Pom

White Point - this along with 2 Silver Y, 2 Rush Veneer and 2 Rusty-dot Pearl were the only immigrant species trapped last night.

 

A post-work trip up to Orcombe late afternoon was worthwhile. Two Kestrels hunting the top fields were the first in ages. This mirrors what happened last year when what was presumed to be a dispersing juvenile bird appeared in early autumn. Also up there 5 Wheatears and 3+ Chiffchaffs. A 20 minute sea-watch produced a distant pale-phase Pomarine Skua that ditched down for 10 minutes at 430pm and continued south 10 minutes later. A flock of c20+ Common Scoters were sat on the sea and 6 Sandwich Terns were logged. Not a lot else but Mudbank produced 14 Pale-bellied Brent Geese with the first 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese of the autumn. Also 22 Bar-tailed Godwits and a tonne of Wigeon. 

Gold Spot. You can never tire of seeing this beautiful species. Lots of common species last night including Red Underwing, Cypress Pug, Angle Shades and Southern Bell (Crocidosema  plebejana). Large Yellow Underwings, Vine's Rustic and Square-spot Rustic were the most numerous species.

Moving Mipits

L-album Wainscot - the best of last night's catch that included Large and Lesser Yellow Underwing, Square-spot and Vine's Rustic, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Small Square-spot, Willow Beauty, Brimstone Moth, Garden Carpet, Double-striped and Lime-speck Pug, Small Dusty Wave, September Thorn, Angle Shades, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer and Rush Veneer.

 

Nick and I did Orcombe Point first thing this morning. The skies were clear and there were a few bits and pieces overhead, including my first Meadow Pipits of the autumn, but not much grounded. We recorded 2 Common Sandpipers and 2 Turnstones on Maer Rocks, 12+ Grey Wagtails, 6 Wheatears, 5+ 'Alba' wagtails, 8+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, c25+ Meadow Pipits, 7+ Yellow Wagtails, 7+ Tree Pipits, c70+ Swallows, 6+ House Martins, 1+ Sand Martin and c50+ Hirundine sp.

I was home for breakfast in the garden before 9am and, with the scope trained on the river, recorded 26 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 35+ Knot, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and good numbers of Wigeon. A light trickle of Meadow Pipits was still moving overhead and small numbers of Swallows were heading north upriver. An adult Mediterranean Gull flew over the house and a Hobby was picked up over Halsdon Farm carrying what I assume was a hirundine.

 

Stuff

The dots are Pale-bellied Brent Geese - 32 of them in total.

 

Orcombe Point was wet and pretty rubbish this morning. Yellow Wagtails had clearly been roosting in the maize field as c10+ left there calling not long after dawn. Other species recorded included 2 Turnstones, 1 Little Egret, 1+ Grey wagtail, 2+ Chiffchaffs, 8 Common Scoters, 2+ Wheatears and 2 Collared Doves. Pretty dreadful for a September morning following overnight rain. Five first-winter White Wagtails were together on Maer Rocks and a presumed adult male was further along the beach, but I failed miserably to get a reasonable photo of it. Mudbank was considerably better with 32 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 165+ Wigeon, 4 Teal, 14+ Pintail, c200+ Mallard, 11 Bar-tailed Godwits, 24 Turnstones, 3 Common Sandpipers, 7 Sandwich Terns and an Osprey.

Old Lady

Angle Shades

Lots of moths trapped last night - Mullein Wave, Small Dusty Wave, Garden Carpet, Green Carpet, Lime-speck Pug, Cypress Pug, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, Dusky Thorn, Willow Beauty, Light Emerald, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, Cabbage Moth, White-point, Old Lady, Angle Shades, Vine's Rustic, Pale Mottled Willow, Burnished Brass, Silver Y, Snout, Narrow-winged Grey, Rush Veneer, Coastal Pearl, Mother of Pearl, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer and Ruddy Streak.

One or two Ospreys were scoped from Mudbank late this afternoon and 2 Common Sandpipers were off there.

Old Lady - two of these trapped last night.

Burnished Brass

White Point - an immigrant species. A solitary Silver Y and a Rush Veneer were the only others.

Narrow-winged Grey - Eudonia angustea

Mullein Wave

Spot Fly

Spotted Flycatcher

 

In an autumn that has so far produced just 1 Spotted Flycatcher on Orcombe, this afternoon's bird was noteworthy. It was feeding along Gore Lane and the track down to the Bristol Schools camp. Otherwise migrants were at a premium, with just 2 Chiffchaffs, a Grey wagtail and 3 Wheatears located. Four Wheatears and four White Wagtails were on the cricket pitch and an Osprey was hunting off Mudbank at around 530pm. Further downriver, towards the Warren, there was presumably at least one other bird present, as large numbers of gulls and waders were flying around in a panic. A Shoveler off Mudbank was the only other notable sighting. They're very infrequent off there. 

Interesting to note today's White Wagtails feeding together and at opposite ends of the cricket pitch to a small flock of Pied Wagtails. Four Wheatears was a good count for the cricket pitch too.

GND

 

Just half an hour to spare before work this morning. Nick and I had a Great Northern Diver fly into the bay before looping around and flying back out again. This is the first we've had this autumn. A quick trip out after work produced a Common Sandpiper off Mudbank, along with 30 Knot and 4 Bar-tailed Godwits. For some reason the Mute Swan flock seems to be enjoying Mudbank with 47 present this afternoon. There were 2 presumed first-winter White Wagtails on the cricket pitch (both pale yellow around the face).

 

 

White Wag - pm Edit

Pretty sure this is an adult winter (or is it a first-winter?) White Wagtail. It stood out like a sore thumb amongst c15/20+ Pied Wagtails, being much cleaner-looking than its much darker and scruffier looking cousins. There was an even more strikingly pale juvenile/fw type further along the beach, but it always kept several steps ahead of me, and I was pushed for time with work beckoning. Also on the beach early this morning - 1 Wheatear, 1 Ringed Plover, 4 Sanderling and a Dunlin. The tide was still coming in when I left so hopefully more waders arrived later on. Good to see Tom there this morning - hope the Stints returned.
On a return visit this evening just 1 Pied and the presumed White Wag - see additional photo.

Still present this evening and a little more cooperative.