Mostly Mill Hill (04-08 September)

Wednesday 08 September. I went up to Mill Hill for a couple of hours before being joined by Megan and Cookie. It seemed somewhat quieter than recent visits although there were still some nice migrants about. I saw a Buzzard, Jay, 40 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 4 Chiffchaffs, a Sedge Warbler, 4 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 12 Common Whitethroats, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts (including a male), 90 Goldfinches and a Corn Bunting. An evening cycle down to the Adur was rather mistimes as the sun was setting as I arrived. I saw just 25 Ringed Plover and 3 Dunlin and could not pick anything interesting out of the hundreds of mainly Black-headed and Herring Gulls that were departing to roost. No sooner had I returned than the heavens opened.

male Redstart on Mill Hill

Spotted Flycatchers on Mill Hill

young Magpies on Mill Hill

it must be quiet if I'm photographing Magpies

Adur sunset

Monday 06 September. An early visit to the Adur failed to produce the Little Stints with only 31 Ringed Plovers and 8 Dunlin present. I quickly headed up to Mill Hill where I spent 4 hours seeing Stock Dove, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 30 Swallows, a House Martin, 5 Willow Warblers, 13 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser and 22 Common Whitethroats, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Redstart, Wheatear, 15 Linnets and 40 Goldfinches. A Yellow Wagtail flew over but was only heard.
Tuesday 07 September. Cookie and I went up to Mill Hill seeing a Swift, Buzzard, 60 Swallows, 100 House Martins, Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaffs, 14 Blackcaps, 12 Whitethroats, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart, 3 Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 15 Linnets, 40 Goldfinches and a Yellowhammer. After about an hour and a half we continued on to the Beeding Hill car park and walked down into the quarry and along the side of Room Bottom. Birds seen included Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, 15 Swallows, 20 House Martins, 3 Chiffchaffs, 13 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser and 5 Common Whitethroats, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 8 Redstarts (including a male), 2 Whinchats, 2 Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtails and 55 Goldfinches. By midday it was very hot and we came home. Despite carrying my camera around for five hours nothing really performed and I didn't take any photos. By the end I was wishing I'd taken another bottle of water instead.

Wheatear on the reservoir at Mill Hill

Adonis Blue on Mill Hill

Buzzard on Mill Hill

with a very worn tail

Spotted Flycatcher on Mill Hill

Sunday 05 September. For a change of scenery Megan and I took Cookie to Cissbury although we arrived to find an early mist still clearing. Most of the birds seen were similar to those expected on Mill Hill with Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, 3 Swallows, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, a Lesser and 5 Common Whitethroats, 7 Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart, 3 Whinchats, 3 Stonechats, 4 Wheatears and 2 Yellowhammers. Late afternoon, at low tide, I visited the Adur with Cookie seeing 52 Ringed Plovers and 8 Dunlin. Later Matt Palmer found 2 Little Stints but five minutes before I returned the flock was flushed by a helicopter and they were the only waders not to return.

Wheatear on Cissbury

Saturday 04 September. There were good numbers of migrants flitting around Mill Hill where I spent most of the morning, being joined by Megan and Cookie for part of it. I saw 3 Buzzards, Green Woodpecker, a distant Peregrine, 2 Sand Martins, 200+ Swallows, 4 House Martins, Willow Warbler, 13 Chiffchaffs, 15 Blackcaps, 5 Lesser and 18 Common Whitethroats, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Redstarts, a Wheatear, a fly over Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit, a juvenile Bullfinch and 40 Goldfinches. During an uncharacteristic look at where I was putting my feet I noticed a couple of Autumn Lady's Tresses. Now on the look out for them I ended up seeing 50-60 spikes in three different but close places. My first on Mill Hill for many years (of not looking down). A late afternoon low-tide visit to the Adur produced a superb juvenile Sanderling amongst 35+ Ringed Plover and 6 Dunlin although the low sun made viewing from the east bank difficult. 

Tree Pipit on Mill Hill

Redstart on Mill Hill

Spotted Flycatcher on Mill Hill

it 'caught' the berry on the wing, like a Cotinga or Trogon at a fruiting tree

another Spotted Flycatcher on Mill Hill

Wheatear on Mill Hill

Autumn Lady's Tresses

Sanderling on the Adur