Recent Sightings
October 2007
October is often an exciting time on the reserve, as passage migrants, the first of our winter visitors and the occasional vagrant reinforce our resident species, and this year was no exception. Highlight during the month were a pair of Penduline Tit seen briefly from the viewpoint on the 20th, only the third reserve record of this rare vagrant. In addition, a Pectoral Sandpiper, an American visitor was present on Flat Beach Level on the 4th and 5th, while a pair of Stone Curlew put in a fleeting appearance on Harbour Farm on the 11th.
Passage waders continued to be much in evidence during the month. This included a Dotterel (above) on Flat Beach Level on the 8th and 9th, with a Spotted Redshank here on the 4th and 5th, a Curlew Sandpiper at Castle Water on the 4th, up to 13 Little Stint, as well as small numbers of Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and Ruff. October also saw the last of the summer passerines, with up to 1000 Swallow, 200 House Martin and small numbers of Sand Martin passing over early in the month, while small numbers of Wheatear continued to move through throughout. Autumn passerines included up to two Ring Ouzel, a Firecrest at Castle Water on the 8th and small numbers of Brambling, Lesser Redpoll and Siskin. Typically ‘winter’ species included the first Bittern on the 13th from the viewpoint (with additional singles on the 19th and 26th), Slavonian Grebe at Long Pit on the 4th and 10th and Castle Water on the 7th, and two Goldeneye at Castle Water on the 26th, while up to eight Bearded Tit were present at Castle Water, and over 1000 Golden Plover roosted on Flat Beach Level. In addition, small numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing were present at Castle Water.Offshore, activity picked up considerably in comparison to September. A short sea-watch on the 22nd for instance found 500+ Gannet, 12 Kittiwake, eight Razorbill a Red-throated Diver and a Great Skua, while other notable sightings during the month included up to eight Little Gull, occasional Arctic Skua, and the highlight, a Black-throated Diver on the 10th. Among the raptors, while the familiar Peregrine, Merlin and Marsh Harrier were regular throughout October, the reserve played host to several other more notable species. Hence a Hen Harrier, an increasingly uncommon visitor, was sighted over Castle Water on the 10th, a Goshawk was present on the Beach Reserve on the 14th, and a Red Kite passed over the Beach Reserve on the 1st.
Despite the lateness of the season, there was still some insect activity on the reserve. Highlights in the Lime Kiln Cottage moth trap included Feathered Brindle and Delicate, while new species for the year included Dark Chestnut and Lunar Underwing. A few dragonflies, such as Common Darter and Migrant Hawker (above), persisted into late October, talking advantage of the last of the sun, while butterflies on the wing included Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral. Mammals included a Grey Seal offshore on the 22nd and a Brown Hare (below) on Harbour Farm on the 18th, while a survey of the ditches on Harbour Farm found substantial evidence of Water Vole. Plants in flower included Autumn Hawkbit, Bristly Oxtongue, Wild Carrot and Gorse.
