Daily Log (September)

September 27th
Spotted Redshank and Hobby

September 24th
21 Pink-footed Geese at 0635 flew off in the direction of Canterbury.

September 23rd
Cetti's Warbler singing from hawthorn bush by kissing gate at start of path to west hide.  First record of this species since last winter.  Also 5 Greenshank, 3 Little Stints and a Short-eared Owl.

September 20th
Spotted Redshank on the East Flood.

September 19th
Juvenile Red-backed Shrike in scrub about 300m south of the west hide.  Also several Chiffchaffs, 1 Greenshank, 28 Curlew Sandpipers, 3 Little Stints, 400 Redshanks, 600 Black-tailed Godwits, Hobby, Garganey, 2 Whinchats & the first pair of Stonechats this autumn.

September 17th
Dawn, low water.  2 Avocets, 4 Little Stints, 4 Curlew Sandpipers, 1 Knot, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, at least 2 Bearded Reedlings & 2 Water Rails, juvenile Marsh Harrier, c200 Linnets, female Ruddy Duck still with 5 young.

September 15th
High water, around noon.  Hobby, Kingfisher, 20+ Curlew Sandpipers, 7 Little Stints, 6 Whinchats, 1 or 2 Wheatears, 500+ Dunlin, Little Owl, party of Long-tailed Tit, 500 Knot (a new record for the reserve).

September 9th
Male Peregrine, hobby, 9 Little Stints, 16 Curlew Sandpipers, Whimbrel, Kingfisher, 2 Marsh Harriers

September 6th
Chiffchaff near the car park.  On the East Flood at high water, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, Garganey, 5+ Little Stints, 1 Pintail, 6 Wigeon, 23 Curlew Sandpipers.  33 Little Egrets earlier in the day.

September 4th
A dozen Curlew Sandpipers showing a good mix of adults and juveniles were with 8 Little Stints. 50 Knot, 450 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Common Snipe, 1 juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Hobbys, 3 Little Egrets with 30+ at Ham Road. A highlight was a flock of 56 Black Terns on The Swale.

Whinchat near the road, c50 Common Terns overhead, 4 Sandwich Terns on the Swale, 10 Greenshanks

September 2nd
Single Sanderling, Spotted Redshank & Turnstone, 11 adult + 5 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers, at least 200 Knot, 7+ Little Stints.

September 1st
First day of the wildfowling season so birds in a constant state of flux!

On the "Western Front", 6 Little Stints, single Garganey & Whimbrel, 4 wildfowlers.

On the "Eastern Front", 1 Garganey, 1 Little Stint, 5 Curlew Sandpipers, varying numbers of Black-tailed Godwits and Golden Plovers in between shots, 5 wildfowlers.

Also 2 Kingfishers, 4 Green Sandpipers, 2 Marsh Harriers and the first Merlin of the autumn.