Sunday September 6

Sorry about the grumpy outburst in the last post. Today the sun was out and I have got over it. So this morning was sunny with a very light northerly, conditions which always leave me in a good mood even if I don't see much. Which is just as well.

I decided to start at Church Farm for a change, and then did a big circuit through the village and back across the fields.

There has been a subtle shift towards later staying migrants, but it was hard to detect actual passage. The first elderberry bush I looked at contained four Blackcaps, and through the morning I logged 16 Chiffchaffs, 64 Swallows and 40 House Martins. Whitethroats are less numerous now, but I still counted five, while a single Sand Martin over Netherstead was probably the day's highlight.

There was very little overhead passage, just five Meadow Pipits and one Siskin (unseen as usual). Also invisible was a calling Little Owl.

The flashes contained only six Green Sandpipers, four Snipe, and 17 Teal.

I notice a number of sites did day-lists yesterday. I didn't join in because a.) I was unaware it might happen, and b.) the likely "team" have either gone on holiday or moved away. It's probably just as well because I only mustered a lamentable 53 species today, admittedly without putting in much effort.

I'll leave you with a couple of photos.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Unidentified Fungus