September 18th
Westerly passage continued unabated this morning as we dodged the heavy showers at Chamber's Wall and Reculver. In an hour and a half we saw 1,453 Swallows W, 91 Siskins W, 1 Lesser Redpoll W, 615 House Martins W, 4 Sand Martins W and 66 Meadow Pipits W. Other birds counted included 21 Chaffinches, 10 Long-tailed Tits, 5 Blackcaps, 7 Chiffchaffs, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Kestrels, 2 Reed Warblers, 7 Mallard, 8 Linnets, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Redshank, 18 Oystercatchers, 2 Gadwall, 2 Coot, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Hobby chasing hirundines at Reculver and 1 Black Redstart still at the Towers.

Black Redstart at the Towers

Derek Smith birded around the Shuart area between 0700 and 1230 and recorded 5,000+ Swallows W, 300 House Martins W, 60 Sand Martins W, 14 Pied Wagtails W, 1 Grey Wagtail W, 215 Meadow Pipits W, 959 Siskins W, 11 Reed Buntings W, 3 Reed Warblers, 12 Blackcaps, 1 Whitethroat, 20 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warblers and 5 Lesser Redpolls W.

 

Grasshopper Warbler - Derek Smith

Siskin - Derek Smith

 

At Grenham Bay Terry Wilson counted 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Curlew, 2 Grey Plovers, 1 Wheatear and 12 Little Egrets.

This evening Dave Smith found a Pied Flycatcher in the Glen.