Brents Back

 

Sunrise - from Orcombe Point

 

A dawn trip and a late afternoon trip up to Orcombe returned the following totals: c7/8+ Blackcap, c12+ Chiffchaff, 7 Grey Wagtail, 16+ 'alba' wagtail, 2 Wheatear, c45+ Swallow, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Yellow Wagtail (lingering around the cattle), 5+ House Martin, 2+ Sand Martin, 4 Chaffinch, 3 Stonechat and 1 Snipe along with c100/200+ Meadow Pipit. A ringed first-winter Mediterranean Gull was on the beach.

My first Thirty Dark-bellied Brent Geese of the autumn were off Mudbank this afternoon with just one Wigeon. There's clearly a problem with the feeding off Mudbank this year. For example this time last year, on the 24/9, I recorded 6/700+ Wigeon off there with 116 Dark-bellied Brents, and on 24/9 there were 800+ Wigeon and 112 Brents. Perhaps the long hot summer has affected the eel grass. Let's hope there's some improvement in the coming weeks! Also off Mudbank - 2 Greenshank and a Whimbrel.

Yesterday off Mudbank - again no Wigeon but 2 Shoveler, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Redshank, 1 Greenshank and a Whimbrel.

A very quick look at Orcombe late in the afternoon revealed a large flock of c2/300+ Meadow Pipit, 1 Yellow Wagtail and c50+ Swallow.

 

 

Lunar Underwing - common but very smart.

 

 

One of two Wheatear on Orcombe today.