by Sue Bryan
September is a month that birdwatchers look forward to, as it tends to be the month when most of the autumn migration starts, with the potential of big falls of breeding birds that have bred in Scandinavia and further north. The month also has the exciting prospect of some easterly winds bringing some rarer birds that the keener birders like to see to add to their lists.
This particular September, after quite a poor summer, the weather changed at the beginning of the month, bringing some hot, sunny weather, with some days approaching and reaching 30 degrees, which delighted our visitors and meant that they could walk to the beach without the need of layers of clothing or battling with the wind, admiring the birds as they went. Our Bearded Tits put on a fantastic display and the excitement that was generated by the high counts of Spoonbills on the Fresh Marsh was palpable.
Some members of staff and volunteers put in some early-morning hours sea-watching with mixed results.
As the month progressed, we welcomed back the Pink-footed Geese when 17 were seen flying over on 7th.
However, the good weather did not last, and autumn arrived mid-month with the departure of the summer birds and the first arrivals of the winter visitors.
Titchwell hosted a ‘Big Weekend’ on 30th September and 1st October when 117 species were seen in and around the reserve.
Car Park, Visitor Centre, Woodland and Picnic Area
A Treecreeper was around the Visitor Centre on 1st along with two Tawny Owls that were heard here. A Lesser Whitethroat still lingered on 3rd as a summer visitor, but being that September is a changeover month, the first of winter visitors that arrived was a Fieldfare, which was seen along the entrance road on 10th. It or another was seen on 12th. A delightful Grey Wagtail was seen by a volunteer sitting near the Visitor Centre back window on 11th. Chiffchaff were still present in the trees around the Visitor Centre this month, along with a Spotted Flycatcher which was seen between 12th and 14th and a passage Pied Flycatcher on 14th and 29th. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen on 24th and a Coat Tit was noted on 26th.
More migrants were seen when 2 Yellow-browed Warblers appeared on 18th and seen again on 21st.
Reedbed
A Goldeneye was a bit of a surprise in one of the reedbed pools on 1st. Other sightings in the reedbed were: a Great White Egret on 4th, a Water Rail on 8th and a Kingfisher on 10th. Bearded Tits were still present and reported on the better weather days and Marsh Harriers having fledged their young, were often seen flying to and from the fields near the reserve, but often returning to the Fresh Marsh to spook all the waders. On 12th a Cattle Egret was seen in the Reedbed.
Water Rails can be elusive and are often only heard as they lurk in the reedbed. Three were heard to call from here on 29th. A Swallow was observed flying over the reedbed on 25th.
Below images from top to bottom: Cattle Egret (Phill Gwilliam), Great White Egret (Lance Fisher), Little Egret (Cliff Gilbert).
Freshmarsh
Many of our visitors love to see the Spoonbills that often frequent the Fresh Marsh and Thornham Marsh. Numbers varied throughout the month as post-breeding gatherings grew. The month started with 35 on 1st, peaking at 73 an 5th, dropping back to 15 on 10th before a higher count of 53 on 29th. A Spotted Redshank was present for most of the beginning of the month and again on 29th. However, the real excitement for visiting birdwatchers was the presence of the American Golden Plover visible until 14th. Sometimes it accompanied the flock of 200 Golden Plovers but was often by itself in front of Parrinder Hide. A Common Sandpiper was seen intermittently until 17th along with a Curlew Sandpiper on 2nd. There was a Green Sandpiper on the 3rd and 18th. The sandpiper theme was completed by a Wood Sandpiper on 4th and 14th.
Below image: American Golden Plover (centre, Cliff Gilbert).
Another wader that birders like to see is Greenshank, which was on the Fresh Marsh on several dates before 11th. A Little Stint was seen on 12th and 14th which is a delightful small wader often to be found with Dunlin flocks. A Ruff was seen on 17th which continued to be seen intermittently for the rest of the month. A Jack Snipe was seen by a volunteer on 17th.
The gulls of note were a Caspian Gull on 3rd and a Yellow-legged Gull on 4th and 7th. A Mediterranean Gull was noted on 14th. There was a good count of 650 Black-tailed Godwits on 4th. Water Rails can be elusive at times, but a bird was seen on 4th,10th and 11th. Two Cattle Egrets were seen on 10th along with 9 Little Egrets. The Cattle Egret was seen again on 29th. A lone Wheatear was seen on the Fresh Marsh from the East Trail on 11th and 17th. Avocet numbers varied between 20 and 30 all month. A Great White Egret was noted on 17th.
As winter approaches more species of ducks will return, adding to the wildfowl species range. A Pintail was seen on 14th and a Pochard which bred on the reserve in the summer was noted on 17th.
Volunteer Marsh
Kingfishers are not often seen at Titchwell, so one on the Volunteer Marsh on 1st was a nice surprise. A Spotted Redshank was wandering around the Tidal Pool on 28th.
Tidal Pool
A Wood Sandpiper was noted on 3rd and 24th along with a Common Sandpiper on 12th and two more Kingfishers on 4th. A Wheatear and a Greenshank graced the Tidal Pool on 7th and 10th respectively. A Spotted Redshank was seen here on 21st.
Beach and Sea
Early in the month high numbers of razorbills were staggering as they peaked at over 200 on 4th but were logged on several dates in the first 10 days. A Black Tern was seen on 1st and 2nd along with 9 Great Crested Grebes. A Red-throated Diver was logged on 2nd and 5th and Red-necked Grebe on 3rd. Great Skuas have been badly affected by bird flu and would normally be seen at this time of year, so a sighting of one on 4th was good. Arctic Skuas were seen on many dates in small numbers at the beginning of the month. A good record of a Long-tailed Skua was reported on 18th. A Sooty Shearwater was logged on 13th and 22nd with a late Little Tern noted on 16th as well as a few Eiders on the same date.
A Wheatear was also seen on 4th the beach. Late Common Terns were seen over the sea on 21st and 24th respectively.
Fen Trail
A Willow Warbler was present along the trail on 17th and 25th. A Nuthatch is an interesting record for the reserve as they prefer older trees, so a sighting of one on 22nd caused some excitement. The Yellow-browed Warbler that had been around the reserve since 18th was seen along the Fen Trail on 24th.
East Trail, Patsy’s Pool, Old Tank Road area
A Yellow-legged Gull was seen from the East Trail along with a Cuckoo on 1st. Another Yellow-legged Gull was seen on 29th on Patsy’s Pool. A Redstart was seen on 4th on the Old Tank Road which also hosted a Turtle Dove on 7th and 8th. Grey Wagtails are quite unusual on the reserve so a sighting on 18th was welcomed. The Yellow-browed Warbler, which roves around the trees, often with the tit flock, was seen around the Old Tank Road area on 19th. A Water Rail was on Patsy’s Pool on 21st and a Snipe joined it on 25th. A Tawny Owl could be heard calling from the area on 29th and a Great White Egret was also present on 29th.
Grazing Meadow
A Stonechat was visible on the grazing meadow at the beginning of the month on several dates. A nice surprise came in the form of a volunteer noting a bird in the distance on a hedge-line that he was not too sure about its identification. Two members of staff went to help, and soon had it identified as a Red-backed Shrike, which did not linger long before flying off towards the beach. A Whinchat was seen on the Grazing meadow on 18th.
Images below left: Stonechat (Cliff Gilbert), and right: Whinchat (Phill Gwilliam).
Thornham Point
A Stonechat was present at the point on 7th and 8th along with a Corn Bunting on 7th and a Pied Flycatcher on 8th. Stonechat numbers soared to 5 individuals on 29th.
Flyovers
Flyover birds included a Peregrine on 1st, 12th and 14th. Six Whimbrel were noted flying over on 1st and another on 13th. A flock of 20+Siskin flew over on 3rd. Hobbies were seen hawking on 3rd,12th,14th ,25th. Waders included a Common Snipe on 4th and 14th and Green Sandpipers on 5th and 7th. Pink-footed Geese started to arrive on 7th with 12 noted in a small skein on 10th, this had increased to 150+ flying over the reserve on 26th. Small groups continued to arrive wit 150 noted on 17th. A Grey Wagtail was heard to call on 16th and a Turtle Dove was seen on 17th.Swallows which are usually abundant at this time of year as they begin to gather ready for their long migration back to Africa, are still being seen but in smaller numbers now.
Towards the end of the month a Crossbill and a Lesser Redpoll were seen on 18th.
Paddocks
The paddock although not part of our reserve, is often viewed by our visitors, staff and volunteers alike, as it is an area favoured by some migrant and passerines alike. Horses are sometimes present and this in turn attracts the birds hunting for insects. A Yellow Wagtail was present on 16th and a Wheatear passed through on 16th and 17th.
Other Wildlife
Butterflies noted throughout the month included: Red Admiral, Comma, Large White, Peacock, Small Copper and Holly Blue. A member of staff watched a Stoat catching a Woodpigeon on 30th.
Below image: Small Copper, Phill Gwilliam.