Recent Sightings

November 2009

Notable waterfowl sightings during November included regular Bittern, mainly at Castle Water or Narrow Pit, up to 26 Little Egret leaving the Castle Water roost on the 6th, and a Red-breasted Merganser on Ternery Pool on the 17th. In addition, a Goldeneye was present on Harbour Farm from the 16th, two Black-necked Grebe were on Long Pit on the 22nd, and, up to nine Pintail were on Castle Water later in the month. The highlight however was a Red-necked Grebe on Ternery Pool briefly on the 20th, the first record on the reserve since 2002.

The bulk of wader numbers during November were still provided by large flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover on the Beach Reserve and at Castle Water and Curlew on Harbour Farm. On the shore, the resident Oystercatcher flock peaked at around 450 late in the month, while good numbers of Sanderling (above) and smaller numbers of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Grey Plover were also present during the month. Passage migrants included up to 23 Knot on the shore on the 23rd, five Ruff at Castle Water from mid-month and single Black-tailed Godwit on several dates. Still the occasional Swallow and House Martin in the first week of the month, and even the odd Wheatear, though the rest of the month’s birds were more typically autumnal in aspect. Small numbers of passage migrants included Brambling, Snow Bunting and Redpoll on the 2nd, and Black Redstart on the 3rd, while a Coal Tit at Castle Water on the 12th was somewhat unexpected! Bearded Tit were regular at Castle Water throughout the month, with a maximum of seven on the 22nd, while small numbers or Corn Bunting were recorded on the Beach Reserve and Harbour Farm. Passerine highlight during November was a Dartford Warbler (below) at Corner Pools on the 26th. Marsh Harriers are becoming increasingly common in the area, and up to three were recorded on the reserve during November, while other raptors included regular Merlin on the Beach Reserve and the occasional Peregrine. There was relatively little movement offshore during the month with the only records of note being six Red-throated Diver on the 5th and 100 Common Scoter and three Eider on the 26th.

Butterflies still on the wing in November were Peacock, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and the occasional Clouded Yellow, while other invertebrates active during the month included Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Common Darter, Drone Fly and the common plume moth Emmelina monodactyla. However, the most exciting invertebrate news this month involved a parasitic fly caught on the Beach Reserve in 2007 which has been recently identified as Huebneria affinis, only the third British record of this Red Data Book insect and the first since 1921!