Bird News: September 2025

The month started with unsettled weather and few notable sightings. Around 200 Starlings were heading south east on the 4th, there was a possible Hobby and a confiding Sparrowhawk at Chestnut Park. The following day a Red Kite flew over the estate.

A Wheatear was by the Little River on the 7th along with a Kingfisher and a Kestrel embroiled in an altercation with a Crow. The following morning was sunny and calm, at least three Chiffchaffs were singing on the Yatton section of the Strawberry Line and the first Water Rail of the Autumn was squealing. Congresbury Moor had a Stonechat, two Cetti’s Warblers with a few Swallows and a House Martin hawking over the fields.

There was a remarkable influx of Glossy Ibis into the south west, at least 200 birds were involved of which 96 turned up at Chew and Blagdon reservoirs. A ‘strange’ bird reported from Kingston Seymour was almost certainly this species. The other unusual migration sightings concern record numbers of Ringed Plovers. Jon Thobroe noted 500 at Clevedon sea wall and there were 300 at the Kingston Seymour section on the 10th. Also at Clevedon a Peregrine was observed by my correspondent while she was swimming in the Marine Lake.

Overcast humid weather on the 18th produced a passage of Swallows with a hundred feeding over fields at Ham Lane, Yatton. There were two Whinchats by Wemberham Lane probably also downed by a shower of rain.

The cold weather front on the 20th brought a passage of Meadow Pipits the next day with a flock of 25 by Wemberham Lane along with two each of Whinchat and Wheatear. On the 22nd a single Cattle Egret was daintily picking insects off a cow at Kingston Seymour- the cow seemed to be enjoying the experience. The same day a Wheatear was on Congresbury Moor.

A break in the settled weather on the 27th/28th produced two more Wheatears by Wemberham Lane and a juvenile Whinchat near the Little River. Four Stock Doves were on a cut maize field at Wemberham.

The White Tailed Eagle featured last month departed Chew Valley Lake but returned a week or so later and Emily was able to get this picture.

An interesting paper on Spotted Flycatchers in the of Winscombe has been written by Dr Lincoln Garland and it can be accessed via this link.

Mark Savage photographed this Turtle Dove (above) at Watercress Farm, Wraxall on 25 September. There have been three re introduction schemes including one in East Devon and it is likely that was the origin of this bird.

Your sightings and pictures are always very welcome at [email protected].

Trevor Riddle