20th Sep –Hard going in strong easterlies again

 Richard Campey writes that:

 

"Winds started building again overnight, easterly force 6/7. Hazy sunshine, probably coolest day yet but not really a cold wind. Decided on South End to Old Light, then on up to North End. Twice in two days? Madness! It was a fairly birdless walk; not a single hirundine. South End to Quarter Wall I totalled 170 Linnets and four Wheatears. From there to North End, just two additional Wheatears. Off the point, 20 Gannets, three Fulmars, two Shags, five Herring Gulls and male and female Peregrines hunting. Eight Pied Wagtails overhead. Return journey not much more exciting. Another Wheatear and very vocal Peregrines round Tibbetts. Pondsbury birdless and again no hirundines. The 'bother boys' in the form of six Ravens were at High Street Gate. Returned to Vestry 11.45 and two Swallows still feeding young in Church porch.

Spent most of afternoon in and around Millcombe. A lot of effort for very little success. Still a stiff easterly, so everything hiding or blown past at high speed. Later in the afternoon, following a rest in a deckchair round the west side of the Church, it was Millcombe Tops again. Still just too windy for most of the warblers, which were just blurs diving into bushes. Saw a Pied Flycatcher while one was being watched in Millcombe gardens, so that's two. Plus a few Blackcaps, some Goldcrests and three Firecrests above the Casbah. Dean had five! Late afternoon (6pm) walk round South End produced two Wheatears and a Kestrel.

Goldcrest, 20 Sep © Richard Campey

Kestrel off South End, 20 Sep © Richard Campey

Felt like really hard work today but ending with three Firecrests looking so sharp whizzing about round the Casbah was great. Hoping they stay tomorrow and if the winds die down that I'll get some closer views and that anything else that's been hiding pops out for a feed. The commonest sightings today have been hovering Kestrels, plunging Peregrines and swooping Sparrowhawks."

In addition to those mentioned above, Richard's sightings included 40 Swallow, 3 House Martin, 4 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 6 Pied Wagtail & 12 Goldfinch.

 

Male Stonechat, 20 Sep © Richard Campey

Dean Jones adds:

 

"There was a decent push of Meadow Pipits along the west coast first thing despite the winds (240 logged south of Halfway Wall). Also logged were two Grey Wagtails (one in Millcombe and one off the South End first thing), two Snipe flushed along the west, and a fly-over Reed Bunting near Jenny’s Cove in the late morning. Finally, there was a single Spotted Flycatcher in Millcombe in the afternoon and two White Wagtails in Barton Field."

 

Non-avian sightings include a Migrant Hawker dragonfly resting on bracken next to the forgotten Heinkel.