Kingsteignton (15-21 September)

Megan, Cookie and I had the best part of a week in Devon, based in Kingsteignton which seems to have become a retail park/suburb of Newton Abbot. We stopped at Charmouth on the way down seeing a Wheatear on the cliffs. This almost made it onto my highlights list! The weather wasn't particularly good  Two trips to Dartington failed to produce any Dippers and Labrador Bay just two juvenile Cirl Buntings and flight views of an adult. Otherwise we saw Kingfishers on the River Teign and at Hackney Marshes, a Marsh Tit at Teigngrace and 2 Grey and 5 Yellow Wagtails.

juvenile Cirl Bunting at Labrador Bay

Beeding Aquatic Warbler again

Monday 11 September. Sparrowhawk and Yellow Wagtail on the Downs at Mount Zion with Cookie.

Tuesday 12 September. Mill Hill with Cookie 08:55-09:55: Jay 1, House Martin 12, Cetti's Warbler heard, Chiffchaff 1, Blackcap 1, Whitethroat 1. Beeding Brooks without Cookie 10:45-12:45: Cetti's Warbler heard, Aquatic Warbler 1. Allotment: Sparrowhawk 1. Dacres Garden: Clifton Nonpareil 1, Convolvulus Hawk-Moth 1 (with thanks to Matt Butussil). More Aquatic Warbler frustration with me only seeing it in the open when it was on the other side of the river.

Aquatic Warbler at Beeding, this time gave its best views when on the opposite rivebank

Convolvulus Hawk-Moth at Dacre Gardens

immaculate Clifton Nonpareil at Dacre Gardens, what a double!

Clifton Nonpareil at Dacre Gardens (photo: Matt Busuttil)

Wednesday 13 September. Mill Hill 07:20-09:00: Sparrowhawk 1, Swallow 3, Chiffchaff 11, Blackcap 7, Whitethroat 5, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Redstart 1 male, Wheatear 1, Chaffinch 3 males, Linnet 1. Lancing Ring and Steepdown with Megan and Cookie: Buzzard 1, Kestrel 2, Raven 2, Swallow 2, Meadow Pipit 20E, Goldfinch 1, Siskin 25E. Beeding Brooks 14:10-19:20: Kingfisher 1,  Raven 2, Aquatic Warbler 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1. The Aquatic Warbler continued to frustrate. Always at least partially obscured, I was reliant on manual focus and by the time I'd found the bird in the viewfinder and started focusing it had moved. Its progress could often be followed by movements in the grass but it was busy feeding (more so than previously?) on the ground of just above it and was very rarely visible. It always seemed as if I was poorly positioned but poor eyesight was probably my main handicap. Perseverance produced my best photos, although they were still rather disappointing compared to others, and I had some nice, but usually very brief views through binoculars. It was seen to go to roost and I wasn't surprised it had gone overnight. Between 10-20 birders, slightly fewer than previously, were present throughout and again all behaved sensibly, staying on the path, not rushing around and were generally fairly quiet. Tracking the birds progress through the grass suggested it was unconcerned by our presence.

Spotted Flycatcher on Mill Hil;

Steepdown

Raven over Steepdown

Aquatic Warbler still at Beeding, my best but still slightly out of focus

partly obscured, my best efforts in five fairly frustrating hours

Thursday 14 September. Adur at high tide with Megan and Cookie: Ringed Plover 5, Grey Heron 1, Little Egret 2, Blackcap 1, Goldfinch 7.

Mostly Mill Hill and a local Aquatic Warbler (01-10 September)

Friday 01 September. Mill Hill 09:00-11:15 with Cookie: Red-backed Shrike 1 juvenile still present, Willow Warbler 1, Chiffchaff 6 heard, Reed Warbler 1, Blackcap 4, Whitethroat 5, Goldfinch 7.

Red-backed Shrike on Mill Hill

                          

Saturday 02 September. Brooklands with Megan and Cookie: Swift 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Hobby 1, Sand Martin 1, Swallow 50. Adur Saltings, pushed off over an hour before the super high tide: Lapwing 13, Whimbrel 1, Common Snipe 1, Common Sandpiper 5, Redshank 39, Greenshank 1, Sandwich Tern 3, Grey Heron 4, Little Egret 12. Mill Hill 19:10-19:50. Chiffchaff 4, Blackcap 1, Spotted Flycatcher 3+, Redstart 1.

Sunday 03 September. Mill Hill 07:00-09:00: Sparrowhawk 1, Red-backed Shrike 1 juvenile, Swallow 25, Chiffchaff 4, Reed Warbler 1, Blackcap 2, Whitethroat 6, Spotted Flycatcher 3+, Redstart 1, Linnet 6, Goldfinch 25. Worthing Beach and Pier with Megan and Cookie: Turnstone 3, Swallow 20E.

Dunnock keeping a careful eye on the Red-backed Shrike on Mill Hill

Monday 04 September: Mill Hill 06:55-11:40: Sparrowhawk 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Hobby 1, Sand Martin 1E, Swallow 250E, House Martin 50E, Chiffchaff 4, Reed Warbler 2, Blackcap 5, Whitethroat 11, Firecrest 1, Spotted Flycatcher 5, Pied Flycatcher 1, Redstart 2, Linnet 22, Goldfinch 70.  Middle Road Allotment: Sparrowhawk 1.

Spotted Flycatcher on Mill Hill

Tuesday 05 September. Mill Hill 06:55-08:55: Stock Dove 3, Kestrel 2, Sand Martin 3E, 

Swallow 30E, House Martin 35E, Chiffchaff 2, Blackcap 6, Whitethroat 10, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Redstart 3, Greenfinch 2, Linnet 6, Goldfinch 32, Siskin 3NE. Lancing Ring 09:45-1120 with Cookie: Stock Dove 2, Kestrel 2, Sand Martin 1E, Swallow 30E, House Martin 1E, Chiffchaff heard, Spotted Flycatcher 2, Bullfinch 2 juveniles.

Redstart on Mill Hill

looking east from Lancing Ring

Wednesday 06 September: Mill Hill 07:00-11:00: Stock Dove 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Kestrel 1, Swallow 10E, House Martin 30E, Chiffchaff 4, Blackcap 25, Whitethroat 10, Spotted Flycatcher 5, Redstart 3, Wheatear 2, Goldfinch 40.

Redstart on Mill Hill

Thursday 07 September: Mill Hill 06:50-09:20: Sparrowhawk 2, House Martin 40NE, Chiffchaff 3, Blackcap 9, Whitethroat 17, Pied Flycatcher 1, Redstart 3, Linnet 9, Goldfinch 10. Adur circuit with Megan and Cookie 09:30-11:15: Mute Swan 4 juveniles on their own, Ringed Plover 49, Dunlin 9, Whimbrel 1, Redshank 12, Spotted Redshank 1, Turnstone 4, Grey Heron 3, Little Egret 2.

male Redstart on Mill Hill

Spotted Redshank crossing the River Adur

my first locally for over 40 years!

Redshank above Spotted Redshank on the Adur

Friday 08 September. Beggar's Bush-Cissbury with David Buckingham and Cookie 08:20-12:20: Green Woodpecker 2, Marsh Tit 1, House Martin 40, Willow Warbler 4, Blackcap 5, Garden Warbler 1, Whitethroat 7, Spotted Flycatcher 8, Redstart 4, Whinchat 3, Stonechat 5, Wheatear 6, Yellow Wagtail 3, Bullfinch heard, Yellowhammer 1.

Saturday 09 September. Mill Hill 06:50-09:20: Buzzard 1, Kestrel 1, Jay 1, Swallow 3, Chiffchaff 5, Blackcap 35+, Whitethroat 6, Spotted Flycatcher 2, Redstart 2, Linnet 7, Goldfinch 4.

Redstart on Mill Hill

Cookie feeling the heat

Sunday 10 September. Brooklands with Megan and Cookie: Cetti's Warbler heard, Grey Wagtail. Beeding Brooks: Aquatic Warbler 1 (a superb find by Jamie Wilkinson), Sedge Warbler 1. Adur, a brief twitch on my way home: Ringed Plover 50+, Knot 1, Curlew Sandpiper 1, Dunlin 12+.

Aquatic Warbler by the Adur riverbank at Beeding Brooks

auto-focus picking up the nearer vegetation

my manual focusing wasn't much better

not helped by the bird being against the sun