GEDSER - 14th September

Almost exactly the same day again as it was calm, clear, sunny and warm throughout with the easterly wind picking up through the day; the total of 50 new birds in the nets was again very similar to previous days with 16 Robins and 11 Chiffchaffs along with 2 Sparrowhawks and small numbers of other warblers.   There was again some good passage overhead during the first couple of hours with a bit more variety than yesterday including several Crossbill flocks with a steady stream of Chaffinches, Siskins, Redpolls, Linnets, Greenfinches, Tree Pipits, Meadow Pipits, White Wagtails, Yellow Wagtails and Swallows; a Red-throated Diver over the garden heading SW and 2 Honey Buzzards (which may have actually roosted somewhere in the garden) were the only different species.

                The point however (1300-1600) was much busier than previous days with good numbers of birds heading south highlighted by a juvenile Long-tailed Skua which flew past fairly close in; excellent numbers of duck went past in this period as well including 926 Wigeon, 121 Pintail, 116 Teal and 19 Shoveler and a few raptors were also seen – again on a broad front across the fields with my first 2 Rough-legged Buzzards of the autumn, 5 Red Kites, 61 Sparrowhawks, 5 Kestrels and single Honey Buzzard, Common Buzzard and Merlin.

                The most incredible sighting out on the point though was a brilliant PINE MARTEN which ran past me as I was stood right on the tip, it ran in from the north along the cliff top, within two metres of me and carried on round the buildings before diving into the bushes on the tip where it disappeared – a fucking PINE MARTEN, on the point, in the middle of the afternoon, migrating south, ridiculous!   Other birds offshore included 3 Little Gulls, an Arctic Skua, 12 Sandwich Terns, 118 Dunlin and a Snipe; a drive round the fields in the late afternoon looking for Pallid Harriers failed miserably with just a smart male Merlin and a few Common Buzzards of note.

 

Terrible pictures but it captures the surprise appearance and my panic trying to get a good view and get a photo all in a few seconds!

Sparrowhawks