Friday September 18

Today's story actually began on Wednesday. Sue Matthewman rang me from her home at Netherstead with a tale of woe. A House Martin's nest containing two chicks had disintegrated and fallen to ground at a neighbour's apartment. What to do? We decided she would try putting them in a neighbouring vacant nest, but this was 20 metres from the original site. Time passed and the relocated chicks looked anxiously out with no sign they would be fed. Sue sent a text, (I was stuck at work) mealworms or maggots? I suggested mealworms. It didn't look as though the experiment was going to have a happy outcome. Then better news followed, and by the following day it was clear the chicks had been found and were being fed.

So this morning I appeared on Sue's doorstep to offer my congratulations and photograph the stars of the show.

Aaah !

After a brief time spent failing to catch a Field Vole which one of Sue's naughty cats had brought her as a present (it was last seen heading under a dresser after taking a tiny chunk out of my finger), I set out on a quick circuit of the patch.

It was soon clear that the numbers of summer migrants were much reduced, even the hirundines. Several of the Swallows I saw were heading determinedly south. Some Meadow Pipits also flew south and a number of Siskins called from high in the sky.

Birdwatching can be completely unpredictable, but most of the time the opposite is the case. I was therefore pleased, but not surprised, to find the first two Stonechats of the autumn in the chat field.

One of the Stonechats

Both Stonechats were males. A little further on a late Whinchat appeared in the hedge.

Whinchat

At the start of my walk I noticed I had forgotten my notebook, so my sketchbook had to deputise. I reached the flash field and scoped the occupants, 38 Teal, five Green Sandpipers, and four visible Snipe. I am running out of new non-passerines to draw, and was left with one of a number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls which flew over, the bird in question being a juvenile.

On my return I has a brief view of a Stoat, and met another birdwatcher, Jan, who was doing her own circuit with dog in tow. We had a pleasant chat, but no new migrants appeared by the time I reached my car.