MID SEPTEMBER
9th September.
The day started off misty but soon cleared to fine sunshine. Plenty of bird activity, particularly on the Estuary.
LOGBOOK SIGHTINGS.
RDC - 1 Little Egret (Viaduct West), 4 Little Egret (Marsh Pool).
HKM - 1.45pm from Bowness railings: Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, Dunlin.
10th September.
After a grey start the sun gradually came out as a brisk SE wind set up as the tide came in.
At 12.15 pm, as the mudflats became exposed on the ebbing tide, Black-headed Gulls began gathering to feed. Further out 2-300 Oystercatchers and a small flock of grey waders descended too.
After lunch, as John passed the Discovery field, he noticed Dave and Stephen busy strimming and cutting the meadows there. Also a new scrape, beautifully contoured, had been excavated from the wet area in front of the 1st Meadow Pool screen. This will be good place to observe wintering waders and duck at close hand. He returned home having seen a couple of large Dragonflies and lots of Black Darters along the Lonning; 4 young Mallard on the pool in front of the hide.
Later in the afternoon, Judith had a quick walk to the hide. It was still hot and sunny and there was plenty of Damselfly and Butterfly activity : Black and Common Darters, a Painted Lady, Peacock, Wall, Red Admiral and Green-veined White Butterflies were still flying. The four young Mallards were still there on the hide pool.
David Johnston had recorded seeing 7 Little Egret on the Saltmarsh Pool.
LOGBOOK SIGHTINGS
HKM - Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Curlews (Bowness railings).
Oystercatchers and grey waders on the receding tide at mid-day.
Gull roost and feeding activity on the ebb-tide.
New scrape in front of the 1st Meadow Pool screen.
Female Southern Hawker in meadows (Credit - Urisa Reungsuwan).
Male Common Darter on Lonning hedgeside.
Wall Brown along Lonning.
Young Mallards on Hide Pool - probably the survivors of an original brood of 12.
11th September.
Sunshine still prevailing. The fine day called for a walk along the Blue Route. It was made even more pleasant by the fact that Stephen had cut the grass along the path, making the going easy. We also noticed that he was making a start on the rush -cutting Main features to note were the dozens of Black Darters along the hedgeside towards Bushcraft Island and a Small Copper on the edge of the arable field.
At 6.30pm, back at home, John espied 12 Little Egret flying east along the marsh.
LOGBOOK SIGHTINGS:
N. Lunn - Saltmarsh Pool : 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Ruff, 9 Little Egret plus large number of Wigeon.
- By Viaduct: 34+ Grey Plover.
- Port Carlisle: 30+ Golden Plover, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 20+ Knot.
Stephen rush-cutting.
Belted Galloway cattle graze these wet meadows very readily. They are a hardy animal and well suited to this terrain.
12th September.
Had rained most of the night and into the morning. It was a quiet, still day with a light westerly wind - with the high tide of 8.9m at 12.32pm, conditions improved. Counted 17 Shelduck in the Viaduct corner with hundreds of Oystercatchers and Gulls on the mudflats. Mallard could be seen bathing in the channel off the hamlet and Curlew were feeding nearer in on the edge of the flats.
3.15 pm - John noted two Sparrowhawks flitting in front of the hamlet going west. Looked like an adult with a juvenile.
Hundreds of Oystercatchers and Gulls to be seen on the mudflats.
Gulls and Shelduck catching the evening light.
13th September.
Rained overnight again. The day remained calm and sunny but with a cooler feel to it.
Norman Holton - Saltmarsh Pool: 11 Little Egret, 8 Ruff, 26 Grey Plover, 57 Shoveler, 30 Golden Plover, 2530 Oystercatchers etc. etc.
14th September.
After a dull start, the day stayed cool - the clouds having an easterly drift to them. High tide at 1.38pm was 9.3m.
David Johnston recorded seeing 5 Little Egret on the Saltmarsh Pool.
J Thornley - Above field of Kale etc. Spotted Flycatcher.
High tide roost - Viaduct corner.
A closer look at the roost.
A Grey Heron joining in.
15th September.
A pleasant sunny day with a light westerly wind. High tide of 9.1m at 2.07pm.
At 1.15pm watched the tide slowly coming in bringing several flocks of duck, Oystercatchers and Gulls up onto high tide roosts. Lots of Red Admiral, Wall and Green-veined White butterfly were flying along the margins of the road towards the viaduct.
Nick Franklin reported having again seen 2 Little stint at the Railings in Bowness.
Visitor - Little Stint + Dunlin at Port Carlisle.
Estuary scene.
High tide gull roost at Biglands.
Oystercatchers on tide's edge.
Wall Brown.
Mallard and Shelduck on receding tide.
16th September.
Another bright sunny day. Clouds had a westerly drift to them but very little wind.
Large flocks of gulls seen on the mudflats floated in on the high tide at 2.37pm. Ducks (mostly Mallard) also drifted in.
In walking down to the hide (11 - 1pm), John noted a family of Mallard ( 1 adult and 4 Juveniles) on the pool there. A Little Grebe was also diving in the pool - first one seen on the Reserve pools for quite a while. A Kestrel landed on the hide roof but was soon seen off by the crows and a Buzzard wandered over from the wood towards the hide.
On the way back, he saw the white flashes of two Bullfinches ahead of him. Again a Kestrel was being seen off by Crows on the meadow in front of North Plain Farm.
17th September.
Sunshine with intermittent clouds and a slight westerly wind in the morning which picked up with the high tide at 3pm. Crows were still harassing the Kestrel early evening as it hunted along the driftline.
LOGBOOK Sighting.
John Ireland - Knot, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper ( presumably seen at Bowness railings).
Mallard and Shelduck on the flats in the evening on the ebb-tide.
18th September.
Yet another sunny day with large cumulus clouds passing over the estuary. It was a little cooler than it had been due to the NE airstream.
Derek West - 16.15hrs, 15 Pinks SW over marsh pool.
Bowness Railings 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Little Stint (I Little Stint leg ringed. L Red, R Yellow).
C Holt - 2 Buzzards, 3 Snipe, 4 Stonechat.
19th September.
A definite feeling of Autumn today: the day started off misty but sunshine gradually broke through - remaining sunny for the rest of the day. A light SW breeze stepped up with the high tide at 3.42pm.
In the morning there were something in the region of 2500 Gulls and 9 Cormorant out on the mussel scaws beyond Scargavel Point.
Mid afternoon, John first of all heard and then saw 15 Pinkfeet flying over the hamlet and heading NW over the Estuary.
A Kestrel flew into the hamlet early evening and perched, for a while, in an Ash tree for a few minutes overlooking the bird feeders. before being rousted by the Crows.
However, it had been a perfect Autumn day. The hedgerows gleamed with berries and fruits and the vegetation was starting to take on warmer colours.
Kestrel catching the last of the sunshine.
Grey Squirrel scurrying off down the Lonning.
Corvids harrying bird of prey across the Moss.
Ripening hips.
. . . and haws.
Brambles are just coming into their own. They are enjoyed by a wide range of creatures other than ourselves!
Luxuriant bunches of Elderberries.
The female heads of Greater Reedmace with the smaller male flowers just starting to show above.
Ivy flowers secrete abundant nectar which attracts bees and wasps, who in turn pollinate the plant. The subsequent black berries produced in winter then provide food for birds at a time when food is in short supply - a very valuable plant all round.
Seed heads of umbelliferae along the Lonning.
Autumn colours across the planted bird seed field.