three Grey Plovers, three Knot, five Sanderling, a Little Stint, three Curlew Sandpipers, 142 Dunlin, three Ruff, 13 Snipe, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, two Bar-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel, 32 Curlews, two Common Sandpipers, three Green Sandpipers, eight Greenshanks, ten Redshanks, seven Turnstones, two Stone Curlews, a Great Skua, three Black Terns, 10,000 Swallows and 50 Yellow Wagtails. Harvey Kendall and Mike Passman (thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk)
ISLES OF SCILLY
HIGHLIGHTS: Spotted Redshanks flew over Porth Hellick (1st) and Lower Moors (14th). The Spotted Sandpiper remained at Porth Hellick to mid-month. Last month’s Black Kite was seen several times. Good numbers of Wrynecks, Pied Flycatchers, Spotted Flycatchers and Wheatears were seen. The Garrison had a Barred Warbler (2nd) and Melodious Warbler (3rd). Nightingales were at Carn Friars (4th), Porth Hellick (22nd) and near the Dump. A Quail was on the airport (6th). A few Crossbills and Siskins were seen from the second week.
An Alpine Swift flew over St Mary’s (6th), as did an Osprey (9th). A Spoonbill flew over St Martin’s, then roosted for the rest of the month near Samson. A Western Bonelli’s Warbler was on Bryher (9th-10th). A Woodchat Shrike was on Gugh (9th & 15th-16th). A Melodious Warbler was at Longstone (10th), when 23 pale-bellied Brent Geese flew past Tresco. A Pectoral Sandpiper was at Porth Hellick (10th-11th). A Dotterel was on St Mary’s Airport (11th).
Three Buff-breasted Sandpipers were on Bryher (12th), with a Rose-coloured Starling there (from 12th) and Lapland Buntings from mid-month. A late Wilson’s Petrel was south of the islands (12th), when an Ortolan Bunting was recorded calling over Hugh Town. A Bee-eater, Wood Warbler and Short-eared Owl were on the Garrison (17th), when four Dotterel were on Tresco. A Honey Buzzard was on St Mary’s (18th-20th & 23rd). Two Greylags were on St Mary’s,
The islands’ 35th Great Spotted Woodpecker was on St Martin’s (18th), then Tresco. A Melodious Warbler was on St Martin’s (18th). The first Great Snipe for over 40 years, and a Red-backed Shrike were on Bryher (20th), when an Ortolan Bunting was on St Mary’s. A record 66 Mediterranean Gulls were in Tresco Channel (20th). A Wilson’s Petrel was near the Bishop Rock Lighthouse (21st). A possible Orangecrowned Warbler was on Bryher (21st).
Red-throated Divers were between the islands (22nd) and near Samson (30th). Three Jack Snipe were on St Mary’s late in the month. A Blyth’s Reed Warbler was on the Garrison (23rd). Two Corn Crakes were seen in the last week. Six Pinkfeet were noted (from 24th). A few Yellow-browed Warblers and Firecrests were noted at the end of the month. A Common Rosefinch was on St Mary’s (from 26th).
A Glaucous Gull flew between Tresco and St Mary’s (27th), when a Long-tailed Duck was south of Tresco.
A Water Pipit was on St Mary’s, a Little Grebe on St Agnes and a Red-throated Pipit over Peninnis (28th). A Spotted Crake was on the Great Pool, Tresco (from 28th). A Great White Egret flew over St Martin’s (29th). Will Wagstaff
WILTSHIRE
HIGHLIGHTS: A Pallid Harrier flew over Chippenham (23rd). The second Rose-coloured Starling of the year was at Trowbridge. Wrynecks were at Blakehill, Middle Woodford, Swindon STW, Avebury and Whitbourne Springs. There were 18 Cattle Egrets in the Standlynch area and another at Blakehill. Great White Egrets were at Coate Water, the Water Park, Stanton St Bernard and Westbury Ponds. Ospreys were at Salisbury and Langford Lakes. Merlins were at four sites. Hobbies were in evidence all month.
Marsh Harriers were at the Woodfords, Monkton Deverill, SPTA(E) and Wylye Down. There was just one Common Sandpiper record and three Green Sandpipers. The first Golden Plovers were at Chippenham. Blackcap passage saw 909 ringed at just three localities at the beginning of September. Meadow Pipits included 200 at Heddington, 150 at SPTA(C) and 100 at Woodford and Blakehill. A Ring Ouzel was at Westbury. The first Redwing was at Bowood (28th).
There were 400 House Martins at SPTA, 250 at Great Ridge Wood and 200 at Woodford. Corn Buntings included 100 at SPTA, 50 at Woodford, 40 at Ogbourne St George and smaller numbers at eight other sites. Crossbills were at Great Ridge Wood, Savernake, Shear Water and SPTA. There was a small passage of Lesser Redpolls and Siskins, with the latter at 12 sites. Rob Turner