September 2023

The Moths of the day were Old Lady, Square-spot Rustic, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Lesser Yellow Underwing & Large Yellow Underwings.

Old Lady

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Canary-shouldered Thorn

Lesser Yellow Underwing

Large Yellow Underwing

Slimbridge WWT 3rd September 2023

We went to Slimbridge WWT for a few hours. A Great White Egret was on the Rushy Pen, before flying off towards the estuary. A Little Egret was on Knott Pool. Viewed from the sea wall by Shepherd's Hut, a few Reed & Sedge Warblers showed briefly. Two Northern Wheatears perched on the fence line at the Dumbles edge. A Juvenile Peregrine flew overhead & soared round. We saw a Male Migrant Hawker in front of the Robbie Garnett Hide and two Kingfishers showed very well in front of the Martin Smith Hide. Also a Common Chiffchaff & Grey Squirrel. A few Common Starlings were in the bushes by the Rushy Hide and a Spotted Redshank was asleep in the Rushy Pen. A few Barn Swallows were perched in the tree near the hide. The Butterflies of note were Brimstone, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma & Small Tortoiseshell.

Reed Warbler [Juvenile]

Great White Egret [Adult Winter]

Little Egret

Northern Wheatear [Juvenile]

Migrant Hawker [Male]

Common Kingfishers

Common Kingfisher

Common Chiffchaff [Juvenile]

Common Starling [1st Winter]

Spotted Redshank [Adult Winter]

Barn Swallow [Juvenile]

Brimstone [Female]

Barn Swallows

Cormorant [Juvenile]

September 2023

Latteridge 5th September 2023

While I was working at Organic Blooms in Latteridge weeding in the polytunnel, I found the Caterpillar of a Bright-line Brown-eye Moth.

Red-necked Phalarope [Juvenile]

North Cave Wetlands YWT 6th September 2023

On our way to Yorkshire, we popped into North Cave Wetlands YWT to look for the Red-necked Phalarope. A Green Sandpiper & Common Sandpiper were also seen from the Turret Hide. The Juvenile Red-necked Phalarope spent most of it's time swimming around the Island Lake. It's last day in the area was on 9th September 2023. A few Little Grebes were present around the site.

Green Sandpiper [Juvenile]

Common Sandpiper

Robin [Adult]

Little Grebe [Juvenile & Adult]

Bridington, Bempton, Flamborough & Fraisthorpe 7th September 2023

In the morning we saw one of the Peacocks walking past the cottage where we were staying in Bridlington. The first port of call was Bempton Cliffs RSPB. Quite a number of Gannets were still about around the cliffs with 3 or 5 Juveniles. The weather for the day was very foggy, and it was nice to see a Brocken Spectre. Good numbers of Tree Sparrows were also present round the site. At the feeding station were more Tree Sparrows, Blackbird, Chaffinches & Wood Pigeons. A Brown Rat came for a drink at the pond.

Gannets with a Brocken Spectre

Tree Sparrow [Adult]

Afterwards, we went to nearby Flamborough Head to see the Grey Seals resting on the beach. The weather was no better there either. A Small Copper was nectaring on Red Clover. A Juvenile Kittiwake flew past Flamborough.We couldn’t see too far out because of the fog but did see a Common Guillemot in full Winter Plumage swimming just off coastline. Viewed from the car park in the field was a Male Roe Deer.

Back to Bempton Cliffs RSPB to look for Short-eared Owls. A couple of Linnets and Goldfinches were seen in the early evening. Sadly we saw no Short-eared Owls, even though we knew one was there as somebody saw it land. The fog had spread inland and we couldn’t see a thing.

We headed to our final port call at Fraisthorpe. In the roadside fields were Brown Hares & a Grey Partridge. On the beach was an Adult Common Gull. A Dark Morph Arctic Skua was swimming on the sea, before flying up & chased after a Sandwich Tern, which mangaged to escape.

Brown Rat [Adult]

Gannet [Adult]

Gannet [Juvenile]

Flamborough Head

Grey Seal

Grey Seals

Small Copper

Kittiwake [Juvenile]

Common Guillemot [Adult Winter]

Linnet [Female]

Linnet [Female]

Goldfinch [Juvenile]

Arctic Skua & Sandwich Tern

Arctic Skua & Sandwich Tern

Brown Hare

South Gare & North Yorkshire Moor 8th September 2023

We headed up to South Gare in Cleveland near Redcar to see the Brown Booby. Unfortunately when we got there, it became very, very foggy, therefore completely dampened our hopes for seeing this bird. Common Guillemot & Razorbill showed well as they were closer to the shore. The Brown Booby on the other hand was perched on one of the red bouys in the middle of Tweed Estuary in the mist, which sadly never fully lifted. Annoyingly a short while after our holiday, the Female Brown Booby showed very well most days on the much closer remains of Pilot's Pier until 24th September 2023. We went back over the North Yorkshire Moors. We saw at least 5-7 Red Grouse, but not much else. At New Bridge crossing near Pickering, we stopped to see the last train of the day on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway headed by 80136.

Razorbill [Adult Winter]

Brown Booby [Female]

Common Guillemot [Adult Winter]

Red Grouse [Female]

Red Grouse [Female]

80136 at New Bridge near Pickering

Red Grouse [Female]

Bridlington & Bempton Cliffs RSPB 9th September 2023

We started our final full day in Yorkshire at Bridlington Harbour. Some Common Redshanks were foraging in the mud. A couple of Purple Sandpipers were on the harbour wall. We went on the RSPB Pelagic on board the Yorkshire Belle. Loads of Common Guillemots and Razorbills were encountered, plus a Fulmar. We had a good sighting of a Minkie Whale & a couple of Harbour Porpoises. A few Gannets cruised past and also a couple on the water. Another highlight of the day was a couple of Puffins in Winter Plumage, which are not often still around at this time of year, as they winter far out at sea. A few Grey Seals were seen from the boat. Loads of Gulls, mainly Herring but a few Lesser & Great Black-backed Gulls were also picked out. A Sandwich Tern rested on one of the bouys. It was very enjoyable trip, shame there wasn't any Shearwaters, but still nice to see the Minkie Whale & a couple of Puffins in Winter Plumage. We were lucky that the fog lifted today as the boat had been unable to sail the last couple of days and this was our last chance to go on it.

Common Guillemot [Adult Winter]

Razorbill [Adult Winter]

Back in the harbour, we found 2 Red Knot foraging around on the rocks with a couple of Turnstones.

We went back to Bempton Cliffs RSPB in the afternoon.
A couple of Male Willow Emerald damselflies were encoutered by the pond. The Gannets were still hanging around the clifftops with some Juveniles.

Common Redshank [Adult Winter]

Purple Sandpiper [Adult Summer]

Common Guillemot [Adult Winter]

Minkie Whale

Harbour Porpoise

Gannet [Adult]

Razorbill [Adult Winter]

Atlantic Puffin [Adult Winter]

Fulmar

Grey Seal

Lesser Black-backed Gull [Juvenile]

Herring Gull [Adult Winter]

Sandwich Tern [Adult Winter]

Red Knot & Turnstone

Red Knot [Juvenile

Willow Emerald Damselfly [Male]

Jackdaw [Adult]

Gannet [Adult]

Bempton Cliffs RSPB

Bridlington & Frampton Marsh RSPB 10th September 2023

In the morning by our cottage in Bridlington, the Peacock brought 2 of his friends along to say goodbye. We headed to Frampton Marsh RSPB in Lincolnshire to look around as we have never been there before. Some Male Ruffs have started to moult into Winter Plumage. A Pink-footed Goose sat on one of the islands and a few Grey Herons were around the site. Another early sign of Winter was a Whooper Swan on the scrape. From the 360 Hide we saw Black-tailed Godwits, Avocet, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Dunlin & Ringed Plover. Few Goldfinches fed on Teasel seeds. The Spoonbills were altogether on the island viewed from the Reedbed Hide. Also from there was an unusual Greylag Goose, Pintail & Red Knot. We then headed home

Ruff [Male Winter]

Peacocks

Pink-footed Goose [Adult]

Whooper Swan [Adult]

Black-tailed Godwit [Juvenile]

Curlew Sandpiper [Juvenile]

Ringed Plover [Juvenile]

Little Stint [Juvenile]

Goldfinch [Juvenile]

European Spoonbill [Juvenile]

Yate 16th September 2023

The Moths of the day were Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, Garden Carpet & Lunar Underwing.

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Square-spot Rustic

Garden Carpet

Lunar Underwing

Chew Valley Lake 21st September 2023

We went to Chew Valley Lake to see the Osprey. We went to the Stratford Hide where we saw a couple of Great White Egrets, Grey Herons, Gadwalls, Cormorants & a Juvenile Hobby. The Juvenile Osprey flew past in front of the Stratford Hide & perched in the tree. A Juvenile Hobby also made a few appearance in front of the hide, catching Dargaonflies & eating them on the wing. A Male Pintail was still in eclipse plumage. After a while the Juvenile Osprey flew back towards Morton. Along Moreton Lane, a Juvenile Marsh Harrier was perched in a dead tree.

Gadwalls

Great White Egret [Adult Winter]

Grey Heron [Adult]

Cormorant [Juvenile]

Osprey [Juvenile]

Marsh Harrier [Juvenile]

Hobby [Juvenile]

Osprey [Juvenile]

Yate 25th September 2023

In the evening, I found a Beautiful Plume Moth in our house.

Latteridge 26th September 2023

While working at Organic Blooms in Latteridge, a colleague found a Caterpillar of a Convolvulus Hawkmoth.

Yate 27th September 2023

A few Lunar Underwings & loads of Large Yellow Underwings were the only highlighted Moths of the day.

Chew Valley Lake 28th September 2023

We went to Chew Valley Lake to see 1st Winter Grey Phalarope. This 1st Winter bird showed very well by the main dam until the following day. We went back to Stratford Hide & saw the Great White Egret still fishing in front of the hide, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Wigeons, Pintails & Common Teal. No Osprey this time. Another Pintail & Shoveler were on Herriott's Pool.

Grey Phalarope [1st Winter]

Great White & Little Egrets

Marsh Harrier [Juvenile]

Great White Egret [Adult Winter]

Great Black-backed Gull [Juvenile]

Common Teal [Male Eclipse]

Pintail [Male Eclipse]

Shoveler [Male Eclipse]