Recent Sightings
October 2011
October saw a good selection of migrants, winter visitors and the last of the summer visitors moving through. In terms of the waders, the most obvious species were Lapwing, and Golden Plover, though good numbers of Curlew were also present, their peak numbers at overnight roosts on Flat Beach or Harbour Farm. On the shore, a few Dunlin and Sanderling were recorded, along with the occasional Grey Plover, Ringed Plover and up to 55 Knot. Wader highlight this month was again a Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Flat Beach on the 12th, and this part of the reserve attracted several interesting waders, including Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper (below), Little Stint on the 10th and 13th and a Purple Sandpiper on the 8th. At Castle Water, notable waterbirds during October included several sightings of Bittern, up to 52 Little Egret leaving the roost on the 4th, and two Common Crane on the 13th.
Image courtesy of Jill Halpin
Plenty of movement offshore during October, including up to 444 Brent Goose, 250 Gannet, 190 Kittiwake, 135 Common Scoter, 118 Guillemot and smaller numbers of Razorbill, Arctic Skua, Sandwich Tern and Red-throated Diver, while three Arctic Tern were at the River Mouth on the 4th. Highlights were two Pomarine Skua and 16 Little Gull on the 24th and up to 14 Great Skua (on the 9th). Raptors during the month included regular Marsh Harrier, with two on the 8th and 25th, the occasional Hobby and Merlin, and two Buzzard on the 14th, while the highlight was a Hen Harrier over Castle Water on the 13th. In addition, there were regular sightings of Barn Owl during the month, and a Short-eared Owl was present on the Beach Reserve on the 9th. Still some hirundine movement early in the month, with up to 300 Swallow and 150 House Martin on the 8th, while good numbers of finches also moved through during October. The largest numbers were provided by Goldfinch, with 500 on the shore ridges on the 28th and Linnet with up to 200 here on the 11th, while at least 90 Siskin and 20 Lesser Redpoll overflew Castle Water on the 13th. Other interesting migrants included small numbers of Wheatear throughout the month, a Grey Wagtail at Castle Water on the 14th, and up to 22 Fieldfare and 30 Redwing. Best of the bunch were a Wood Lark at Castle Water on the 29th, and Firecrest at Castle Water on the 11th and 24th.
Numbers in the Lime Kiln moth trap dropped of considerably during October, though there were a few interesting species including the residents L-album Wainscot and Feathered Brindle and the migrants Vestal and Dewick’s Plusia (above). This latter is a rare continental vagrant and one on the 2nd was only the fifth reserve record. Dragonflies on the wing included Brown, Migrant and Southern Hawker and Common and Ruddy Darter, while butterflies included a few Red Admiral and Meadow Brown. Other invertebrates during October included the occasional Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Vestal Bumblebee and Roesel’s Bush-cricket. There were also sightings of both Grey Seal and Common Seal during the month.