October 2008

October is the best month of the year in terms of the number of species seen but has, perhaps, underperformed on the rarity front. Sea birds have included Leach's Petrel, Grey Phalarope and Long-tailed Skua but, for a month known for eastern vagrants, it has only produced one Yellow-browed Warbler and the only other rare warbler was a Dartford Warbler in 2001. However, this October may be different!

31st - cloudy with heavy showers and a moderate to fresh NE wind. More birds on the move over the sea with ten Shelduck, 15 Wigeon, one Red-breasted Merganser, four Little Gulls and 19 Kittiwakes west. Birds on the beach included single Grey Plover and Sanderling whilst elsewhere there was a Rock Pipit and five Corn Buntings.

30th - cloudy with a light to moderate SE wind. Movement over the sea included 52 Gannets, five Greylag Geese, 400 Brent Geese, eight Shelduck, ten Wigeon, six Teal, four Pintail, 12 Dunlin and a juvenile Pomarine Skua heading west and a Red-throated Diver, four Red-brested Mergansers, two Little Gulls and a Kittiwake heading east. On the sea, there were two Little Grebes and four Great Crested Grebes and flocks of up to 40 Common Scoters over the sea. A flock of 250 Golden Plovers and two Lapwings were on the beach. A single Stock Dove flew west, a juvenile Rook joined the Carrion Crows on the beach and one Rock Pipit was present. Another Short-eared Owl was seen well out to sea with, as usual, attendant gulls as it circled and drifted west at 10 a.m. However, the surprise of the day was the appearance of a Whinchat (the latest we have seen here). The number of Corn Buntings had riosen to five. The total of 67 species seen during the morning was the highest day total so far this year.

29th - sunny with a moderate northerly wind which abated during the morning. off to a good start with a Short-eared Owl circling high over the sea drifting west as it's mobbed by gulls; our first this year. Some movement over the sea which included two Red-throated Divers west, seven Gannets east and four west, 108 Brent Geese, ten Shelduck and a Red-breasted Merganser west and three Common Scoters east. Two Arctic Skuas flew west close inshore and two first-winter Little Gulls flew west directly over the obs. Single Sanderling and Dunlin were in a flock of 79 Ringed Plovers on the beach. Some vis.mig included c25 Skylarks, 32 Fieldfares, one Redwing and c60 Chaffinches west and there was also a single Brambling west and two others seen around the sewage works and churchyard.

A good day for seeing rare birders with the first appearance of Dave Rosair for many years, all the way from Chestfield, and Rex George was back on one of his regular visits from his adopted Cumbria. They met, on site, for the first time in 25 years!

27th - sunny with a moderate but too much westerly NW wind. A Great Crested Grebe was on the sea, the drake Common Scoter was present for its fifth day, two Grey Plovers and a Dunlin were amongst the waders on the beach and 18 Redshank had gathered on the edge of the brook at high tide whilst a single Sandwich Tern was still offshore. It was good to see a Kingfisher catch a small fish in the brook behind the shingle ridge; the brook had been officially declared dead by the Environment Agency only a couple of weeks previously. Little or no vis.mig and a distinct lack of bush birds. Better to come?

25th - a very different day, sunny and calm after a touch of frost. However, again little to report: the drake Common Scoter again offshore, the Grey Plover still on the beach, two pairs of Stonechats were in the scrub, two adult Rooks circled over the beach, a flock of seven Lesser Redpolls flew SW over the entrance to the sewage works, a Yellowhammer did the same whilst another lingered in the grassland bushes before flying off west. Later in the morning a moderate WNW wind encouraged Chaffinches to move with 159 counted flying west.

Close but not at Swalecliffe, Philip Hurst saw an adult summer plumage Arctic Tern on the rocks at Hampton this morning. Presumably, the bird seen here four days earlier, it flew off east towards Herne Bay.

24th - cloudy with a light to moderate westerly with rain arriving to wash out the morning. Little to report: the drake Common Scoter was still lingering close inshore, a single Grey Plover was still present, one Chiffchaff and two Goldcrests were seen and two Corn Buntings flew over the grassland.

In the afternoon, at about 2.35 p.m., Philip Hurst saw the Snow Bunting by the coastal cottages east of Swalecliffe and it flew west appearing to land on the beach by the caravan park where it was seen yesterday.

23rd - a brisk westerly wind heralded a bit of vis.mig. However, belatedly picking up a message from Tim Hodge, I saw an excellent male Snow Bunting feeding along the concrete walkway by the caravan park; our first this year and unusually early for this sight with an October record in only one year previously. Chaffinches wee on the move again with 355 counted plus 11 Skylarks, two Rooks, two Bramblings, ten Goldfinches, a Yellowhammer (first since January) and seven Reed Buntings all heading west. Two Common Scoters flew east and a single drake lingered close inshore. One Grey Plover was on the beach, a Snipe circled around over the shingle ridge and a Sandwich Tern was again fishing offshore.

A Red Admiral flew along the beach.

Common Scoter - Geoff Burton

Chaffinch - Mike Gould

21st - cloudy with a moderate westerly wind. A very different day with no vis.mig. An adult Arctic Tern was on the beach early morning and seen feeding offshore, sometimes accompanied by a Sandwich Tern, for most of the morning. Other birds included a Great Crested Grebe offshore, a Red-breasted Merganser close inshore, two Rock Pipits in the brook and the marsh, and three Chiffchaffs and a Goldcrest in a roaming tit flock.

Arctic Tern - Geoff Burton

20th - sunny at first then cloudy with fresh SW winds. Chaffinches were on the move today with 936 having flown west by 11 a.m. (743 flew west yesterday observed from the Tankerton slopes). No other mass movements but five Goldfinches, ten Siskins and two Lesser Redpolls also flew west. However, not a single Brambling was heard or seen and one Redwing west was the only thrush movement noted. A single Corn Bunting in the scrub was the first of the autumn. A Sandwich Tern was again fishing offshore.

18th - sunny with light SW winds. A few autumnal firsts enlivened the day. After yesterday's reports of thousands of Redwings on the move, and a few over my house as I left this morning, I was hopeful of good numbers of these thrushes this morning. However, it was Fieldfares that wee centre stage with 138 counted heading west during the morning (our first this autumn) but only 15 Redwings were noted. Second new bird for the autumn was a Merlin chasing small passerines around the sky over the sea and, thirdly, two Red-breasted Mergansers dropped in close inshore and immediately commenced lengthy dives for fish. Other birds included a total of 30 Brent Geese and a group of seven Wigeon west, 20 Lapwings west and another two on the beach with 280 Golden Plovers and a Sandwich Tern offshore. Other passerines on the move included 35 Skylarks, one Swallow, 328 Chaffinches, three Bramblings, 21 Goldfinches, six Siskins and a single flock of 20 Lesser Redpolls. A Kingfisher preferred to fish over the sea from the outlet pipe to the stench of the brook, only one Chiffchaff was seen and there were two Goldcrests as well.

A Red Admiral was also seen.

Kestrel - Geoff Burton

16th - only a light westerly at first but freshening from the NW. A low tide early morning brought the expected flock of Golden Plovers to the beach with a total of 280 birds. A single Grey Plover was with them. A pair of Pintail were present offshore whilst 30 Brent Geese and a single Wigeon flew west. Two Arctic Skuas flew west including aan adult light-phase close inshore. There were also two Sandwich Terns offshore.

15th - cloudy with a moderate southerly wind. An adult Arctic Tern flew west, a first for the year, and two Sandwich Terns were offshore. 12 Brent Geese and a Wigeon also flew west and 30 Golden Plovers were on the beach. Two Swallows flew west, three Stonechats were in the scrub and four Chiffchaffs and a Goldcrest were also seen.

14th - the charm of this Indian summer is beginning to wear a bit thin. Sunny, calm and warm and very little on the move. Counts of waders on the beach included 24 Oystercatchers, 81 Ringed Plovers, accompanied by a single Grey Plover, and 15 Redshank. Three Lapwings flew SW from the beach. Two Rock Pipits were present, fewer Chiffchaffs, about half a dozen, four Lesser Redpolls flew over the sewage works and the Redstart was present for its third day.

13th - sunny with a light SW wind. A few migrants including a flock of 11 Skylarks which came in off the sea and flew west, a total of five Rock Pipits west, a Redwing in flight over the scrub and a Mistle Thrush, 256 Chaffinches and a Siskin west. Birds of the day were two vocal Coal Tits, apparently of the British race this time, around the obs. 32 Carrion Crows had gathered on the beach, the first significant numbers this autumn, and Greg's Redstart was refound incongrously feeding on the mud of the brook by the sluice in the company of a Grey Wagtail and Meadow Pipit.

A Red Admiral and two Small Copper butterflies were also seen.

12th - Greg Herne reported a Redstart and a Sparrowhawk.

11th - sunny and calm, again! There were three Little Egrets and 80 Ringed Plovers on the beach. Three Stonechats were present in the scrub, two Redwings flew west, there were about 15 Chiffchaffs around and three Goldcrests in the churchyard.

10th - sunny and calm at first then light to moderate southerly. Visible migration with c750 Chaffinches, seven Bramblings and ten Lesser Redpolls heading west. Hirundines have been very scarce in this "good" weather but one Swallow and two House Martins flew west. About 20 Chiffchaffs were present and a single Goldcrest. Other birds on the move were 36 Lapwings and eight Brent Geese also heading west.

9th - sunny, calm and warm. A little activity despite the weather with 20 Gannets heading west and seven east, 16 Brent Geese and two Common Scoter west and five Lapwings heading NW and, best of all, a Manx Shearwater flying east close inshore (a first for the year). 98 Turnstones were counted on the beach and two Sandwich Terns were seen offshore. There were at least 25 Chiffchaffs, mostly in the churchyard where there were two Goldcrests also. An adult Rook heading west was the first of the autumn aa were three Bramblings heading west, one of which lingered briefly and noisily by the obs.

Great Tit - Geoff Burton

Non-avian interest included Small White and Red Admiral, Common Darter, Migrant and Southern Hawker and a Yellow-necked Field Mouse which skuttled along the concrete pathway passed the obs.

8th - sunny with a light westerly wind. There were four Little Egrets and 79 Ringed Plovers on the beach and a party of five Teal flew west. A juvenile Pomarine Skua landed on the sea close inshore but eventually flew off east. A Wheatear was on the groynes at the eastern end, a female Blackcap in the scrub, a Goldcrest in the churchyard and a single Lesser Redpoll flew west.

A Red Admiral and a Large White butterfly were also seen.

7th - cloudy with showers and a moderate southerly wind. Quiet; a single Arctic Skua flew east, parties of seven and 13 Common Terns flew east and west respectively (the only ones this month) and two Sandwich Terns flew east. There were 19 Redshank on the beach at dawn and, later, two Grey Plovers flew east. Two Brent Geese and a drake Wigeon were around the tidal ponds. A steady movement of Chaffinches west amounted to 167 birds and about 40 House Martins were again feeding over the area.

Small White butterfly and Common Darter dragonfly were also noted.

6th - a cloudy and calm start to the day was a relief, it did get misty with a little drizzle but brightened later in the light southerly wind. A trickle of birds headed west including three Shelduck, single Wigeon and Teal, five Pintail, two Knot and an adult Mediterranean Gull and Little Gull. There were few waders on the beach but six Grey Herons were sentinels around the tidal ponds at low tide. There were two Rock Pipits, on circled over the area but was chased off the site by a Meadow Pipit but the second was feeding amicably amongst Meadow Pipits on one of the grassland paths. A Little Grebe, in the brook behind the shingle ridge, was probably the bird of two days earlier and a Wheatear was also on the beach. A late Whitethroat was in the scrub whilst there were one or two female Blackcaps and half a dozen Chiffchaffs along the east bank. A Mistle Thrush flew SW over the sewage works, the first here since June, but later two alighted on the church spire. About 20 House Martins were feeding over the area all morning. A flock of 40 Siskins flew west and then the morning had a sting in its tail when a Lapland Bunting was found on the beach at 12.05 and remained in the area until at least 12.30, although disturbed quite frequently, and then at 12.30, a Sooty Shearwater flew west low over a calm sea trailed closely by a juvenile Gannet.

5th - after a week away, rain and strong SW winds were not what I had wished for on my return! There was very little to report; about 40 House Martins were feeding over the sewage works, a female Stonechat was present in the scrub and at least two Chiffchaffs were calling along the east bank.

As usual the two ladies with their packs were on the beach. I overheard "come here or I'll f...ing strangle you". Now what dog training manual does that come from? It's good to be back!

4th - an amazingly calm and bright start to the day. A Sandwich Tern was sitting on one of the bouys whilst another flew west. A Snipe flew off the beach and a Little Grebe was in the brook. At 7.45 a.m., two juvenile Marsh Harriers flew NW towards Sheppey. In the grassland, there were two cock Stonechats and one hen. Two Kingfishers were in the brook and two Blackcaps and three Chiffchaffs were in the bushes. Later, there was some visible migration with a steady stream of Meadow Pipits, 30 Goldfinches and c20 Chaffinches. Again little moved on the sea, but the first Brent Goose of the month flew east and five Little Egrets flew west well out to sea.

3rd - the strong NW wind held out the promise of a good seawatch but it never happened . Only three Arctic Skuas were seen in a four-hour period (9-1) plus single Red-throated Diver and a Shag close inshore. Three Grey Plovers were also noted and 80 Goldfinches flew west.

2nd - a light westerly wind with occasional showers. A single Yellow Wagtail was on the beach and a Willow Warbler was by the sewage works entrance; both useful late birds for the month. Otherwise, very quiet with single Grey and Golden Plovers west together and a "small party" of Siskins over the sewage works.

1st - gale force westerly winds with occasional showers. A difficult start to the month. About 140 House Martins sruggled west despite the winds but only one lone Swallow was seen. Other birds included a first-winter Mediterranean Gull, two Golden Plovers and a Goldcrest.