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September 2009 News
If you have any September records that you can add to this round-up I'd gratefully receive and add them. Please email to me at info@blagdonlakebirds.com.
Thursday 3rd September
12 Canada Geese Branta canadensis flew off west over the dam in the morning, but there were 34 on the lake in the evening to roost.
From Friday 4th - Saturday 19th September I was away walking the Cotswold Way and Hadrian's Wall National Paths.
Saturday 5th September
Sean Davies reported seeing 2 Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus and 5 Great Black-backed Gulls Larus marinus.
Saturday 12th September
Sean Davies saw 15 Barnacle Geese Branta bernicla, 2 Pintail Anas acuta, a female Goldeneye Bucephala clangula and 2 Kingfishers Alcedo atthis.
Saturday 19th September
Sean Davies paid an early morning visit and saw a Whinchat Saxicola rubetra.
The WeBS count was carried out and Roy Curber told me they had seen a Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe at Green Lawn and a Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava flavissima was heard in flight over Bell's Bush.
Sunday 20th September
A day of reaquaintance and lots of counting! Of the birds, I recorded: Teal Anas crecca 45, Lapwing Vanellus vanellus 16, Canada Goose Branta canadensis 34+, Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis 18, Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 17, Goldeneye Bucephala clangula 1 female, Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis 1 drake, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 2 adults & a juvenile, Wigeon Anas penelope 12, Pintail Anas acuta 4, Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 40+. There was a Nuthatch Sitta europaea calling at Ubley Hatchery. Other notes included a female Pochard Aythya ferina with a sky blue (?) nasal saddle with a black C on the front and what looked like CA on the sides. I am following up this record with the European scheme co-ordinator for more details. Hornets Vespa crabro and Migrant Hawkers Aeshna mixta were in evidence at Bell's Bush and there was a dead (road casualty) Grass Snake Natrix natrix between Bell's Bush barrier and Top End hide.
Monday 21st September
I found a juvenile BLACK-NECKED GREBE Podiceps nigricollis at 1356 hrs just off Bell's Bush, a most welcome surprise. There was a late Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos on the dam, the adult Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis was on the Island, a female Goldeneye Bucephala clangula along the North Shore, a juvenile Hobby Falco subbuteo calling continually (food begging?) in a tree viewed from North Shore, Wigeon Anas penelope 32, Canada Goose Branta canadensis 51, Pochard Aythya ferina 33, Shoveler Anas clypeata 38, Pintail Anas acuta 1 and Mute Swan Cygnus olor 14 (12adults & 2 juveniles). I also recorded a Silver Y Autographa gamma, a migant day-flying moth at Orchard Bay and spotted a Honey Bee Apis mellifera nest in the knot of a tree at Top End.
Tuesday 22nd September
Butcombe Bay hosted a female Goldeneye Bucephala clangula, a singing Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita, Jays Garrulus glanarius collecting acorns, a Treecreeper Certhia familiaris and a few Hornets Vespa crabro. The BLACK-NECKED GREBE Podiceps nigricollis was at Burmah Road and I saw 5 Swallows Hirundo rustica and 9 House Martins Delichon urbicum over the lake (with others over Holt Farm). A Water Rail Rallus aquaticus was squealing at Top End and other birds included 3 Gadwall Anas strepera, 17 Little Grebes Tachybaptus ruficollis, 15 Moorhens Gallinula chloropus, a single Wigeon Anas penelope, the adult Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis and 3 Lapwings Vanellus vanellus. I also saw a very late Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina at Bell's Bush.
Friday 25th September
Teal Anas crecca 45, Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis 18, Canada Goose Branta canadensis 90, adult Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis, Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis 3 and Lapwings Vanellus vanellus 3 at Top End.
Saturday 26th September
Lapwings Vanellus vanellus 16, Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis 18, the adult Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis and a drake Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula with a sky blue nasal saddle with black '34' from a French scheme. An even later Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina, or the same one seen on 22nd, at Bell's Bush.
Sunday 27th September
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis 18, Canada Goose Branta canadensis 103, adult Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis and a drake Goldeneye Bucephala clangula.
Wednesday 30th September
Adult Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis and 20 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus.
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