Hobby

Still at least one Hobby roosting in the usual spot. I thought they’d gone after checking a couple of times in the last few days. Last year, the last bird left (or at least was last seen) on this date.

Redpolls

Two Redpolls, the first of the winter migrants tonight at Fowlmere

Fowlmere
29 September 2015 17:45 - 18:58
Sunny 14C 7NE
Greylag Goose, Teal, Mallard, Kestrel (heard), Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher (heard), Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (heard), Wren (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Yellowhammer (heard), Reed Bunting (heard)

#SuperMoon

Tried for the Hobbys with Michelle tonight (now yesterday). None seen. But we did see the moon rise above the horizon whilst waiting. It seemed huge!

In the early hours of the morning, I did my best to take a photo. Not great but…

Fowlmere

Dull. But enjoyed a bit of autumnal sunshine, as did a few insects.

Fowlmere
26 September 2015 13:46 - 15:28
Sunny 17C 8NE
Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Buzzard, Moorhen, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay (heard), Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Great Tit (heard), Swallow, Chiffchaff, Blackcap (heard), Wren (heard), Robin (heard), Chaffinch (heard), Goldfinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting (heard), Rabbit, Speckled Wood, Migrant Hawker, Common Darter

Fowlmere

Quiet – well, apart from 300+ noisy Greylag Geese, presumably a record count. Three Barn Owls were nice to see, including two (young?) birds in the nestbox which they are now presumably using as a day roost.

Fowlmere
24 September 2015 17:43 - 19:09
Clear 15C 15W
Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Teal, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Little Grebe, Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Barn Owl, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit (heard), Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (heard), Blackcap, Wren (heard), Blackbird (heard), Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Rabbit, Fallow Deer

Hobbys

Two Hobbys at least (and one of which at least is a juvenile) still present. They’ve moved which is why I hadn’t been seeing them. Now roosting in the trees by the footpath to Fowlmere where they spent some time last year. Also a bevy of nine Grey Partridges

Acadian Flycatcher

Dash to Dungeness to see the Empidonax flycatcher reported in the morning. Made it about an hour before dusk (hence bad photographs – much better ones here.) After some research at home before I left, and after seeing the bird, clearly an adult Acadian Flycatcher, a first for Britain, and the first live one in the Western Palearctic. Not bad for the last day of summer.

   

Red Kite

A Red Kite glided slowly past my office window, whilst working at home.

Fowlmere

Not too bad. Spent most time along Guilder brook where I managed six species of Warbler: Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, and Lesser Whitethroat.

Fowlmere
17 September 2015 17:48 - 19:33
Cloudy 10C 7W
Teal, Mallard, Little Grebe, Buzzard (heard), Kestrel, Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Wren (heard), Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock (heard), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Rabbit

Convolvulus Hawk-moth

Caught this beauty last night as it was trying to get in to the conservatory. It’s quite a good moth trap: Lights on full, rest of the house lights off.

 

Hobbys

…or lack of. No sign tonight. Hadn’t been for a while (last visit was on the last day of August). Thinking they may have left due to the recent poor weather. Last year they stayed until the last day of September, but the weather was much more reasonable. Last local bird was at dusk on the 3rd at Fowlmere, flying this way so quite possibly one of the birds.

Fowlmere

Another quiet visit apart from this Dunlin on the mere. My first here this year.

 

Fowlmere
07 September 2015 18:44 - 19:55
Cloudy 14C 7N
Teal, Mallard, Pheasant (heard), Moorhen, Dunlin, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker (heard), Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackcap (heard), Wren (heard), Blackbird, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Pied Wagtail (heard), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Rabbit

Swift

A late Swift over the garden on a lovely late summer day (there haven’t been many of those this year). Also a Red Admiral in the garden and also one in Shepreth (where we went for a walk) along with an Emperor Dragonfly and two Red Kites.

Fowlmere

Been very quiet of late. This juvenile Moorhen is the boldest I’ve seen. Always in the same spot on the path leading to the Mere Hide.

Fowlmere
04 September 2015 18:02 - 19:00
Cloudy 12C 12NW
Teal, Mallard, Red-legged Partridge, Moorhen, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Great Tit (heard), Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (heard), Reed Warbler (heard), Wren (heard), Blackbird, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Chaffinch, Linnet

Butterfly House

Woke to find a Speckled Wood sheltering from the rain. Had several species inside the house before, but not this one.

Think the “caught inside the house” list now includes:
Red Admiral
Small Tortoiseshell
Speckled Wood
Blackbird
House Sparrow
Swift
Grey Squirrel
Yellow-necked Mouse

Yellow-legged Gull

One sub-adult (probably 3W) Yellow-legged Gull along Fowlmere Road, Foxton on the way back from a rather quiet Fowlmere. It was actually found whilst looking at this candidate Baltic Gull! Unfortunately I didn’t have a ‘scope, so there’s no way of claiming it…

Fowlmere
01 September 2015 18:19 - 19:33
Sunny 12C 6WNW
Teal, Mallard, Grey Heron, Buzzard (heard), Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Turtle Dove (heard), Kingfisher (heard), Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Great Tit (heard), Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Wren (heard), Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock (heard), Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Linnet, Rabbit