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The first Black-necked Grebes were back in Langstone Harbour this week and Pagham Harbour has had one of the Glossy Ibis birds currently invading England. Also returning for the winter are Shelduck (and one flock of Fieldfares). Among the rarities is the first Yellow-breasted Bunting of the year. Common birds leaving the continent to arrive in Britain include Robins, Chaffinches, Song Thrushes and at least one Brambling in Kent.

Some butterfly species which emerge at this time of year but then go straight into hibernation, not mating until next spring, have decided to breed in the autumn and untimely broods of Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock caterpillars are being found in Sussex

Plant news includes a find of Apple of Peru in the Denvilles area of Havant not far from where I discovered a small flowering tree which I did not recognize and which has now been added to my knowledge under the name of Harlequin Glorybower (an imported garden species - not wild)

The most significant local news is the discovery of a rare fungus in Stansted Forest, outdoing the sad news of the death of the apparently healthy Northern Bottlenose Whale at Bournemouth after the whale seemingly got caught in underwater fishing tackle ropes and drowned. Under death notice relates to 300 Eels stranded in dried up pools at Pett Level on the shore of Rye Bay

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Diver species: On Sep 22 a group of six divers were seen swimming west off Worthing in a choppy sea - the limited view of them available suggested they were all Great Northern Divers

Black-necked Grebe: Two were seen off the west coast of Hayling Island (south of the Oysterbeds) on Sep 20 - these are the first I know of back in Langstone Harbour since February

Black-browed Albatross: A sub-adult bird was seen from a boat two miles south of St Mary's in the Scillies on Sep 21 - this is possibly the same bird that was seen off Devon and Cornwall in late July and so may be a long-term vistor to our latitude

Shag: A group of 14 spent a little time on the sea off the mouth of Chichester Harbour on Sep 20 before flying east

Glossy Ibis: The invasion of southern England by this species, which started with a single bird in north east Kent on Sep 15 but got going in earnest on Sep 19 (when I believe three separate groups, each of six birds, were seen (one in Devon and Dorset heading east, another seen at Lymington at a time when the Dorset birds could not have been there, and the third in East Anglia), continued this week. On Sep 21 three were at Sandwich Bay and one in Pagham Harbour (this latter seen again on both Sep 22 and 23 at the Breech Pool behind the North Walls). Also on Sep 21 a mystery bird high over allotments in Portsmouth could have been this species. On Sep 22 two flew west over Rye Harbour and may have turned into the group of three seen that day at the Dungeness RSPB reserve.

Spoonbill: A group of five were in Poole Harbour last week but are not yet mentioned this week so one which flew in to Titchfield Haven on Sep 20 could have come from Dorset

Brent Goose: I am pretty sure that some have been in Langstone Harbour and elsewhere so far this week but the only report I have picked up is of 19 birds in the Thorney Channel (east of the south of Thorney Island) on Sep 20. While these may well have been migrants the new comers are usually out in the open water of the harbour entrance (between Thorney and Black Point) whereas the Thorney Channel is a regular site for summering birds in that harbour (I saw 8 there on Aug 25 and there was a report of 15 birds flying west over the Fishbourne Channel towards Thorney on Sep 6 before any migrants arrived)

Pale-bellied Brent: These are now arriving in force with a count of 490 from the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides on Sep 20.

Shelduck: A count of 105 passing Pointe de Hoc in Normandy on Sep 21 indicated the start of the return of Shelduck from their moult grounds to their winter quarters and I am pretty sure that the appearance of 15 Shelduck off the west shore of Emsworth at Nore Barn on Sep 23 was associated with this movement though this particular flock was made up of 12 juveniles and three adults, all of which have probably been somewhere on our south coast through the summer. All I know is that I have not heard of any Shelduck in the Langstone/Emsworth area since Apr 17, just before the mass movement from English Water which saw 47 passing Dungeness on Apr 24 and 103 off the Thanet coast in Kent on May 4. The juveniles now off Emsworth may have arrived there from somewhere not far inland (e.g. around Alsdworth Pond which has now dried up), having waited there until they were fully fledged and able to fly.

Garganey: The eclipse male was still on Sinah Lake (south Hayling) on Sep 21, having arrived there on Sep 11

Scaup: None yet in southern England but I see that 3 were seen on Lewis on the Hebrides on Sep 21 after the first of the autumn had been reported at Spurn Point in Yorkshire on Sep 17

Eider: A flock of 41 flew east past Worthing on Sep 22, presumably still on their way from northern breeding grounds to winter quarters

Velvet Scoter: One off Spurn Point on Sep 21 was the first I have heard of anywhere since June (the last on the south coast was off Selsey on May 20)

Red-breasted Merganser: One seen from Portland on Sep 22 may have been summering on the south coast but reports of one passing Spurn Point on Sep 21 and two seen off Lewis in the Hebrides on Sep 22 indicate that they are now startig to head south

Goosander: One of these also went past Spurn Point on Sep 21, the first mention of the species since an isolated report of a flock of 27 moving over the Bradford area of Yorkshire on Aug 29

Montagu's Harrier: A 'probable' ringtail was seen at Soar in Devon on Sep 20

Merlin: More of these are arriving for the winter (or at least to chase the huge masses of passerines to be found along our south coast at this time of year). A female was over Thorney Island on Sep 20 when another clocked in at Portland, and a third was over the Brading Marshes (IoW) on Sep 21

Quail: Yet another migrant Quail touched down at Polgigga in Cornwall on Sep 21

Coot: These continue to leave inladn waters which may freeze over before long and head for winter quarters on the sea - the number on the Slipper Mill pond complex at Emsworth was up from 58 on Sep 15 to 68 on Sep 20 (no more than half a dozen pairs breed there). There could well be an even higher number now on the Thorney Little Deeps.

Ringed Plover: 200 were in a high tide roost on the shingle of the Hayling Bay shore on Sep 20, no doubt unseen by many people walking along the nearby grassland. This roost also had 50 Sanderling, 7 Dunlin and a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper. I'm not sure exactly where this roost was but a similar roost can often be found during the winter on the shingle south of the east end of the Hayling Golf Course

Dotterel: One was heard flying over the Selsey West Fields on Sep 20 and another was seen on Bolberrow Down in Devon on both Sep 20 and 21

American Golden Plover: One had been seen in Norfolk in late July and now the second I know of for the year is reported on St Agnes in the Scillies on Sep 20

Pectoral Sandpiper: After several reports from the Scillies between Sep 12 and 17 (and one at Seaton in Devon on Sep 16) one made a brief appearance on the Lymington marshes on Sep 23

Buff-breasted Sandpiper: Also after several recent reports from the Scillies one made a brief appearance among a flock of Golden Plover at Rye Harbour on Sep 21

Lesser Black-back Gull: John Clark found 1520 of these at the Fox Lane gravel pits at Eversley in north Hampshire on Sep 19 and then counted 2015 leaving the night roost there at dawn on Sep 20 - later that day he found more than 1900 either gathering their supper on nearby Blackbushe airfield or flying over towards the roost site

Black Tern: Their passage now seems to be coming to an end. After 3 were seen at Dungeness on Sep 14 there were no reports until Sep 21 when 4 fly along the Normandy coast

Turtle Dove: A late bird at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 22

Swift: One went over Beachy Head on Sep 19 and an even later bird was seen at Spurn Point on Sep 21

Wryneck: Six reports in the latest news, the last being at Horsham on Sep 22

Great Spotted Woodpecker: A reminder that these are partial migrants came when three were reported at Dungeness on Sep 22

Short-toed Lark: First mention of one this autumn comes from Jersey on Sep 23 when flocks of Skylarks are starting to move (e.g. 22 over Sandwich Bay on Sep 21)

Swallow: These are now the main component of the hirundine flocks currently patrolling our south coast before taking the plunge (!) to cross the channel. On Sep 21 Christchurch Harbour recorded 4000 and Sandwich Bay had 2800

House Martin: This weeks peak counts were of 3700 over Sandwich Bay and 5691 over Hunstanton in Norfolk, both on Sep 22

Richard's Pipit: Three reports this week include one at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 19 with others in Cornwall and Yorkshire

Tawny Pipit: Two reports from Cornwall on Sep 21, probably of the same bird as both were in the Lands End area

Robin: New arrivals from the continent brought reports of a significant increase in numbers at three sites on Sep 21

Fieldfare: What may have been the same flock numbered 16 in Belgium on Sep 15, then 15 near Chichester on Sep 18 and now 12 in the New Forest on Sep 20

Song Thrush: Continental birds were arriving over Christchurch Harbour this week with 10 seen flying high over on Sep 20 and another 9 on Sep 21. Just one Redwing was reported in Holland

Cetti's Warbler: These (along with species like Dartford Warbler) have been dispersing for some time now but the loud sound of one singing at Brook Meadow in Emsworth on Sep 20 was exciting as being only the second ever heard there (first was in June 2005). Brian Fellows tells us it brought the number of bird species recorded on that reserve this year to 46 (the site has recorded an overall total of 70 species over the years since 2000)

Bearded Tit: 35 seen on Thorney Island (presumably the Little Deeps) on Sep 20 included 'high flying flocks of 19 and 14 birds' indicating that these are now off on their intrepid flights to find new reedbeds

Zitting Cisticola (aka Fan-tailed Warbler): One seen briefly in the Thanet area of Kent may be the same which has been seen there on July 26 at Seasalter and at Sandwich Bay on Sep 6 and 7. Other vagrants have been an Icterine and a Barred Warbler both at Hope Gap near Beachy Head on Sep 21 and 22 respectively, and a Yellow-browed Warbler at Sandwich Bay on Sep 21 when others were in Cornwall and the Scillies. Cornwall still had its Woodchat Shrike on Sep 21 and both Devon and Cornwall had Rose-coloured Starlings on Sep 21

Chaffinch: Three at Portland on Sep 20 were the first autumn passage birds there (62 were reported at Berlin on Sep 22 and 84 in Holland on Sep 23). One Brambling in the Thanet area of Kent on Sep 21 was the first of the autumn in southern England

Yellow-breasted Bunting: The first I have heard of this year was on St Mary's in the Scillies on Sep 20

Peak counts of migrants so far this week:

Tree Pipit 8 at Weymouth

Meadow Pipit 3700 at Sandwich Bay

Yellow Wagtail 27 at Hook/Warsash

Grey Wagtail 10 at Portland

Pied Wagtail 86 at Durlston

White Wagtail 1 at Portland

Robin 20 at Beachy Head

Redstart 6 at Portland

Whinchat 18 at Sandwich Bay

Stonechat 25+ at Christchurch Harbour

Wheatear 20 at Thorney Island

Ring Ouzel 1 at Durlston

Fieldfare 12 in the New Forest

Song Thrush 10 at Christchurch Harbour

Grasshopper Warbler 1 at each of three sites

Sedge Warbler 5 at Christchurch Harbour

Reed Warbler 1 at Christchurch Harbour

Icterine Warbler 1 near Beachy Head

Barred Warbler 1 near Beachy Head

Lesser Whitethroat 2 at Portland

Common Whitethroat 7 at Christchurch Harbour

Garden Warbler 3 at Christchurch Harbour

Blackcap 400 at Beachy Head

Yellow-browed Warbler 1 at Sandwich Bay

Chiffchaff 300 at Beachy Head

Firecrest 1 at each of three sites

Spotted Flycatcher 6 at Pagham Harbour

Pied Flycatcher 2 at Portland

Golden Oriole 1 'probable' on the Scillies

Red-backed Shrike singles at Sandwich Bay and in Devon

Rook 23 over Christchurch Harbour

Tree Sparrow 2 over Christchurch Harbour

Reed Bunting 21 at Sandwich Bay

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Just 18 species reported on the wing so far this week

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235 plant species found so far this month to my knowledge but most of those being found currently have already had a mention in these notes when they first appeared

Apple of Peru plants in Havant and site where found (see below)

Red Goosefoot: What I believe to be this species is prominent at the moment with some plants having a bright red tinge to their flower/seed parts - see my photos in my Diary entry for Sep 21

Yellow-flowered Strwberry: The roadside plants in Juniper Square here in Havant had now flower buds on Sep 22

Yellow Pimpernel: This had many fresh flowers in shady parts of Southleigh Forest providing the only bright colour when I was there on Sep 21

Harlequin Glorybower (Clerodendrum trichotomum): This is not a wild plant (a garden shrub/small tree imported from the Far East) but when I saw an example in flower in a garden in the Denvilles area of Havant on Sep 21 I was impressed and it took me some time to track down its identity (a new species for my personal knowledge). I see that it is a member of the Verbena family.

Apple of Peru (Physalodes nicandra): This colourful plant is sometimes grown as a garden ornament (despite its poisonous tendencies) but more often occurs as a casual on tips. This week I found a small colony of plants in a garden in the Denvilles area of Havant but the garden had no fence and the plants were in a neglected section containing only bags of waste so I doubt they were planted there

Nettle-leaved Bellflower: A single elderly plant which still had a couple of flowers was the first I have seen this summer - my find was in Woodlands Lane above Walderton

Small Teazel: Visiting Racton hamlet in the Ems Valley on Sep 21 I was too late to find flowers on the plants there but this colony (the only one I know of locally) still thrives among the trees on the south side of the major road junction in the hamlet (see photos with my Diary entry for Sep 21)

Perennial Sunflower: Nothing special about a find of this plant except that a single specimen I found on Sep 21 was flowering happily in what had earlier in the year been the river bed of the Ems immediately south of the roadbridge over the river at Racton (photo with Diary entry for Sep 21)

Bottle-nosed Whale: The Whale which was apparently healthy and catching Mackerel off the Bournemouth coast last week (first seen Sep 13) was washed up dead at Bournemouth on Sep 23 - I have not yet heard the official cause of death but there were indications that it had got caught in fishing ropes and had drowned

Common Seal: 12 were hauled up on mud off Thorney Island on Sep 20

Eel: Drying up of the Pett Level pools on the shore of Rye Bay left some 300 Eels dead on Sep 20. I find this slightly puzzling as I have always understood that Eels can make long overland journeys as part of their migration so I would have thought these Eels would at least have made an attempt to struggle overland to another water body

Fungi: The Havant Wildlife Group were in Stansted Forest on Sep 19 and found Chicken of the Woods (Sulphur Polypore) apparently thriving on the trunk of a White Poplar with the Lumpy Bracket (Trametes Gibbosa) found nearby on a log. Best find is what I consider to be an example of the rare Creolophus cirrhatus shown in Roger Phillips popular book (this identification has been confirmed by local Fungus specialist Rosemary Webb). I was at first confused by different books having different illustrations with different names for what I thought was a single species of Tooth Fungus but when I had a look at Gordon Dickson's 'Fungi of the New Forest' I found he listed three species of Tooth Fungus and had photos of two of them (both listed as Hericium ) which did not match the current find (see the photo supplied by Jim Berry of what the group found on Sep 19) in that the new find does have a distinct cap above the teeth, ruling out those two but leaving the third possibility in the air. That third species is the one shown by Roger Phillips whose photo shows both a cap and teeth, both being a good colour match for the current find. My current opinion is that the group did find Creolophus cirrhatus

Photo of Creolophus cirrhatus (Tooth Fungus) in Stansted Forest (taken by Jim Berry)

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Taking a roundabout route to the Havant shops today I found the Yellow-flowered Strawberry in Juniper Square had a few new flower buds and that flowers could still be found on the Small-flowered Cranesbill and Stone Parsley. Around St Faith's Church Wall Rocket, Mouse-ear Hawkweed and Field Madder were flowering, and in my own garden the Thyme-leaved Speedwell had started to flower again.

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The highspot of a cycle ride through the Southleigh and Stansted Forests to the Ems Valley at Walderton came when I reached Racton hamlet where the road south from Walderton has a branch going off to Funtington. I stopped on the bridge over the river (now bone dry) at this junction and clambered down into the river bed which was knee deep in colourful flowers (including a single sunflower as well as masses of Water Mint). The most prominent species was Red Goosefoot which had plants with both red and green 'flowers'. Equally colourful but fewer in number were plants of Many-seeded Goosefoot and no doubt there were other species hidden in the mass of vegetation - I took a picture of one tiny plant of Fool's Water Cress which I nearly trod on.

Having clambered up the bank at the right hand end of the bridge as seen in my photo I turned my attention to the tall trees to the left of the bridge, hoping to find a late flower on the Small Teazel plants which grow under them hidden from the view of most passers by. No luck with the white flowers but I did take a couple of pictures of the plants (which here grow to well over 2 metres high) and their flower heads. While pushing through the low branches and huge Nettles to get a view of the Teazels I almost trod on a young pigeon - seemingly a Stock Dove with no visible signs of injury but perhaps confused as to how to get out of this jungle after falling to the ground on what may have been its first flight from its nest.

On my way out there was little of interest to record but I did find a great show of fresh Yellow Pimpernel in the Southleigh Forest and a flock of at least a dozen Yellowhammers in the Stansted East Park. On the way home I had a look at Aldsworth Pond which is now as dry as the river had been, and when nearly home (at the south end, east side, of Fourth Avenue in Denvilles) I found a large plant of Apple of Peru (Nicandra physalodes) with fresh blue flowers - I did not stop to take a picture but hope to get one when I go back to check out a flowering tree (which I thought was a Judas Tree) at the north end of the same road

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This afternoon I walked along the south face of Portsdown from Fort Widley to Fort Southwick, coming back by a slightly higher path and going round the north side of Fort Widley. During this outing I logged 61 plant species still in flower with Eyebright clearly the most numerous, though there were still plenty of Harebells which had been dominant on my last visit.

Unexpected flowers were Common Gromwell (most plants have long gone to seed but one young plant had a single new flower) and Tansy (plants re-flowering where they had re-grown after being recently mown). Also of interest were Musk Thistle, Ploughman's Spikenard and Betony while pink Spindle Berries gave a lovely touch of autumn colour. Disappointingly I found no trace of Autumn Ladies Tresses which I have not seen this autumn.

Not many butterflies on the wing but still plenty of Small Whites and tatty Meadow Browns. The best of the butterflies was a fresh male Brimstone and a fly by Red Admiral. Also of interest were two 'woolly bear' Fox Moth caterpillars on the ground seeking somewhere to pupate.

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Brent Geese (both Dark and Pale-bellied) are now with us, as are masses of other wildfowl that will spend the winter on the south coast. Rarities include a re-appearance of the south Hants Blue-winged Teal and a possible Red-throated Pipit at Lymington. We also have news from across the Atlantic of twin 'white swallows' hatched in a nest at Dripping Spings near Columbia in Missouri to match a singleton hatched by the River Hamble near Botley. Huge numbers of House Martins have impressed coastal birders as the first winter thrushes appear in Britain. Not for the squeamish is news of Great Tits eating the brains of live hibernating bats...

There are still dragonflies and butterflies to be seen but top of the pops is a tiny moth to be found at Portchester Castle (and that is an opportunity to plug the excellent new version of Mike Wall's Hantsmoths website).

Plant news includes the discovery of another massive planting of wildflower seed to brighten the margins of an arable field in the Ems Valley and a find of a 'new' species for our area on a roadside at Birdham alongside Chichester Harbour.

We end with the news of a Bottle-nosed Whale close to the Dorset coast well away from its normal feeding grounds but apparently still quite well and enjoying our local Mackerel.

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Red-throated Diver: Reports in the latest news are of one in Weymouth Bay on Sep 13, a summer plumaged bird off Sandy Point on Hayling on Sep 15 when 3 were off the Dutch coast and 79 went south past Spurn Point (with more than 20 off Spurn Point on Sep 16)

Black-throated Diver: One off Normandy on Sep 14 and one off Holland on Sep 15

Red-necked Grebe: One off Portland on Sep 15

Great White Egret: The bird which arrived at the Dungeness RSPB site on Aug 15 appears to have left on Sep 13 when it was seen to fly over the Dungeness Bird Observatory. It maybe a co-incidence but one turned up at the Blashford Lakes on Sep 14, not having been reported there since Aug 29

Purple Heron: One turned up at Lands End on Sep 16

Glossy Ibis: The bird in the Kent Stour valley which arrived on Sep 6 was still there on Sep 15

Mute Swan: Of local interest the Budds Farm pools pair in Havant had all five of their cygnets in view with them on Sep 14 but shortly after seeing them I found what I assumed to be the Langstone Pond family in the mouth of the Langbrook stream with only five (not six) cygnets in view

Brent Goose: First arrivals were seen on Sep 14 when two went past Dungeness and two were seen on the Dutch coast. On Sep 15 two flew into Chichester Harbour from the sea at 8:30am and two were seen off the Warblington/Langstone shore later in the afternoon, singles were also seen at Gatteville in Normandy and at a Dutch site. Then on Sep 16 Langstone Harbour had a flock of 13, Christchurch Harbour saw its first 2 and 5 flew past Le Clipon near Calais. On Sep 17 two were seen off Jersey in the Channel Isles

Pale Bellied Brent: Bob Chapman reminds us that this race of Brent startes to reach us from the north of Canada some two weeks earlier than the Dark-bellied birds coming from the north of Russia, and this was confirmed this year when the first flock of 41 Pale-bellied birds was reported from the Outer Hebrides on Aug 29. Most of these birds winter in Ireland but a minority fly on to winter on the west coast of France, normally passing over our west country en route. One forerunner of these was seen on Tresco in the Scillies on Aug 28 and another singleton that had lost touch with its flying companions was seen on the Lymington Marshes on Sep 6. What is likely to have been this same bird then appeared in Southampton Water on Sep 10 and demonstrated its wild nature by moving away from observers on the shore, disproving my ill judged comment that it might have been an escape from a wildfowl collection. On Sep 11 three more Pale-bellied birds were seen on the south coast of Devon near Exmouth and on Sep 16 two more were at Appledore on the north Devon coast near Bideford.

Shelduck: A few adults stay here through the summer moult period to chaperone the juveniles and a bird seen on the Blashford Lakes at Ringwood on Sep 14 may have been one of these though a report of 16 passing Dungeness that same day suggests that adults are starting to return from the German/Dutch coast where they have been moulting.

Wigeon: These are now pouring back into our south coast area and the species will soon cease to be newsworthy. On Sep 13 Hook/Warsash had 13 while Christchurch Harbour had 80. Sep 14 found 84 on the north Kent coast at Oare Marshes, 2 on Sinah Lake (Hayling), 4 on Tundry Pond (west of Fleet in north Hampshire), 40 on the Blashford Lakes and another 82 passing Dungeness. On Sep 15 there were 70 at the mouth of Chichester Harbour with 4 on Sinah Lake, and on Sep 16 Christchurch Harbour had some 330 while Langstone Harbour had 400.

Pintail: We have already reported a flock of more than 50 in Pagham Harbour on Sep 11 and now such flocks are turning up in other places - on Sep 16 Christchurch Harbour had 25 and Langstone Harbour had 35

Garganey: Two were at the Dungeness RSPB Site on Sep 13 but since then the only reports have been of one on the Sinah Lake (south Hayling) from Sep 11 to 17 at least

Blue-winged Teal: One seen flying from the north into Titchfield Haven on Sep 16 may well have been the same bird that was at the Haven on Aug 28 and then at the Portsmouth IBM Lake on Aug 31. It is thought to be an adult blown across the Atlantic by a recent hurricane but both its origin and age are disputed. Three juveniles which arrived in the Outer Hebrides around Sep 13 are seemingly agreed to be vagrants

Pochard: Three seen on Fleet Pond in north Hampshire on Sep 16 were said to be new arrivals there though we are not yet seeing an invasion of this species to match the 338 reported at a Dutch site on Sep 7

Red-breasted Merganser: One seen at Hook/Warsash on Sep 15 is likely to have been the one summering in that area but last year the 'first of the autumn' was claimed at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 10 with another five flying west past nearby Barton on Sea on Sep 13 though no others were reported until Sep 25 when three were in Langstone Harbour (and I did not see a double figure count until Oct 22 when 15 were in Portsmouth Harbour).

Honey Buzzard: On Sep 14 one flew south east over Tadley near Basingstoke and another went over Durlston. Christchurch Harbour reported one on Sep 16 and another flew south from Portland on Sep 17

Marsh Harrier: A juvenile seen over Radipole (Weymouth) on Sep 16 is likely to have been one of the three offspring of the pair which nested there this year (first breeding in Dorset for 50 years). I see that on Sep 15 there was an intentional fire at Radipole which seems to have got out of control and burnt more of the reedbed than was intended (but I do not have any details of what happpened)

Quail: One reported (presumably seen) on Sep 16 at Badminston Common near Fawley on the edge of the New Forest was presumably another migrant pausing there on its way south

Spotted Crake: On Sep 13 one was heard making its 'whiplash' call at Christchurch Harbour and two othere were on St Marys and St Agnes islands in the Scillies. The bird which has been at the Dungeness RSPB site since Sep 6 was still present on Sep 15

Coot: A count of 58 in the adjacent Peter Pond and Slipper Mill Pond at Emsworth on Sep 15 shows that these birds are now moving to the coast for the winter.

Golden Plover: A count of 100 at Rye Harbour on Sep 15 was the first three figure count for Sussex this autumn (though the Oare Marshes in north Kent had around 500 on Aug 15)

Sanderling: An estimate of 85 birds on the sands off Ryde (IoW) on Sep 16 was also the highest so far for the south coast this autumn (though there had been 70 at Climping near Worthing on Aug 9 and 60 there on Aug 14 with 70+ reported from the Pilsey Sands in Chichester Harbour on Sep 6)

Purple Sandpiper: One at Dungeness on Sep 15 was the third singleton seen on the English south coast this autumn (two more have been reported from the French coast) since the early returnee at Portland on Aug 25

Black-tailed Godwit: A flock of 159 at Hook/Warsash on Sep 15 contained four juveniles. This is the first mention of Icelandic juveniles that I have seen other than the comment that a flock of 17 at Christchurch Harbour on Aug 15 were mostly juveniles.

Greenshank: One seen in the outfall of the Lymbourne stream by the Old Mill at Langstone on Sep 15 is the first report this autumn of what is probably the regular wintering bird returning there

Little Gull: A count of 149 at Spurn Point in Yorkshire on Sep 16 may well mark the start of their main autumn passage - this is the first substantial count from a British site since late April.

Sabine's Gull: Two juveniles seen off the north Kent coast on Sep 14

Ring-billed Gull: One off the Cornish coast on Sep 16 is only the second report of the species this autumn (the first was also off Cornwall on Aug 29)

Kittiwake: Spurn Point reported 3124 there on Sep 16 - this was by far the highest count of this autumn so far

Sandwich Tern: Around 3000 flew past Cap Gris-Nez on each of Sep 5 and 6 but there were still 1210 off Gatteville in Normandy on Sep 14. On Sep 15 three which had taken the overland route from the North Sea flew down the Test Valley near Romsey and 41 (with 263 Common Tern) still came to roost in Langstone Harbour that evening

Guillemot: One was around the mouth of Chichester Harbour on Sep 14 and 15 and a Razorbill was off the mouth of the River Hamble on Sep 16

Turtle Dove: One seen near Weymouth on Sep 13 when a Cuckoo was seen on the west shore of Poole Harbour

Nightjar: On Sep 15 a departing bird was found sitting on the handle of a spade in the garden of a house in the Alresford area near Winchester

Wryneck: One was caught and ringed at Portland on Sep 17 after reports of singles in the Lands End area on Sep 14 and one on the Scillies on Sep 13

Sand Martin: More than 30 were the only hirundines over Budds Farm pools in Havant when I was there on Sep 14 (when around 1000 were over the Blashford Lakes near Ringwood). The same number of birds were at Blashford on Sep 15 when Durlston had 300

Swallow: 2800 over Durlston on Sep 15, 1700 over Christchurch Harbour on Sep 16 and 3750 over the Channel Isles on Sep 17. In connection with the recent discussion on the rarity of 'white Swallows' after one was known to have hatched in an Aberdeenshire nest this summer, and another was reported in the Curdridge area by the River Hamble on Sep 10, we now know that one white bird (with several normal siblings) was hatched in a nest at Botley (very close to Curdridge) this summer and that another white bird had been present at the Botley site 20 years ago. Google tells me that two leucistic Barn Swallows were hatched this summer in a nest at Dripping Springs near Columbia in Missouri, USA. None of those I am aware of were true albinos, just very leucistic.

House Martin: Unexpectedly large numbers have been seen at several places on the south coast this week starting with an estimated 15000 coming in high off the sea and heading north west over Hook/Warsash on Sep 13 (Mark Palmer only noticed them by chance when scanning the sky and they were not noticed by other birders in the area even after Mark had commented on them! This reminded me of Trevor Carpenter's chance discovery - one day several years back - that the sky above him was filled from horizon to horizon with Swifts which were undetectable to the naked eye). On Sep 14 there were 9500 over Christchurch Harbour and on Sep 15 Durlston reported 4800 with another 3300 over Christchurch on Sep 16 (Christchurch Harbour had previously reported an autumn peak of 25,000 overhead on Sep 10)

Richard's Pipit: The first to be reported this autumn was at The Lizard in Cornwall on Sep 15 and the second was seen in Holland on Sep 17

Red-throated Pipit: John Clark had an unconfirmed report of one on the Lymington shore on Sep 15

Peak counts of regular migrants during this week have been .. Tree Pipit (5), Meadow Pipit (870), Yellow Wagtail (25), Grey Wagtail (5), White Wagtail (3), Robin (40 at Spurn Point on Sep 16), Common Redstart (3), Whinchat (9), Stonechat (19 at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 16 indicating a major move to coastal sites), Wheatear (90), Ring Ousel (2), Grasshopper Warbler (1), Sedge Warbler (4), Lesser Whitethroat (6), Common Whitethroat (14), Garden Warbler (3), Blackcap (280 - possibly as many as 900 at Seaford on Sep 12), Chiffchaff (77), Willow Warbler (30), Goldcrest (3), Spotted Flycatcher (6), Pied Flycatcher (2)

Fieldfare: 16 present at a Belgian site on Sep 15 (after one had been seen in Holland on Sep 1)

Song Thrush: Counts of 52 at Spurn Point on Sep 15 and 63 there on Sep 16 seem to indicate the arrival of continental birds that will winter here.

Redwing: On Sep 15 Spurn Point also had 5 Redwing

Mistle Thrush: A count of 59 at a Dutch site on Sep 17 may show that they are now moving to winter quarters. Of local interest was the appearance of a young bird at Brook Meadow in Emsworth on Sep 15 - none are known to have nested anywhere near Brook Meadow since 2005

Cetti's Warbler: Song heard at Langstone Pond on Sep 15 - maybe the resident bird (last heard to sing there on June 25) defending his territory against an interloper (dispersing birds are now turning up along the south coast, e.g. one at Sandy Point on Hayling on Sep 12 where none have been found previously)

Melodious Warbler: One in Cornwall on Sep 14 (still there on Sep 16), one in the Scillies on Sep 15, and one briefly in the Thanet area of Kent on Sep 15

Barred Warbler: One in the Scillies on Sep 13 (after one at Spurn Point on Sep 11).

Yellow-browed Warbler: First of the autumn at Spurn Point on Sep 15

Red-breasted Flycatcher: Two arrivals on Sep 15 - one at Dungeness and the other at Spurn Point

Great Tit: Nigel Jones on Hoslist drew our attention to an article in the current issue of the New Scientist describing how Great Tits in central Europe have learnt to eat the brains of live but hibernating bats as a nourishing source of winter food

Woodchat Shrike: One was found at Nanquidno in Cornwall on Sep 15 (seen again on Sep 16)

Raven: At least two seem to be well established in the Hayling Island area this year. Two were seen at Mill Rythe on the east shore of the island on Mar 8, Apr 12 and 26, and Aug 16. Singles were seen in September over Sandy Point (on Sep 4) and Northney (Sep 5), and subsequently there have been three sightings of birds heading west over the southern strip of the island (3 over Sandy Point on Sep 12 and 2 over the Sinah Common area in the evenings of Sep 14 and 17).

Rose Coloured Starling: The juvenile seen in the Sheepcote valley at Brighton on Sep 11 was still there on Sep 12. On Sep 16 two more juveniles were seen, one in Devon and one in Cornwall

Tree Sparrow: A few seem to have arrived from the continent this week with five at Hope Gap near Beachy Head on Sep 11, one in the Wareham area of Dorset on Sep 13 and one at Black Point on Hayling (with 5 House Sparrows) on Sep 14

Chaffinch: These seem to have started moving to winter quarters with reports of 5 at Spurn Point on Sep 16 and 105 at one Dutch site on Sep 17 (with 67 that day at another Dutch site)

Brambling: After a couple of recent reports from the near continent two were at Spurn Point in Yorkshire on Sep 15 and 16

Snow Bunting: The first of the autumn was one at Spurn Point on Sep 15 and 16

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17 species seen so far this week

Note 1. Omit leading zeroes from my version of the numbers (for 0382 enter 382)

Note 2. The result of entering this number will normally be a list of links to different pictures. To see one of the pictures and its accompanying data click one of the links (where it says View Thumbnails click that to choose the best picture, then click the picture)

Note 3. For further (and often better!) info go to Mike Wall's http://www.hantsmoths.org.uk/ and enter the B&F Number in the search box of this site (but in this case include the leading zero!), then click the first of the search results

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Narrow-leaved Pepperwort: I was surprised to find a freshly flowering plant on Sep 14 in pavement cracks by the A27 Langstone roundabout (where several plants appear regularly in spring). I have not seen it there since May

Corn Cockle: This was flowering in a field margin beside the footpath going uphill from Stoughton village (near the source of the R Ems) to Inholmes Wood, seen by the Havant Wildlife Group on their regular Saturday morning walk. It was part of a large scale wild flower seed sowing which included Corn Chamomile, Cornflower, Borage, Sainfoin, and Tansy-leaved Phacelia. Dwarf Spurge was also seen, though I suspect this may have been growing there naturally (along with Field Pansy, though that was not reported)

Lesser Sea Spurrey: Another surprise this week, growing along the edge of the sliproad bringing traffic from the eastbound A27 into Havant, was Lesser Sea Spurrey flowering freely in very dry roadside mud. The plants flourish here in spring when the mud is wet and saturated with salt which has run off from the roads where it was strewn to clear ice but I was surprised to see the flowers in the present conditions

Holly: This week I noticed fully red Holly berries among other trees laden with fully ripe Hawthorn fruit

Galingale (Cyperus longus): Brian Fellows has a photo on his website (see http://www.emsworthwildlife.com/0-0-827-galingale-birdham--16.09.09.jpg ) of this plant growing on a roadside at Birdham on the east shore of Chichester Harbour. It is clearly different from the fairly common garden escape American Galingale both in its extended inflorescence and its long 'leaves' which are technically bracts since they occur at the base of the flowers. Galingale is native to Britain and can be found in a wild state in marshy situations but I suspect this plant originated with a gardener who wanted to be 'one up' on the others who plant the American version (in Brian's photo the plant seems to be growing in the centre of a tarmac road and I have no suggestions as to how it got there!). This is the first time that either I or Brian have come across this elegant species

Bottle-nosed Dolphin: 4+ seen off the south Devon shore on Sep 16 - the fourth report of them in the Channel which I have seen since 30 wereoff the Channel Islands on Aug 30

Bottle-nosed Whale: A very unexpected appearance by one of these off the Bournemouth coast, apparently feeding happily on shoals of Mackerel from Sep 15 to 17 at least. This is a deep water species normally feeding on Squid in water that is at least 1000 feet deep and only coming into coastal waters when sick or confused - last year at the beginning of August one beached itself on mud off Langstone village where a blood sample showed it to be very sick and it was then 'put down', before that one was found in the Thames at London and died during attempts to get it out to sea again. The current animal shows all signs of good health at the moment - the Dorest bird website has a great picture of it 'sitting up and looking around' with half its body vertically out of the water and I hear that it has been seen to hurl its whole body clear of the water.

(Link to previous day’s entry)

A Chiffchaff was singing in my garden this morning before I took a walk down to the South Moors. En route I had a few surprises in finding Enchanter's Nightshade, Small-flowered Cranesbill, Narrow-leaved Pepperwort and Lesser Sea-Spurrey all re-flowering by dry road sides in Havant.

Alongside the Langbrook Stream Gipsywort and Common Comfrey were still in flower and on the South Moors there was still a good show of Devils Bit Scabious, Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil and some Marsh Ragwort. Also seen in the long grass was a full grown Wasp Spider which will soon be laying her eggs and departing this life, leaving her eggs hanging suspended from a group of grass stems which she has joined at the tips to form an arch under which the eggs are suspended in a small version of a Japanese paper lantern (well worth looking out for in the near future).

Over the Budds Farm pools were some 30 Sand Martins, but no other hirundines, and on the water it seemed as if a few more Gadwall had flown in to join the summer-resident Swan pair which still had all five cygnets with them. Both Southern Hawker and Migrant Hawker dragonflies were seen here before I set off home along the seawall.

At the mouth of the Langbrook Stream what I took to be the Langstone Pond Swan pair were present but with only five cygnets, not the six which they had up to last week (the missing bird is more likely to have wandered off to start its independent life rather than to have succumbed to a dog or fox).

Going back up the Billy Trail I noticed a Holly tree laden with fully red berries as well as many Hawthorns laden with their ripe fruit

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(Link to previous day’s entry)

(Link to previous day’s entry)

A cycle ride this afternoon down the Hayling Coastal Path as far as Saltmarsh Lane, then home via West Lane, Daw Lane (currently closed for repairs but allowing cyclists who are prepared to walk over two mountains of shingle which completely block the road at the east end), Copse Lane and Northney gave me the first flowers on the Northney church Strawberry Tree but little else of interest for this diary.

At the Oysterbeds I saw my first large flock for this autumn of at least 80 Grey Plover in a high tide roost (with 100+ Oystercatchers), plus a noticeable increase in Starling numbers at several places. Nothing much to see in a wind blown Langstone Harbour other than half a dozen Great Crested Grebe and a slightly larger number of Common Terns. In the West Lane fields a total of 200+ Feral Pigeons, with some Wood Pigeons and quite a few Stock Doves, were gleaning food from where crops had been harvested, making me wonder where all these feral pigeons had come from - at a guess they, like the House Sparrows, leave the local towns at this time and have their summer holiday in the fields with birds from various urban sites gathering together in a mass equivalent to human Bank Holiday crowds on a popular beach.

At the Saltmarsh Lane seawall Lucerne was still flowering, Butcher's Broom had flowers in Copse Lane, and Hedgerow Cranesbill was re-flowering at the Northney Common. The only butterflies seen were Large and Small Whites plus Speckled Woods though we had one very fresh Red Admiral in the garden around mid-day.

(Link to previous day’s entry)

All three common Diver species have been seen back on the south coast but I suspect that a lone Pale-bellied Brent is not a genuine migrant. General recent news from the RSPB indicates that breeding Bitterns are increasing in number in Britain while the Blog of a Briton living in Spain has bad news about White Stork breeding. Oddities include a Glossy Ibis and a Zitting Cisticola, both in Kent. Locally the area around Bridge Farm at Northney on Hayling has rewarded local birders with a great show of departing summer migrants. No news yet of Dark-bellied Brent but the first Brambling of the winter has been seen in Belgium

The first Silver-striped Hawkmoth of the year is the highspot of Insect News and there is nothing new in the way of Plants or Other Wildlife

(Skip to Insects)

Divers: Two species already back in Hampshire waters - a Red-throated in breeding plumage was seen off Sandy Point on Hayling on Sep 9 and a Black-throated flew west past Titchfield Haven on Sep 8 (after the first Black-throated had been seen from Portland on Sep 6. In Devon at Great Northern was off Start Point on Sep 7

Little Grebe: I do not know how far it had flown on its relatively tiny wings but one had arrived on the Slipper Pond at Emsworth on Sep 9 - the first seen there this autumn

Great Crested Grebe: These too are on the move from breeding to winter quarters - on Sep 6 three flew past Portland and on Sep 8 a flock of 47 were in the Chalkdock area of Langstone Harbour (north east of Farlington Marshes) where they regularly appear in good numbers at this time of year before moving on to their final destinations for the winter

Black-necked Grebe: The Dungeness RSPB reserve reported its first autumn arrival on Sep 6 (others have been seen near Selsey on Aug 9 and on the Drayton Lake at Chichester on Aug 28 and 30)

Shag: Eight were seen off Selsey on Sep 6 with one juvenile off Sandy Point (Hayling) on Sep 9 - possibly all these come from the small breeding colony on the Isle of Wight.

Bittern: The RSPB put out news this week saying that the number of Bittern breeding in Britain continues to increase (82 booming males in 2009 against 75 in 2008), and that this increase also applies to Kent and East Sussex with four of the 82 there (at Rye Harbour, Dungeness RSPB reserve and two more 'somewhere in Kent' which I guess refers to the Stour Valley east of Canterbury)

Little Egret: The trees at Langstone Pond were crowded with these birds when I passed there at high tide in the afternoon of Sep 10 - no roost counts from this site this autumn but Rye Harbour reports the following counts since the low point of just 6 birds on April 19. 12 on May 3, 15 on June 12, 64 on July 21, 82 on Aug 8, and 74 on Sep 8.

White Stork: Most of the breeding birds on the near continent have now (I think) departed but on Sep 7 four different sites in Belgium and Holland reported 3, 24, 19 and 26 respectively passing over. Not sure what breeding success they have had in the Low Countries but Brian Banks (in an entry for Sep 9 on the Rye Bay website) draws our attention to a blog ( http://birdingextremadura.blogspot.com/2009/07/28-july-2009.html ) written by Martin Kelsey, a professional birdwatching tour guide living in the Extremadura region of southern Spain (on the Portuguese border south west of Madrid). Martin says the summer has been very hot and dry and he goes on .. "Very dry springs and summers here can have an impact on the birds. A friend of mine has over 30 White Stork nests on a ruin on his property. This year, for the first time ever, many pairs seemingly abandoned their young, about two weeks before they were ready to leave the nest. Some perished on the nests, whilst other youngsters flew to the ground, where they were seen drinking water from the dogs’ bowl. My friend managed to catch some of these young birds and contacted an animal rescue clinic to collect them. They arrived with their vehicle already almost full of boxes containing young storks. Clearly the phenomenon appears to be quite widespread. The reason seems to be that the parents abandoned young birds because they could not bring enough food to the nest. An important part of the storks’ diet at this time of the year is grasshoppers. This year grasshoppers have been very scarce, largely because of the drought. Normally there will be huge numbers on the plains, attracting Buzzards, Black Kites, Montagu’s Harriers, Lesser Kestrel, Ravens as well as the White Storks. I suspect that all of these species have had a hard time this year."

Glossy Ibis: One was seen on the north Kent coast on the evening of Sep 5 and it has been in the Stour Valley from Sep 6 to 10 at least

Pale Bellied Brent: I have already reported a flock of 41 arriving in the outer Hebrides on Aug 29 which I take to be genuine migrants. Later others coming from Canada will fly as far south as north west France with some of them stopping off on our south coast en route so when Bob Chapman reported one present on the Pennington Marshes (Lymington) on Sep 6 I assumed it was a stray from the current passage but a later report of one (the same bird?) in Southampton Water and not seemingly 'wild' may suggest otherwise.

Wigeon: Reports from five sites between Sep 6 and 9, with 12 in Christchurch Harbour on Sep 9 confirm Steve Piggot's comment (from the Keyhaven Marshes (Lymington) on Sep 8) that they are starting to return. Locally Mike Collins had one on the Budds Farm pools in Sep 6.

Pochard: A report of 338 passage birds from a Dutch site on Sep 7 and the probable presence of two new arrivals at the Havant Budds Farm pools on Sep 8 indicate the imminent arrival of our winter birds

Ferruginous x Pochard hybrid: I believe I saw the male 'Fudge Duck' (which has been returning to the north of Langstone Harbour each winter since Nov 1999) back on the Budds Farm pools on Sep 8 (see my Dairy entry for that day below) but I may have been mistaken (or I may have seen a similar female bird which was on the pools in Feb 2007)

Honey Buzzard: One flew over the Dungeness RSPB reserve on Sep 4 and another was seen at Brading Marshes (Isle of Wight) on Sep 6 when another flew over the Scillies. On Sep 8 a group of four flew low over the fields north of Pagham Harbour (on Sep 7 a total of 8 were recorded at one Dutch site)

Marsh Harrier: On Sep 6 two were over Pulborough Brooks and one was hunting the saltings east of Thorney Island

Sparrowhawk: On Sep 5 Dungeness RSPB reserve recorded more than 20 migrants passing over (maybe including 11 which went over the Dungeness bird observatory that day)

Osprey: Singles were reported from Thorney Island on Sep 6 and 7 with one over the Sidlesham Ferry Pool on Sep 7. Singles were also reported from Langstone Harbour on Sep 7 and 8 with one over Portsmouth Harbour on Sep 8 (when 3 were seen in the west of Poole Harbour)

Merlin: One was seen at the Sidlesham Ferry Pool (Pagham Harbour) on Sep 7 and on Sep 9 one flew in off the sea at Christchurch Harbour

Quail: Another probable migrant on its way south was heard (alarm note only) and seen on Sep 7 in fields near Alresford where there have been no reports of 'singing' birds during the summer

Water Rail: Calls were heard at the Little Deeps (Thorney Island) at dusk on Sep 6

Spotted Crake: A 'new' bird has been at the Dungeness RSPB reserve from Sep 6 to 8 at least

Avocet: Two were at Farlington Marshes on Sep 8, the first I have seen reported there since Aug 2

Sanderling: More than 70 were on the Pilsey Sands when Martin Hampton and his brother walked around Thorney Island on Sep 6

Little Stint: A new report of one at Abbotsbury in Dorset on Sep 8

Purple Sandpiper: One was at Selsey Bill with some Turnstones on Sep 6 (only the second autumn report from our south coast after one at Portland on Aug 25 although another single had been on the French coast near Cap Gris-nez on Sep 4 and 5)

Bar-tailed Godwit: A group of around 20 seen on the Pilsey Sands (south of Thorney Island) on Sep 6 may have been around there for some time as a group of 15 were seen at West Wittering on Aug 13.

Arctic Skua: Cap Gris-nez reported 205 on Sep 6 (plus 103 Bonxies and 1 Long-tailed Skua that day)

Sandwich Tern: Cap Gris-nez reported 3350 passing on Sep 6 together with 8500 Common Terns

Black Tern: On Sep 6 there was one over Ivy Lake at Chichester and 22 were seen off Cap Gris-nez but on Sep 7 there was a count of 1555 from Almere in Holland - this town is east of Amsterdam at the southern end of the flooded polders and it would seem that these terns may have entered the polders from the North Sea and then become 'bottled up' at the southern end of the water. The previous high count of 220 for this autumn also came from this same site on Aug 27

Nightjar: One was churring at Christchurch Harbour as late as Sep 6

Swift: Latest report is of one over Portland on Sep 9 after sightings on Sep 6 at Folkestone, Beachy Head and Climping (Worthing area)

Kingfisher: These are now becoming regular sights along the coast with one seen along the 'canal' between the Thorney Island Little and Great Deeps on Sep 6, another on the Brockhampton Stream alongside Budds Farm in Havant on Sep 8 and two at the Keyhaven Marshes (Lymington) on Sep 9

Wryneck: Singles at seven coastal sites between Sep 6 and 8

Hirundines: Many now on the move - on Sep 9 Christchurch Harbour reported 2300 Swallows, 120 Sand Martins and 1600 House Martins

Tawny Pipit: On Sep 8 Colin Allen saw a large unidentified Pipit at the Lymington Marshes and my immediate guess was that it might have been a Tawny Pipit on the basis that there have been at least 20 reports of these on the move across the near continent recently so I am interested to see that Steve Piggott has made the same guess at the bird's identity - still no confirmed sightings of the species in the south of England

Current passerine migrants: The highest counts of migant species seen on the south coast in the latest news are Tree Pipit (21), Meadow Pipit (420), Yellow Wagtail (41), Grey Wagtail (10), Pied Wagtail (4), White Wagtail (8), Black Redstart (1), Common Redstart (4), Whinchat (16), Wheatear (60), Grasshopper Warbler (2), Sedge Warbler (15), Reed Warbler (30), Lesser Whitethroat (11), Common Whitethroat (70), Garden Warbler (8), Blackcap (1000+), Wood Warbler (1), Chiffchaff (400), Willow Warbler (50), Spotted Flycatcher (8), Pied Flycatcher (4), Reed Bunting (1+)

Dunnock: No reports from English sites but these are clearly on the move on the continent with four reports from Germany and Holland (counts of 1, 8, 15 and 21)

Robin: Again no reports from our south coast but on Sep 7 Spurn Point in Yorkshire had 27 migrants

Zitting Cisticola (aka Fan-tailed Warbler): One at Sandwich Bay on Sep 6 and 7

Icterine Warbler: One at St Ives in Cornwall on Sep 7

Melodious Warbler: Two reports on Sep 6 from Lands End area and the Scillies

Blackcap: On Sep 6 the Whitbread Hollow ringing station at Beach Head reported more than 1000 (plus 400 Chiffchaffs) and Sandwich Bay had 300

Wood Warbler: One was seen in the fields north of Pagham Harbour on Sep 8

Spotted Flycatcher: The current peak count of 8 was made in the trees along the paths around Bridge Farm at Northney on Hayling on Sep 9 - also seen at that site in the past few days have been up to 4 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Yellow and 18 Pied Wagtails and a fly-over Raven

Jay: A count of 16 passage birds on Sep 7 at a site near Amsterdam may presage migrant arrivals in southern England

Starling: Autumn flocks are starting to build up around the Havant area but no specific counts so far

Brambling: First autumn report comes from a Belgian site on Sep 8 (just one bird)

Ortolan Bunting: One at Portland on Sep 9 was the first in southern England this autumn

Escapes: A Lanner falcon at Lymington on Sep 8

(Skip to Plants)

Species getting a mention in the latest news are Southern and Migrant Hawkers, Ruddy and Common Darters

Just 22 species in the latest news which includes fair numbers of Small Copper (19 on Windover Hill near Eastbourne), Adonis Blue (55 on Malling Down near Lewes), and Speckled Wood (61 on a long walk near Seaford),

Silver-striped Hawkmoth (Hippotion celerio): The first for the year was trapped at Portland on Sep 7 and photographed alongside a Striped Hawk

22-spot Ladybird (Thea 22-punctata): First report for the year comes from Brook Meadow in Emsworth where Brian Fellows photographed one on Sep 9. This is a small but distinctive species with a yellow ground colour overlaid with 22 small black spots

(Skip to Other Wildlife)

Common Ramping Fumitory: The first flowers I have seen since July were out on Sep 7 at the New Lane Allotments in Havant

Common Gorse: Brian Fellows saw the first fresh autumn flowers at Emsworth on Sep 4 but I did not see any until Sep 8

Hairy Vetchling: At least one plant re-flowering on the Broadmarsh 'mountain' in Havant on Sep 8

Butcher's Broom: First flowers since July seen in Langstone on Sep 2

Bottle-nosed Dolphin: Some seven unspecified Dolphins went past Durlston on Sep 6 and 10 Bottle-nosed were seen from Portland on Sep 9

Hedgehog: After last week's report of a road casualty in Havant Tony Tupper tells me that at least one youngster is regularly coming to his garden near the Hermitage Stream in Leigh Park and taking cat food from a bowl he leaves out for it

Grey Mullet: Brian Fellows saw several large specimens in the water of Peter Pond at Emsworth on Sep 9

(Link to previous day’s entry)

Today I headed for Broadmarsh and cycled as far as the eastern entrance to Farlington Marshes from where I could scan the autumn flock of Great Crested Grebes in the Chalk Dock area with the tide high, getting a best count of 47 birds. These appear here each autumn as they disperse from inland breeding waters but the majority do not stay in Langstone Harbour for the winter.

These were the only birds I could see on the open water and the main interest here was in the flowers beside the cycle track. My first Common Gorse flowers were seen here along with re-flowering Common Centaury and Yellow-wort plus a lot of Blue Fleabane.

Up on the Broadmarsh Mountain at least one plant of Hairy Vetchling was re-flowering and along the cycle way I noted Common Poppy and Wild Parsnip.

Heading down the Brockhampton Stream path along the west side I watched a Kingfisher fly downstream with what looked like a small fish in its bill, and at the junction of the two streams I disturbed a couple of Common Sandpipers, then put up some 60 Redshank from the shore near the old sewage outfall pipe.

From Budds Mound I scanned the pools and spotted what I am pretty sure was the 'Fudge Duck' (Ferruginous x Pochard hybrid) which has returned to the north of Langstone Harbour each winter since its first winter in 1999-2000 (though in Feb 2007 Jason Crook found a female hybrid at Budds Farm along with the original male so what I saw today may have been the second bird). The bird I saw was asleep so I could not see its head but what drew my attention to it was the extra large and extra bright white area below the tail and I also noticed that it was slightly larger than some Tufted Ducks near it and had more reddish-brown (Ferruginous) flanks than the pale dull brown of the Tufties. Another hint of its identity was the presence of what I believe were two newly arrived Pochard though I never got a good look at either of them.

Coming back up Southmoor Lane I passed a good show of Hedgerow Cranesbill in flower to add to Water Figwort, Hemlock and Black Mustard as newcomers to my September flowering list.

(Link to previous day’s entry)

A short cycle ride today up New Lane to the Bartons Road playing fields and back via East Leigh road and Denvilles gave me one pleasant surprise when I found fresh flowers opening on Common Ramping Fumitory growing up the wire mesh fence of the New Lane allotments (this is the plant that was doused with weed killer in the spring!).

At the Bartons Road playing fields the bed of the Lavant stream was mostly bone dry but a good show of Devils Bit Scabious could be seen on the far bank and a family of Rooks (presumably from the rookery in Bartons Copse) was out on the playing field grass. At the top of the hill near the BUPA Hospital I heard another bird, Nuthatch, which I do not often come across and on the way home I heard one burst of song from a Wren (they have effectively fallen silent in the past week). Over my own garden local House Martins still chatter as they feed in the air.

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(Link to previous day’s entry)

(Link to previous day’s entry)

Bird news features many seabirds, including more than 400 Sooty Shearwaters and a Little Shearwater from the southern oceans, blown onto the north Cornish coast on Aug 28. Nearer home and much more static is the flock of Egyptian Geese on the Hants/Berks border which numbers at least 99 birds. Locally a vagrant Blue-winged Teal was briefly at the Portsmouth IBM Lake with an injured Grey Phalarope at the Farlington Marshes and another Osprey arrived in Langstone Harbour over the South Moors. At Portland the first Short-eared Owl has arrived for the winter (and over on the continent the first Fieldfare and Rough-legged Buzzard have been seen). Among our departing summer birds there has been a surge in Blackcaps leaving us

A colourful and uncommon Dark Crimson Underwing moth was found in a Southsea trap and butterfly news includes a couple of Large White caterpillars seen munching a newly pupated Small White. Other Insects has a focus on Ladybirds and news of the arrival of huge Western Conifer Seed Bugs plus a local find of Bridge Spiders (so called because they like to live under bridges)

Both Ivy and Butcher's Broom have just started to flower and among the many plants having a second attempt at flowering is the Hairy Bittercress that has not been seen since the spring.

You many learn something new, as I have done, from the information I have picked up about Trigger Fish and Compass Jellyfish

(Skip to Insects)

Cornish Seawatch on Aug 28: Strong westerly winds brought large numbers of many species of seabird to the north coast of Cornwall on the morning of Friday Aug 28 and the best place to see them seems to have been Pendeen on the north side of the 'toe' of Cornwall not far from Lands End. The aftermath of this event continued to give good sightings until the Bank Holiday. One of the birders at Pendeen on Aug 28 was Lee Evans who had been visiting Worcestershire and Gloucestershire on the previous day, ticking off Sabine's Gull and Wryneck, and who decided to drive on to Cornwall that night, reaching Pendeen around 2am and grabbing a couple of hours sleep before getting out to the watchpoint for a 6:15 am start.

Fea's Petrel: See my Weekly Summary for Week 34 for more about this species. Three reports from Cornwall on Aug 30 and 31, none of them fully certain

Cory's Shearwater: Two claimed at Pendeen on Aug 28 and a further probable on Aug 31

Great Shearwater: Five claimed at Pendeen on Aug 28

Sooty Shearwater: The watchers at Pendeen on Aug 28 reported more than 400. On Aug 29 Cabo Ajo on the north coast of Spain reported 258 of them and on Aug 31 there were still 54 off Gwennap near Lands End.

Mediterranean Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan): Just one claimed as a possible at Pendeen on Aug 28

Balearic Shearwater: More than 50 seen from Pendeen on Aug 28 (but I see that there was a count of 58 at Gwennap near Land's End on July 25)

Little Shearwater (Puffinus assimilis): This was a new species for me when I found one reported at Pendeen on Aug 28. I gather the species is very numerous in the southern oceans but a rarity in British water with some 25 records prior to this year and another three definite sightings this year (off the Irish coast on Aug 20, at Pendeen on Aug 28 and at Hurlstone Point in Somerset on Aug 29). It does breed as far north as the Azores and Canaries. Wikipaedia tells us .. "At 25-30 cm in length with a 58-67 cm wingspan, it is like a small Manx Shearwater but has proportionally shorter and broader wings, with a pale area on the inner flight feathers"

Cattle Egret: The bird which arrived in the Lymington/Keyhaven area on Aug 19 was still there on Aug 31 and another bird was seen briefly by the River Test immediately north of the M27 in the Lee area

Little Egret: These are not often seen crossing the Channel but on Aug 30 two were seen flying in from the south at Portland

Great White Egret: The rather elusive bird at the Ringwood Blashford lakes which had been seen on Aug 24 was flushed again on Aug 29. The much more reliable bird at the Dungeness RSPB reserve was still there on Sep 1. Sandwich Bay had a brief sighting of one on Aug 30

Pale Bellied Brent: I have already reported the arrival of 41 in the Hebrides on Aug 29 but a subsequent look at news from the Scillies shows that one was on Tresco on Aug 28 and still there on Aug 29

Egyptian Goose: On Aug 31 John Clark found 51 of these at the Eversley gravel pits (just in Hampshire on the Berkshire border) and went on to find 'a further 48' just over the border at Moor Green.

Wigeon: 10 seen in Pagham Harbour on Aug 30 - the first double figure count since April

Pintail: 25 reported at Pagham Harbour, also on Aug 30

Blue-winged Teal: It would seem that the bird which made a brief stop at Titchfield Haven on Aug 28 moved to the IBM Lake at Portsmouth where many birders saw it on Aug 31. Steve Copsey was among the many birders to see it there and has put his photos on the Three Amigos website - well worth a look at http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/amigo/11954/Blue+Winged+Teal+at+IBM.html to see the size of the bird in comparison to Mallard and for a glimpse of the 'blue wing' (and also to see the effect of Canada Geese tearing up manicured grass by the roots, then shitting on the bare ground to encourage 'weed' growth). Steve's entry also has photos of the Grey Phalarope at the Farlington Deeps that day.

Honey Buzzard: One seen over Folkestone on Aug 28 is paltry in comparison to the 1322 recorded passing through the southern Pyrenees on Aug 30

Rough-legged Buzzard: One passing over the town of Lingen in Germany (near the Dutch border between Amserdam and Hanover) is the first I have heard of this autumn

Osprey: On Aug 31 one of the many now heading south flew over the Langstone South Moors and on down Langstone Harbour where it was probably the bird seen by watchers of the Grey Phalarope at the Farlington Marshes Deeps that day

Spotted Crake: The only reports in the current news are of one in Devon on Aug 30 and another in Cornwall on Aug 31

Ringed Plover: The high tide roost at Black Point on Hayling included 50 on Sep 1

Dotterel: Late news of a juvenile in Cornwall on Aug 23. More recently there were three reports on Aug 29 (Devon. Scillies and Begium) and one on Aug 30 at Sandwich Bay, still there on the beach after arriving on Aug 28 and not in the least worried by many close photographers

Golden Plover: A flock of 70 flew over the Newhaven Tide Mills on Sep 1

Knot: Now becoming fairly common with a count of 30 in Pagham Harbour on Aug 30

Curlew Sandpiper: Latest reports include 6 at Sandwish Bay on Aug 30 with 2 in Pagham Harbour that day, the ong staying bird at Lymington/Keyhaven still there on Aug 31 and then one at Black Point (Hayling) on Sep 1

Buff-breasted Sandpiper: What may be the same bird that was seen on the Scillies on Aug 16 and 17 has been reported there again on Aug 28 and 29

Lesser Yellowlegs: One still on the Scillies on Aug 28 (first reported on Aug 12)

Red-necked Phalarope: No further reports of the Lymington bird since Aug 27 but one was seen in Cornwall on Aug 28 and another (juvenile) at Folkestone on Aug 29

Grey Phalarope: Seawatchers at Pendeen in Cornwall on Aug 28 recorded 8 of these (and the Red-necked bird) and a single bird was near Bere Regis in Dorset that day. Another two were at Gwennap Head (Lands End) in Cornwall on Aug 31 when one turned up at the Farlington Marshes Deeps - this latter bird was still there on Sep 1 but looking both oiled and injured on its left side

Arctic Skua: Plenty of recent sightings including one at Sandy Point on Hayling on Aug 30 with five off Portland on Sep 1 and a count of 75 at Gatteville on the Normandy coast on Aug 30

Long-tailed Skua: One off Morte Point in north Devon on Aug 28 and another of Cap Gris-nez on Aug 30

Sabine's Gull: Six seen off Pendeen in Cornwall on Aug 28 and 2 off Gatteville in Normandy on Aug 30

Ring-billed Gull: First report since last March comes from Padstow in Cornwall on Aug 29

Glaucous Gull: One at Davidstow in Cornwall on Aug 28

Common Tern: 1025 counted coming to roost in Langstone Harbour on the evening of Aug 31 (maybe including some of the 40,990 reported at Spurn Point in Yorkshire on Aug 28)

Black Tern: Latest sightings include 2 over Ivy Lake at Chichester on Aug 30 and one coming to roost in Langstone Harbour on Aug 31 with 3 at Dungeness on Sep 1

Short-eared Owl: The first report since May is of one at Portland on Aug 31

Swift: On Sep 1 two were over the Wier Wood reservoir near Crowborough and another two over the Ordnance Survey offices in Southampton. Two more went over Durlston on Sep 2

Wryneck: One at Beer in Devon on Aug 30 and 31 with another at Durlston on Aug 31 and one in a Sussex garden on Sep 1

Departing/relocating summer birds: Peak counts from the latest news are Tree Pipit (4), Meadow Pipit (5), Yellow Wagtail (20), Grey Wagtail (6), Pied Wagtail (25), Common Redstart (5), Whinchat (6), Wheatear (30+), Grasshopper Warbler (1), Sedge Warbler (3), Reed Warbler (20), Lesser Whitethroat (10), Common Whitethroat (50), Garden Warbler (5), Blackcap (500), Wood Warbler (1), Chiffchaff (30), Willow Warbler (34), Spotted Flycatcher (5), Pied Flycatcher (1), Reed Bunting (1)

Citrine Wagtail: A juvenile was at Marazion in Cornwall from Aug 29 to 31 at least

Wheatear: More than 30 were along the south Hayling shore on Aug 29. Other counts that day were of 12 at Lymington, 12 at Farlington Marshes, and 21 at Hope Gap near Beachy Head.

Fieldfare: One at a Dutch site on Sep 1 was the first to get a mention since April

Icterine Warbler: One in Devon on Aug 31

Melodious Warbler: One at Portland on Aug 31

Blackcap: 500 recorded at the Whitbread Hollow ringing station on Beachy Head on Aug 30 (when one at Portland was the first seen there this autumn) indicates an early mass exodus of these birds. (Last year the peak count of 300 at Beachy Head came on Sep 12)

Firecrest: Steve Keen heard one singing in the grounds of Osborne House (IoW) during a family day out on Aug 31

Treecreeper: One caught in ringers nets at Sandwich Bay on Aug 30 was unexpected there

Red-backed Shrike: Juvenile still at the Dungeness RSPB site on Sep 1

Rose-coloured Starling: One in Cornwall on Aug 31 and one at Portland on Sep 1

Reed Bunting: One at Portland on Sep 1 is the first indication of their autumn movement

Corn Bunting: A flock of 17 on the Downs above Brighton on Aug 31 probably indicates that they are now on the move

Escapes: A noisy Blue and Yellow Macaw seen on Aug 31 somewhere in Sussex

(Skip to Plants)

One Common Darter in the Portland moth trap on Aug 31 is the only current news

27 species reported in the latest news

(Skip to Other Wildlife)

Little to report so far this week except that autumn is now bringing second flowerings of many species. One newcomer which I have not seen since the spring is Hairy Bittercress. Also becoming commonplace again after being a rarity during the summer months is Red Deadnettle.

Ivy: This is one of just two first flowerings of the year - I see that it was flowering in Wiltshire on Sep 1 and I found it in Havant on Sep 2

Butcher's Broom: First flowers found in Mill Lane at Langstone on Sep 2

Trigger Fish (Balistes carolinensis): This species was new to me when I saw it reported on the Durlston website on Sep 1 but the European Sea Anglers website indicates that they are quite common in coastal waters to a depth of 180 metres, though there are more of them along the east coast of North America than along the eastern Atlantic shore. The fish grow to 40cm in length and are oval in shape when seen from the side, not the normal elongated elipse shape of most fish. The Durlston entry tells us that if a predator attacks them they react by erecting a set of sharp spines pointing upwards from the centre of their 'back' and this is the origin of the Trigger name. The Sea Anglers website has a lengthier entry telling us that they feed on Shrimps, Crabs, Sea Urchins and other creatures found on the seabed including a species called Sand Dollar which I had not heard of before.

It seems that Sand Dollars are a sort of cross between a Sea Urchin and a large round shellfish, and they bury themselves under sand when not active. To eat them the Trigger Fish positions itself head down above the sand and squirts a jet of water downwards to scatter the sand and hopefully to expose a Sand Dollar, which will have its hard 'shell' upwards. The fish grabs the edge of the 'shell', lifts the Sand Dollar and then drops it, hoping the prey will land upside down, exposing its soft under belly to the teeth of the fish (it may take several attempts to achieve this!)

Compass Jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella): These were also seen at Durlston on Sep 1. They are quite large (can be 30 cm across) and get their name from the brown spots around the edge of the top side (when seen from above the brown spots around the periphery of the white disc make it look slightly like the disc of a ship's compass). ARKIVE tells us that the adult jellyfish start off as males before later becoming females - no contact is involved in their sex life which involves the males issuing sperm through their mouths (their only bodily orifice) and the females sucking it in through their mouths. In the autumn the females give birth to tiny free swimming larvae which settle on some hard surface and become static polyps through the winter. In spring they give birth (without further sex) to tiny Jellyfish which grow into the adults now bieng seen at Durlston. The sting from this species is unlikely to cause you much pain unless you are swimming and get stung on the face.

Portuguese Man-of-War: The first of these for this summer were washed up on the Chesil Bank at Weymouth on Aug 5 and now more have been seen at Durlston on Sep 1

Fungi: Still no autumn outburst of fungi but on Sep 2 I came on a large display of what I think had been Coprinus lagopus (a large form of the Japanese Umbrella type of toadstool). They were all 'past their best' and were growing on wood chippings beside the Hayling Billy

(Link to previous day’s entry)

After a dull and windy morning light rain set in just when I was able to get out for some fresh air but I did not let that deter me from my objective of finding Butcher's Broom in flower which I did in Mill Lane at Langstone (on the ancient bush which the owner of the West Mill has tried, but failed, to supplant with a Hydrangea to make his gateway more colourful). Last year I did not find the first Butcher's Broom flowers until Sep 23 but I felt sure they should be out earlier along with Ivy flowers which also start to appear at this time and, guess what, a single Ivy flower was open today, also in Mill Lane (my pleasure at this find was somewhat dampened this evening when I saw on the Hants Butterfly website that Ivy flowers were open in Wiltshire yesterday)

The only other surprise today was the sight of a swathe of Coprinus toadstools on wood chips beside the Hayling Billy Trail - these were of the 'Japanese Umbrella' type but quite large and may have been Coprinus lagopus but when I saw them they were in the last stages of decay - today's rain should bring up a lot more fungi.

On reaching the South Moors I saw that the planking laid across the Moors to allow vehicles to lay the new pipeline to Hayling have now bee removed - I wonder if anything new will grow in the soil that is temporarily bereft of its normal grass covering?

Coming back up the Langbrook stream I had a look at the spider webs which abound around the strip lights along the A27 underpass for the stream and the footpath. In the past I had thought these webs were of the unstructured type with random threads criss-crossing each other but I saw today that the majority were of the circular orb-web type making it the more likely that they are made by the Bridge Spiders on which I commented in my last Weekly Summary (see links there to more detail about this species).

One of the last things I saw was the bright yellow of a Grey Wagtail flying up from the Homewell spring in Havant (where the water is now brightened with the Ranunculus baudotii flowers) and as I walked up Homewell Street past the Robin Hood pub I had my first sight of Cockspur Grass (of birdseed origin) for the year. Another splash of yellow came earlier when nearing the main road on the Hayling Billy Trail section - one flower left on the Welsh Poppy plant.

(Link to previous day’s entry)

Today brought a reminder that we have now reached the time of year when the rules about when plants flower are forgotten and everything is possible with every species taking advantage of any second chance to pepetuate itself.

I made no special outing today but I did take a long detour on my way to the shops during which I came on several plants I have not found for some time - one was Small-flowered Cranesbill in Juniper Square (where the Green Amaranth is still flowering), another was a cluster of Stone Parsley plants in fresh flower, and another was Mouse-ear Hawkweed re-flowering in St Faith's Churchyard (where Autumn Oxeye - the Ox-eye Daisy look-alike which flourishes at this time of year - was out). Even more significant was my first sight of Hairy Bittercress which I have not seen since the spring

(Link to previous day’s entry)

I was not able to get out until mid-afternoon and decided to ride to Nutbourne to see if by any chance the Dwarf Mallow (Malva neglecta) plants could still be seen in the orchards, then have a look for Slender Hare's Ear on the Thorney west seawall.

In 2006 the Mallow could be seen flowering throughSeptember and into October in the Nutbourne orchards and the Prinsted 'market garden plot' but in 2007 I only found the plants at Prinsted and I have not found them anywhere last year or this. Today my only interest in the orchard area was the sound of many Starlings 'singing' in the hedges - perhaps they have started their autumn invasion? While still in Farm Lane I had a look at the Strawberry Tree just east of Rose Cottage - no flowers yet but the reddish tendrils were hanging down to show where the flowers will soon appear (last year the tree in Emsworth Slipper Road was in flower by Oct 9 but in 2007 I found flowers on the Northney Church tree on Sep 4 and at Slipper Road on Sep 13)

Arriving in the Thorney Little Deeps area I noted that Shoveler were the most numerous duck on the water (but there were only half a dozen of them!) and my attention soon switched to some 400 Black-headed Gulls interweaving in low flight over Eames Farm fields where they were presumably feeding on flying ants.

At the west end of the Great Deeps I looked for Slender Hare's Ear at the bottom of the seawall but could only find a couple of tiny specimens past flowering. Heading back north I did better where Brian Fellows had found a good show on Aug 12 - here the plants were large and prominent but well past flowering. This is probably a good place to look for them next summer (or even later in September if the rain revives them) - Brian gave a map ref of SU 7514-0464 but if you haven't got your GPS with you go south from the Little Deeps with an eye on the reeds growing along the fence line on the far side of the 'canal' - where the reeds peter ou t there is a large square fence post and my find was opposite this point.