Category: September 2020

I explored the south west bushes to start with and was rewarded with a very close Short-eared Owl quartering around the pool near MM’s house. A Spoonbill drifted high overhead towards B Water.

An impressive passage of hundreds of House Martins and Swallows included the odd Sand Martin and a Sedge Warbler at the edge of the reed bed near the NP hide was an increasingly unusual record for the site. Two Wheatear lingered along the beach and 20 Chiffchaffs were very vocal including several who were singing.

I had reached the hides before Ian rang to say that there was a male Common Scoter close in shore off the beach. I returned to the beach gate and had great views as it drifted east.

Waders around the hides included 12 Greenshank, 3 Spotted Redshank and 3 Green Sandpiper. A wander around the point produced a stunning Merlin first seen perched on distant fence posts before powering towards me chasing Linnets and Meadow Pipits and then flying straight over my head.

Insects included a Clouded Yellow drifting west along the beach, several pristine Small Coppers, a perched Migrant Hawker and several Common Darter.

An obvious passage of at least 40 House Martins with lots of vocal Chiffchaffs and an obvious movement of Redpoll including a flock of 10 on the ground which I was able to get in the scope. Several newly arrived Wheatears with around 6 in total and a vocal Marsh Tit accompanied me on my walk around the bushes and trees west of the NP hide. A pair of Peregrines were seen from the Estuary hide with one of them sitting on the fence posts and the other on the ground in the flooded fields. Five Spotted Redshank were swimming together out from B Water hide and they included a juvenile bird. A very showy Water Rail ran across in front of B Water hide and several Sand Martins hawked over the water. 15 Curlew were feeding close by up on the bank north from JV hide. A Field Grasshopper near the sluice gate where there was also a pair of Kingfisher and a Red Kite drifted over Inchmery.

A large scale movement of Siskin and Swallow. Also a few Redpoll overhead.

Newly arrived were 90 Wigeon and 190 Teal. A Hobby dashing down W Lane was a surprise and a Spotted Redshank swam right in front of me from B Water Hide.

A juvenile Common Sandpiper proved to be the only one of the autumn. A lovely Whinchat at the start of the cattle field and a scoped Yellow Wagtail on the ground near the bridge.

I purchased my new permit on Monday 14^th September and headed down for my first visit to NO since 1996! Highlights were 2 Yellow Wagtails calling as they flew over, 2 Green Sandpipers and a Wall Brown butterfly nectaring on Hawkbit at the start of the Walking Trail.