The morning of the 5th was sunny with light winds and several Robins were singing their Autumn song around Wemberham. Robins defend winter territories and their Autumn song is rather wistful compared to their breeding season song. The only other songsters were a couple of Cetti’s Warblers. A hovering Kestrel and a passage Wheatear were by the river with the regular Grey Wagtail at Phipps Bridge sluice. Earlier a couple of dozen Swallows passed through hawking insects as they went.
A couple of days later and it was House Martins on the move, about 25 over the river by Congresbury Moor. A small party of four Meadow Pipits flew over and a Kingfisher was on New Rhyne. Maize cutting at Wemberham and Chestnut Park attracted around 50 hirundines, mostly Swallows at each site. Herons became more evident and Emily photographed this one devouring a small mammal, Herons have a very wide ranging diet.
On the 10th, John Ball photographed a group of 14 Cattle Egrets on Kenn Moor close to our Littlewood Reserve otherwise migration was muted until the 20th when I was delighted to see at least three Yellow Wagtails in with cattle by Wemberham Lane with 60 Meadow Pipits close by. House Martins were still on territory at Yatton but most Swallows had left in August. Flocks of both species were observed hawking insects on their migration journeys over Congresbury Moor during the previous week.
By the 24th there was no sign of the Yellow Wagtails but four Pied Wagtails were feeding in the cattle field with a Stonechat nearby. Along the Yatton section of the Strawberry Line Mark observed a Cattle Egret along with a Little Egret and five Stonechats. The next day he saw seven Reed Buntings ( a very good count) and a flyover Peregrine.
Perhaps the same Peregrine was over the Strawberry Line at Congresbury on the 28th. The regular Bullfinch was recorded there with a Kestrel hunting over our Cobthorn Reserve the same day. Coal Tits starting singing and Blackbirds , possibly incoming migrants became visible. A Kingfisher was by Wemberham Lane on the 27th and 28th.
A member retuning from holiday in Italy was delighted to see three Cattle Egrets at close range on Kenn Moor just before she arrived home. There had been lots in Italy but local birds were just a bit more special. Eight Stonechats on Congresbury Moor on the 30th was a very encouraging count and a Wheatear was on the Smith’s fence. September usually produces some local sightings of Hobbies. There were none this year but Emily got a fine picture of one at Chew Valley Lake.
Your sightings and pictures are always welcome and appreciated at [email protected]
