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Marsh Lane News - September 07
Sunday 30th September 2007
Sunny and with a light easterly. Little of note, aside from the dusk reappearance of the Barn Owl.
Saturday 29th September 2007
The wind swung round to the north-east and a resultant adult winter Little Gull was an excellent find. It was present early in the morning and had gone by 9 a.m. The first Redwings of the autumn were composed of a single, and flocks of 6 and 10. Mistle Thurshes totalled 7. Oddly, 17 Swallows were all flying north. To the east of the A452, over 100 Meadow Pipits fed in the rape stubble along with a few Skylarks and Linnets.
Friday 28th September 2007
The juvenile Arctic Tern flew in from Bradnocks Marsh at 9 a.m. but vanished as quickly as it appeared. A first-winter male Pintail was new in but, as with many birds this autumn, had gone the next day. The Aythya hybrid remained and the Peregrine was present on and off, causing the usual disturbance to the Lapwings and Gulls. Two Common Gulls were the first of the autumn, a Great Black-backed Gull flew over and the Barn Owl was seen again at dusk.
Thursday 27th September 2007
There was a cold northerly wind again today, with cloud building up from late morning after a sunny start. The Aythya hybrid and Hobby were still present, along with one Green and two Common Sandpipers, c.150 Lapwings and two Snipe, but no passage waders. Occasional Swallows and House Martins continue to pass through, but in no significant numbers. A Little Owl called from near the horse paddocks at midday and the second Siskin of the autumn went over. A juvenile Arctic Tern flew through at 5.30 and the Barn Owl was seen again at dusk.
Wednesday 26th September 2007
A turn to colder weather with much cloud and a blustery north-north west wind. A Barn Owl seen last night, around the Car Park, was seen again this evening over the crop field. An Aythya hybrid was present on Railway Pool, with likely parentage being Ferruginous x Pochard.
Tuesday 25th September 2007
In mostly cloudy conditions, the first Siskin of the autumn flew over, calling, at 11.20. Two Rooks flew over low, to the north - not uncommon but rarely recorded. Little other visible migration - c.10 Meadow Pipits (only ones and twos), one Skylark and two House Martins went south in one hour. Two Mistle Thrushes on the Old Road and two Song Thrushes in the field and another over were new. A Hobby was still present and plenty of Common Darters and a few Migrant Hawkers are a continuing food source for it. 19 Reed Buntings commuted between the Reedbed and the Field. 5 Buzzards were a better total than for some days. A redhead Goosander appeared briefly in the afternoon.
Monday 24th September 2007
The Med. Gull and Hobbywere seen again and Swallow passage continued despite the blustery wind and torrential rain first thing.
Sunday 23rd September 2007
Swallow passage is in full flow with 92 through between 8.30 and 10 a.m. and steady passage all day. A few House Martins were amongst them but Sand Martin passage has dropped appreciably.
Two very early Fieldfares went over with a Yellow Wagtail. A Hobby was present on Railway Pool at mid-day. A new juvenile Little Grebe on the Reedbed is late. The first-Winter Med.Gull was seen again in the evening.
Saturday 22nd September 2007
The first-winter Mediterranean Gull showed well again. It was first seen on the 18th and its arrival coincided with a significant movement of Black-headed Gulls (nearly 500 were present in one count on the 19th).
A Water Rail showed in the marsh for the first time this autumn and the Peregrine was again perched in the Larch in Siden Hill Wood.
An arrival of Thrushes included eight plus Song Thrushes and one Mistle Thrush on the Old Road and, similar numbers with Blackbirds along the footpath west of the River, where there was also a LS Woodpecker.
A notable late movement of Sand Martins has taken place over the last five days with daily totals of over 30 and at least 60 on the 18th.
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