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My short outings on Oct 3 and 4 were limited to plant hunting around Havant and the more interesting plant finds are given in the Weekly Summary

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Great Crested Grebe: The autumn flock in Langstone Harbour had increased to more than 40 birds when the Friends of Langstone Harbour walked around the harbour on Sep 27

Red-necked Grebe: First of the autumn were two seen (with a Great Crested) on the sea just off Pagham Harbour on Sep 26

Pink-foot Goose: First of the winter were four flying over the Thanet area of Kent on Sep 29

Greylag Goose: John Clark found 400 Greylag with 250 Canada Geese during a WeBS count of the Hampshire part of the Avon valley south of Ringwood on Sep 29

Garganey: Three were still in the Kent Stour valley on Sep 30

Scaup: A juvenile was reported from the Lymington marshes on Sep 27

Honey Buzzard: One flew over the Itchen valley country park near Eastleigh on Sep 29 and one went over Dungeness on Sep 30

Common Buzzard: 16 seen over the Hastings area on Sep 27 may have arrived from the continent and also that day a group of six over West High Down on the Isle of Wight were seen to be catching insects on the wing.

Osprey: On Sep 27 one was fishing in Bridge Lake (Langstone Harbour immediately west of Langstone Bridge) and on Sep 28 two were seen over Thorney Island

Merlin: One was hunting over the Thornham Marshes on Thorney Island on Sep 28

Grey Partridge: Martin Hampton saw what he was fairly certain was a Grey Partidge in the rough pony field south of Wade Court at Langstone on Sep 28 - while I have not heard of them here before they have been seen on the Warblington Farm fields as recently as last year (and have bred there). I suspect the bird which Martin saw had been released (possibly many miles away) quite recently and had decided not to stay where it was released (wisely if it was released for shooting but may be not so if it was released as part of a well intentioned scheme to reintroduce the species to farmland where no shooting take place)

Common Crane: The two birds which arrived in the Dungeness area on Aug 23 and appeared to have settled there flew off on Sep 14 but were back on Sep 28 and 29.

Avocet: It may be that another wave of these birds is now heading west to winter in our west country. The first wave passing through the Thames estuary area seemed to peak with a count at the Cliffe Pools (on the Isle of Sheppey) of 755 on Aug 1 with no reports of significant numbers there after Aug 4 until Sep 27 when 450+ were reported increasing to 585 on Sep 30.

Pectoral Sandpiper: In addition to single birds at Pulborough Brooks and Abbostsbury a juvenile was seen at the Selsey west fields on Sep 28

Purple Sandpiper: Two were seen at Brighton Marina on Sep 28. These seem to be the first on the south coast this autumn although one was seen at the Oare Marshes (north Kent) on Aug 5 and three were reported from Thanet on Aug 12

Jack Snipe: One had been seen at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 21 and now a second autumn report comes from the Long Pool near Sidlesham Ferry (Pagham Harbour) on Sep 29

Lesser Blackback Gull: Following Bob Chapman's estimated of around 10,000 of these coming to roost at the Blashford Lakes (Ringwood) on Sep 24 John Clark counted them on the evening of Sep 29 and saw 7,500 with at least 250 Herring Gulls

Guillemot: One swimming close to the shore at the Lymington marshes on Sep 27 was attacked, killed and eaten by a Great Blackback Gull (not untypical of the behaviour of these large rapacious gulls)

Razorbill: One was in Langstone Harbour, seen from the Milton shore of Portsmouth, on Sep 27

Tawny Owl: On Sep 29 I was told that Tawnies could be heard nightly at present in the area of the Hayling Billy Trail just north of the A27 and residents in part of Christchurch when three owls were all calling ceaselessly from 3am onwards on the morning of Sep 29, On Sep 27 an owl coming to bathe in a garden pond at Denmead (east of the Meon valley) became inextricably tangled in wires around the pond (presumably put there to deter Herons from fishing). Luckily the owl suffered no serious damage and was released after it had been cut free.

Short-eared Owl: Quite a few of these are now coming into souther Britain - nine were found at Portland on Sep 29; two were at Dungeness on Sep 28 when one was seen at Hook (Warsash); and three were at Beachy Head on Sep 27. Back on Sep 26 one was hunting over the Thornham Marshes on Thorney and on Sep 30 Russell Wynn saw one near the Needles on the IoW during a day on which he saw ten species of raptor.

Nightjar: Latest report is of one at Portland on Sep 28

Swift: One was seen at Barton in the Christchurch area on Sep 27 and an unspecified 'small group' of them went over Durlston on Sep 29

Wryneck: Latest sighting was of one on Thorney Island on Sep 27

Great Spotted Woodpecker: These have been appearing at coastal sites since July and numbers peaked on Sep 12 when 8 were seen at Sandwich Bay and another 5 at Christchurch Harbour. On Sep 28 one appeared in the Havant area around my home and was heard again next day but not since.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker: I had the impression that these remained silent throughout the year other than a couple of months in the early spring but on Sep 21 I reported that one had been heard 'drumming and calling' at Boughton Park (south of Maidstone in Kent) and now Russell Wynn tells us that he heard one drumming in the Brockenhurst area of the New Forest on Sep 14

Swallow: In most places the supply of these seems to have dried up in the last few days but on Sep 30 Durlston reported them flying over at a rate of 2700 per hour for much of the morning.

House Martin: Numbers passing over Dorset and Hampshire have dropped off in the last few days but over in east Kent they continue to fill the sky. On Sep 30 Sandwich Bay reported 55,000 going over while Durlston had just 300. On Sep 29 Thanet had 8200 over with another 1700 at Folkestone but only 220 at Christchurch Harbour.

Rock Pipit: One at Black Point (Hayling Island) on Sep 27 was the first in our local Solent harbours since March. The species breeds on the Hampshire coast west of Southampton Water and may have done so in the Southsea Castle area of Portsmouth but elsewhere around these harbours it is just a winter visitor.

Song Thrush: A count of 76 at Bockhill (South Foreland in Kent) on Sep 27 was the biggest influx I have seen reported so far although the total number of migrant birds reported this autumn since they started arriving on Sep 13 is at least 424

Redwing: The first autumn migrant that I am aware of arrived on Sep 15 and the total number of birds reported so far is 61

Savi's Warbler: First report for the year was of one at Sandwich Bay on Sep 29. Probably not a long distance wanderer as they breed just across the channel and have bred in Britain.

Wood Warbler: It is unsual to see these on autumn passage but this year there have been 14 reports - the two new ones come from the Test valley near Romsey on Sep 27 plus belated news of one in the Brockenhurst area of the New Forest on Sep 13

Goldcrest: We have seen plenty of reports of these arriving from the continent since Sep 8 but I was surprised to see that there were more than 1000 at Bockhill (South Foreland) on Sep 27 giving a minimum total of 2651 continental birds arriving here for the winter so far

Red-backed Shrike: The one which arrived on Thorney Island on Sep 13 was still being seen on Sep 29 while Sep 27 brought news of three others at Lymington, Sandwich Bay and the Devils Dyke area near Poynings north of Brighton

Great Grey Shrike: Three reports so far this autumn, maybe all of the same bird which was seen in the Thanet area on Sep 24 and 25, then at Bockhill (South Foreland) on Sep 26

Goldfinch: As usual in the autumn vast numbers of these appear 'from nowhere' and move along our southern coasts. Since Sep 25 the reports I have seen cover a total of around 2500 birds, including one report of 1020 at Sandwich Bay on Sep 29

Siskin: These have been arriving from the south and moving north since the beginning of September and the latest reports include a count of 719 passing Sandwich Bay (total for the autumn is close to 20,000)

Escapees: A Harris Hawk was seen over Thorney Island on Sep 28

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18 species still being mentioned in recent reports including ...

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Unsurprisingly no new flowerings have been noted in the past few days but I have started my winter routine of recording how many species are in flower in each month from October to March and this count was up to 88 by Oct 2 - see diary entry below for Oct 1 for some of the plants seen on that day. Today in Havant I added Butchers Broom, Fool's Parsley, Pencilled Cranesbill, Greater Willowherb and Water Pepper

In the past I have heard of Otters travelling many miles overland in search of a new river on which to set up territory, and I believe that Otters breed on the River Itchen, so maybe one of them set off downstream to Southampton Water, turned left and headed east through the Solent to reach Chichester Harbour. Maybe this is even the same animal which, on Aug 7, gave Colin Bates so much pleasure when it came out of the River Itchen in the Brambridge (Eastleigh) area and climbed onto the tree branch on which Colin was sitting - perhaps it was then already on its journey south from the Winchester area?

Common Seal: The Friends of Langstone Harbour made their annual 'round the harbour' walk on Sep 27 and one of their rewards was to see three Common Seals in the water off Broadmarsh.

Red Deer: I had thought that September was too early for Red Deer rutting but Russell Wynn tells us that throughout the past month he has heard the bellowing of a Stag (guarding his harem of 17 Hinds from the attentions of a young Stag) in the area of the New Forest south of Brockenhurst where Russell now lives - he says the bellowing can be heard as much as a kilometre away from the Stag.

Fungi: A troop of Parrot Waxcaps has come up on my lawn this week and on Sep 29 when I was walking on the south face of Portsdown I came on a cluster of what looked like oversize cigars standing vertically around 8cm high and having a similar girth (too fat to get into the normal mouth to smoke!). I am pretty sure these are the stems of what are now called Pestle Puffballs (Handkea excipulifomis) - listed in Roger Phillips as Calvatia excipuliformis. I read that the stems of this species can persist and look almost fresh for months after the head of the puffball has done its work and disappeared.

Roman Snail: This is a non-sighting but it may save others from making the mistake that I nearly made this week. When on Portsdown I came across a very large snail with a light brown colour to its shell hanging from a plant stem and this caused me to wonder if it could be a Roman Snail (Helix pomatia) which is a close relative of the very common Garden Snail (Helix aspersa) but is distinguished from it by being larger and having a light brown colour. My snail book (Land Snails of the British Isles by A A Wardhaugh in the Shire Natural History series) tells me that the Garden Snail shell measures 3 cm in width and is about 3 cm high while the Roman Snail is 4 cm wide and 4 high, and as the snail which I saw measured just over 3 cm in width, and had a much lighter brown colour than the Snails which I find in my garden, and I read that Roman Snails live on chalk grassland, I asked Richard Jones (in charge of the wildlife of Portsdown for Portsmouth City) if Roman Snails existed on Portsdown - his answer was that he had never come across them and that Portsdown is far from the areas where they can be found (but he did not tell me where that might be!).

My next step was to consult Google and I almost gave up on this quest as the main interest in this species (as far as users of the internet are concerned) is that this is the edible 'Escargot' species and it is widely farmed and sold commercially. However, on the third page of the hits listed by Google, I came on a pdf document, written by what was then called the JNCC, describing the status of the species in Britain in response to the EEC directive on the conservation of rare species and this has a map showing the areas in which the snail can be found and gives what was described as a population estimate of 51 (at a guess this is the number to 10 km squares in which it may be found rather than a number of individuals!). The areas mapped are the North Downs (running south of London and east into Kent) and a band stretching from near Gloucester north east towards Suffolk (presumably taking in the Cotswold and Chiltern hills). As single small dot may be in the Salisbury Plain area but there are no signs of the species being found in Hampshire or on the South Downs. If you are interested see http://www.jncc.gov.uk/pdf/Article17/FCS2007-S1026-Final.pdf

Should you ever think you have found a genuine Roman Snail there is one other test to apply, and that is to check if it has an 'umbilicus' (a small depression similar to our human 'tummy button'). Garden Snails do not have one, Romans have a small one (and several other species clearly have one). To look for an umbilicus hold the shell with its top uppermost and look in the centre of the underside (next to the inner side of the 'mouth' of the shell)

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I like to keep a record of the number of plant species seen flowering during each of the months from October to March and we started off the October list today with 83 species found while cycling round Havant.

The best selection were found alongside Southmoor Lane on my way to Budds Farm, most of the interesting ones being either garden escapes or from seed probably planted by Havant Borough. Among the latter are the Corn Cockles, Cornflowers and Corn Marigolds on the new soil outside the still unused ne carpark at the south end of the lane. Also flowering here, but not from seed, were a couple of Slender Thistles and one plant of Small Flowered Cranesbill (seen across the road from the planting and growing 'in the gutter'). Further up the lane the roadside has a good show of Hedgerow Cranesbill with Dove's Foot Cranesbill, Storksbill, Black Mustard plus Garden Lobelia and Californian Poppy.

The Langbrook Stream still had Stream Water Crowfoot and Water Forget-me-not while Langstone village new housing had Least Yellow Sorrel and the Lymbourne Stream still had Lesser Water Parsnip and, on the piles of wood chips, the Agrocybe rivulosa fungi still persist in large numbers. Back at home Parrot Waxcaps are still to be found in the lawn.

The only bird interest came at Budds Farm pools (where a male Common Darter was sunning itself on the bare earth where people climb over to view the pools). The Swan pair were still present with their five cygnets and the Coot numbers were not much over 30 with the usual Little Grebes and Moorhens. Relatively few Mallard and Tufted Duck and less than ten each of Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal were seen in a quick glance (and no hirundines!)

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This afternoon I walked west from Fort Widley to a point the mid-point of the Paulsgrove chalk pit, returning by a different route and seeing just under 70 plant species in flower as well as a few butterflies (half a dozen Meadow Browns, a Red Admiral and many Whites), a single Common Lizard, and the remains of a cluster of large Puffballs (listed in Roger Phillips as Calvatia excipuliformis but now known by the generic name of Handkea and given the English name of Pestle Puffball).

Among the more interesting flowers were many Harebells and one fine example of Nettle-leaved Bellflower while Eyebright was everywhere and there was lots of Small Scabious. Of interest to me were three freshly flowering plants of Common Gromwell and left over Ploughman's Spikenard (also Tansy which I noticed when driving past the front of Fort Widley). Two unexpected additions to the list were Betony and Bladder Campion.

Hanging from the stem of one plant was a large snail which looked similar to the very common Garden Snail (Helix aspersa) but the shell seemed larger than usual and had a much lighter brown colour, raising the question of whether it could be an example of the rare Roman Snail, Helix pomatia, (which is found occasionally on chalk based habitat in southern England) but this was pretty well ruled out by the fact the Roman Snail shell measures 4 cm in width and 4 cm in height against 3x3 for the Garden Snail and this one was only a fraction over 3cm in width. This negative answer was backed up by a query to Richard Jones who manages the wildlife and habitat of Portsdown for Portsmouth City - I asked if Richard had ever heard of Roman Snails on the hill and he said no. Should the query arise again I see that there is another way of distinguishing the two species - in the centre of the underside of a snail shell there is a small depression called an Umbilicus (after our human 'Tummy Button') and the books say that the Roman Snail has a very small umbilicus but the Garden Snail does not have one at all.

A Google search for information about Roman Snails occuring 'wild' in Britain was hampered by the fact that this is 'the edible snail' which is served in restaurants as 'escargot' and it is therefore extensively farmed with most interest in the species concentrating on this aspect but I eventually found a pdf concerning the wild species under the EEC Conservation Directive (see http://www.jncc.gov.uk/pdf/Article17/FCS2007-S1026-Final.pdf ) and this seems to tell me that there were only 51 of these snails known in Britain in the period 1980 to 1999 (I may have got this wrong!) and that they are only to be found in two belts of chalkland - one is the North Downs running from East Sussex into north Kent and the other is a belt running from Gloucestershire to Suffolk which includes the Chiltern Hills.

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With favourable tide and weather I was on the Langstone seawall between 18:10 and 19:15 watching the Egrets arrrive to roost there. Eight were present as soon as I arrived but nothing happened for the next half hour until they began to arrive from 18:40. By the time it was almost dark at 19:15 I had counted a total of 139 birds, mostly coming from the direction of Langtone Harbour. Just one of these (not included in the 139) flew straight past the roost and presumably went on to the roost in trees just north of the Little Deeps on Thorney Island, and by chance Barry Collins was also counting the Egrets arriving there, getting a total of 190 so we now know that both roosts are acitve in parallel. Interestingly a young Marsh Harrier went to roost in the reeds at the Little Deeps but did not disturb the Egrets (on Sep 23 the presence of two Marsh Harriers in this area caused the Egrets to panic and head west towards Langstone)

While at the pond I could hear the Cetti's Warbler somewhere along the Lymbourne stream and saw a few Stock Doves and at least one Thrush flying high into the trees - all these were presumably newly arrived here for the winter as were six Grey Herons forming a 'siege' out on the saltings in addition to the expected three Herons in the pond trees.

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A quick visit to the Hayling Oysterbeds today ended with the unexpected sight of a good show of Apple blossom on a small self-sown tree in the ditch between the shore carpark and the inland overflow carpark. I saw it on my right as I was about to go north past the vehicle gate across the main track.

There was little in the way of birds to be seen with the tide low late in the afternoon but I did see a pair of adult Shelduck with two juveniles in the main pool (west of the lagoon) and noted at least 16 Egrets around the mouth of Stoke Lake.

On the way home I went via the old north pier of the rail bridge and saw 13 Brent back around in the mouth of the Langbrook stream where I think there were six Wigeon among the gulls and Oystercatchers. A single Sandwich Tern was to be heard patrolling the Bridge Lake area between me and the Oysterbeds.

On and around the rail pier Blue Fleabane and both Common Centaury and Yellow-wort were still in flower with a few flowers of Greater Sea Spurrey in the creek east of the pier.

Earlier in the day I had heard continuous quiet sub-song from an invisible bird in thick bushes in the centre of Havant, and I had heard the same sub-song elsewhere yesterday but I cannot be sure what bird was making it. It could possibly have been Blackcap but these were odd place to find Blackcap at this time of year and I have the feeling that the sound came from Dunnocks that are just finding their voice again after summer silence (I have not yet heard one singing but last year the first to restart was heard on Sep 22 and another was heard on Sep 24)

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Red-throated Diver: One, still in summer plumage, was off the North Foreland in Kent on Sep 22 - not the first to come south as one had been seen off Portland on Sep 12

Black-necked Grebe: Two were seen in Langstone Harbour from Farlington Marshes on Sep 21 when the bird which arrived at Pagham Lagoon on Sep 18 was still there. The bird which arrived at Abbotsbury in Dorset on Sep 18 was still there on Sep 23

Sooty Shearwater: Singles off Portland on Sep 21 and off the North Foreland in Kent on Sep 23

Wigeon: More than 200 were on the Thorney Deeps on Sep 23

Teal: More than 100 were in the Mill Rythe area of east Hayling on Sep 21

Pintail: Ten were seen flying over Thorney Island on Sep 22

Garganey: A very brief sighting of a small duck at Hook (Warsash) scrape on Sep 23 showed the dull brown (no bright green) speculum in its wing before it disappeared from sight. (One was still to be seen in the Kent Stour valley on Sep 20)

Marsh Harrier: On the evening of Sep 23 two Marsh Harriers (a female and a juvenile) were over the Thorney Little Deeps to the consternation of Little Egrets coming to roost there - the Egrets are said to have changed their minds and headed off to the Langstone roost (pity no one was there to confirm the total that night). Another female Marsh Harrier was over the north of Pagham Harbour on Sep 23 and at least one was seen over the Thorney Deeps on Sep 24.

Osprey: After the peak count of 5 over Thorney Island on Sep 17 there has been a sighting of 4 there on Sep 20 with reports of singles there on Sep 21, 22 and 24. Also on Sep 21 two arrived together over Langstone Harbour and other sightings in the last few days have been at Shoreham (over the R Adur), Abbotsbury in Dorset, the Downs near Steyning north of Worthing, and Horsham

Spotted Crake: Single birds were seen at Farlington Marshes in Langstone Harbour and the Oare Marshes in north Kent on Sep 20 but neither has been reported since.

Sanderling: The first three figure count since July comes from the Ryde Sands where 100 were seen on Sep 23

Pectoral Sandpiper: The bird seen at Farlington Marshes on Sep 21 has not been reported again but the one at Pulborough Brooks has been seen daily from Sep 20 to 24

Black-tailed Godwit: On Sep 19 a total of 238 birds in Chichester Harbour were equally divided between the Fishbourne Channel and Colner Creek at Bosham but on Sep 22 (when the tide was lower) a total of 234 were in Fishbourne Creek with just 10 in Colner Creek and 12 in Esmworth Harbour.

Common Sandpiper: Very few now being reported. Latest news is of 2 at Weir Wood in north Sussex on Sep 21 and singles at Sidlesham Ferry (Pagham Harbour) and Christchurch Harbour, both these on Sep 23

Pomarine Skua: One was around Sheppey on Sep 22 and two were seen at Reculver (further east on the north Kent coast) on Sep 23 - probably part of a mass exodus of Skuas from the North Sea now that the Terns have left.

Arctic Skua: A more substantial indication of this exodus comes in counts of 53 at Reculver, 28 at the Oare Marshes and 24 in the Thanet area, all on the north Kent coast on Sep 23

Long-tailed Skua: More than one seen in the Thanet area on Sep 23

Great Skua: The most impressive count is of 267 of these Bonxies off Reculver on Sep 23 (one flock had 61 birds), with 50 reported from Thanet and 6 from Oare Marshes that day

Sandwich Tern: The fact that most have departed is emphasised in the low counts now being reported. On Sep 23 the only reports were of 27 in the Thanet area, 11 at Oare Marshes. and just 4 seen off Rye (IoW). On Sep 24 Rye Harbour had just 24.

Turtle Dove: One still to be seen at Portland on Sep 23

Ring-necked Parakeet: Two noisily flew east over Hardham (close to Pulborough) on Sep 22

Cuckoo: One was still to be seen in the Chilling area near Warsash on Sep 21

Nightjar: Further evidence of Nightjars choosing strange places to rest when on migration come from the Crawley area where, at dawn on Sep 12, one was seen sitting on the roof of a silver car outside a house at Warninglid - it remained there for 45 minutes after it was first spotted.

Swift: Late reports of singles over Southampton on Sep 20 and Christchurch Harbour on Sep 23

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker: One is reported to have been heard drumming and calling at Broughton Park south of Maidstone in Kent on Sep 21

Woodlark: Small numbers appear to breed on the Stansted estate north of Emsworth but larger numbers seem to winter there. The maximum reported during the breeding season this year was 6+ on July 28 but 14 were there on Jan 1 this year and 12 have now been seen feeding in the East Park area on Sep 19

House Martin: Huge numbers have been seen along the south coast in the past week with significant reports coming from the Barton on sea area (just east of Christchurch) where an estimated total of around 16,000 were seen on Sep 23 (with one pure white bird among them!). The majority of these birds seem to have been following the Avon and Stour rivers south until they meet at Christchurch and the birds then turn east along the coast. Soon after dawn on Sep 23 around 2000 of the birds were thought to have been

Song Thrush: A few continental birds started to arrive in the Hastings area on Sep 13 and the first was seen at Dungeness on Sep 14, then in Thanet on Sep 16 and at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 17. On Sep 20 a flock of 10 'nervous' birds were noted in the Sheepcote Valley at Brighton, and on Sep 22 a flock of 13 were at Sandwich Bay with a 'noticeable influx' reported in the Thanet area that day and also on Sep 22 we hear of the first migrants noticed in Hampshire at Barton on sea.

Redwing: The first of these was at Lodmoor (Weymouth) on Sep 15, then one was heard flying over the village of Bury by the R. Arun south of Pulborough on Sep 22, and on Sep 24 two birds were seen at Portland

Goldcrest: The first of these winter visitors are coming to us like the Thrushes from the south. First report was from Portland on Sep 8 with a total of 30 seen in Christchurch Harbour on Sep 10. Four were seen in the Beachy Head area on Sep 9 but none were noticed at Dungeness until Sep 14 and on Sep 19 around 20 were seen in the Thanet area. On Sep 20 Christchurch Harbour had 43 of them and 10 were at Portland on Sep 23. From these figures and dates I get the impression that the first wave of continental birds fleeing the oncoming winter head west across mainland Europe until they reach the Atlantic coast of France when some may head bravely out across the ocean to perish unseen but others turn north and cross the channel, not using the short hop across the straits of Dover but heading north from the Cherbourg penninsula on a route that takes them to the English coast between Portland and Christchurch.

Bearded Tit: On Sep 21 Bob Chapman was at the Lymington marshes where he saw a group of 9 'high flying' Bearded Tits setting out on an autumn journey into the unknown. I see that they were seen making their spring journeys in the second half of March this year as they do each spring but I was not aware that they also did this in the autumn though I have only to look back to 2006 to find a report of birds 'high flying' at Farlington on Sep 18

Jay: Although there has as yet been no news of a large scale influx of continental birds there has been an increase in the number of mentions this species gets in birding news since Sep 14 when 23 were noted in the Kent Stour valley. I have seen seven reports since them, the latest being from Crawley town where someone watching from an office window has seen more than ten birds each day since Sep 19 - they attract attention by busily flying from trees to the ground and back and are thought to be setting up winter stores of food by burying acorns.

Raven: These are now established and breeding right across southern England and last winter there was a roost holding 25 of them somewhere in Hampshire but still the influx of birds moving east from the west country continues. Most movements are of one or two birds or perhaps a family group but on Sep 22 a single flock of 13 birds went over Christchurch Harbour (giving a day total of 16 birds there) and on Sep 23 the day total at Barton on sea was 9 birds

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Crown Vetch: Still flowering on Sep 22 in the Wakefords Way garden in West Leigh at Havant where it is now established as a 'weed'

Yellow-flowered Strawberry: Both fruits and flowers can still be seen in Juniper Square at Havant

Green Field Speedwell: I have found Grey Field Speedwell in many places around Havant but on Sep 24 I think I found Green Field Speedwell for the first time on a roadside near the havant Health Centre

Slender Speedwell: It was good to see this flowering again in the churchyard of St Faith's in Havant on Sep 24

Devils Bit Scabious: I came across a new colony of this flowering by the Lavant stream alongside the Bartons Road playing fields in West Leigh (Havant) on Sep 22

Butcher's Broom; This normally starts to flower in September and I found the first flower in Havant Park on Sep 23

Slow-worm: For those who are not disturbed by the more inhuman side of wildlife behaviour the Rye Bay website this week carried a photo of a Slow-worm slowly eating a Slug that was still alive. Chris Bentley, one of the Rye Harbour wardens who contributed this piece, said .. "I found this young Slow-worm attempting to eat a slug in the Lime Kiln Garden this morning, and making a meal of it as it were. The typically slow movements of the slug were matched by the sluggish gnawing of the lizard, and it all had the feel of some piece of slow-motion film. I watched this gruesome tableau for about ten minutes, by which time the slug appeared no closer to being dispatched"

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This afternoon I went to check on the Chamomile which grows at Purbrook Heath and found it flowering and flourishing in a soft, springy Chamomile Lawn as it was cultivated in the 16th Century. I doubt this site goes back that far but it has been here for the best part of 30 years to my knowledge. To see it for yourself go west along the Purbrook Heath Road and turn left just after passing the entrance to The Rowans hospice on your right. Park on the grass here beside the Tennis Courts and walk back towards the road you have just left and you should see occasional daisy like flowers (bigger than common Daisies but probably smaller that those of Scentless Mayweed) but if there are no flowers a close look at the turf will show that much of it is made of leaves a little like those of Yarrow (or Milfoil), and if you pick thes you will find they have a pleasant aromatic scent when crushed.

Earlier in the day I found the first flower of the new season on Butchers Broom in Havant Park, and yesterday a ride up New Lane in West Leigh Park gave me the expected Crown Vetch and Weasel's Snout plus a bonus of a good show of Devils Bit Scabious flowering on the bank of the Lavant stream running along the east side of the Bartons Road playing fields. Coming back over the Level Crossing I found the Perennial Wall-Rocket is still flowering beside the railtracks near the old signal box.

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This afternoon I cycled via Bedhampton Mill to the eastern entrance to Farlington Marshes and back in glorious weather and had some worth while sightings.

First item of note came when I reached the Wayfarer's Way bridge over the Hermitage Stream in the Bedhampton Waterworks area - here was the first bank of Ivy in full flower that I have seen with at least four Red Admirals and many flies enjoying the nectar with the sound of a passing Grey Wagtail in the background. Where the overflow from the springs flows into the stream a mass of Stream Water Crowfoot was flower, the white flowers complemented by the blue of Hybrid Water Speedwell, and where there used to be a level crossing over the railway into Bidbury Lane and unseen flock of Starlings were singing in some trees.

Reaching Broadmarsh Slipway I rode up the approach road as far as Harts Farm Way looking for the Shaggy Parasol Muchrooms which Brian Fellows recently found here but the grass mowers had beaten me to it (either they or someone intending to eat the fungi had removed all trace of them).

Carrying on across Broadmarsh grassland (much of it newly cut for the winter) I listed a number of good plants in flower including Lesser Hawkbit, Blue Fleabane, Common Figwort, Dark Mullein and Common Centaury plus the bright orange berries of Sea Buckthorn and the dark purple ones of Sloe.

The tide was high and there were very few birds on the water but in Chalkdock corner I counted 27 Great Crested Grebes.

Further along Harts Farm Way (almost opposite the Amenity Tip) an Elder tree had several fresh flowers. Nothing more as I went down the Brockhampton Stream path and along the shore, then up for another look at Budds Farm Pools. This time I convinced myself that the Fudge Duck was back (sleeping close to the westmost island and showing its white undertail and 'Ferruginous' flanks and breast). Near it two white-faced female Tufted Duck were diving and I tried to turn them into Scaup but could not convince myself (though they may be worth a second look if still there).

Coming up Southmoor Lane the soil outside the new (unused) carpark still has Corn Cockle, Cornflower and Corn Marigold in flower and today's bonus items were Corn Spurrey and Musk Mallow. Further up the lane the Hedgerow Cranesbill is still flowering but the Small Melilot plant which I saw most recently has vanished in the digging of a further deep trench to take underground power lines from the foot of the poles carrying the old overhead cables

(Link to previous day’s entry)

Yesterday Martin Hampton found a Wryneck at the extrame south east corner of the South Moors, seeing it clearly on a fence post before it plunged into nearby Blackthorn, as well as several other good birds including Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail and Garden Warbler with a bonus of a low flying Osprey right overhead, so I used my time today to see if any of the goodies were still around. I had not expected the Wryneck and did not see it but I had hoped for Yellow Wagtails but was again disappointed (near the cattle two people were very noisily strimming areas of the 'orchid field'). The best thing I did see was a group of four Wigeon in the stream mouth and I thought I might have been the first to see them as Martin had not mentioned them in his message to me (but subsequently, in his message to Hoslist, I saw that he had seen three of them).

On the positive side I passed a flock of around 70 Redshank newly back on the banks of the Langstone Mill stream outfall, and on reaching the end of Mill Lane the first thing I saw on the South Moors were the fresh yellow flowers of the Yellow Flag which I had seen in bud a few days ago.

At Budds Farm pools a Kingfisher perched on vegetation on the westmost island and I was told that the cygnets of the Swan family had been undergoing flight training just before I arrived - it seems one parent took them to one end of the pools and the other parent went to the opposite end, then all five cygnets took off and flew low over the water to the waiting parent. I did not have time to stop there but I though I saw the Fudge Duck in the distance - returning here for the ninth consecutive year since it was a juvenile in 1999.

(Link to previous day’s entry)

The return of sunshine has resurrected many butterflies and flowering Ivy is starting to attract insects. Other flowers seen include a possible find of the seaside form of Bittersweet nightshade and a surprise find of Lesser Centaury flowering in seaside shingle.

(Skip to Insects)

Black-necked Grebe: John Goodspeed has information that a summer plumaged bird was seen in Langstone Harbour off the Broadmarsh Slipway sometime in the week ending Sep 14, making it likely that the bird which was there around the beginning of August has in fact been present through the summer and is still there.

Grey Heron: A number of those are now making migratory journeys. On Sep 13 a party of 16 flew west past Folkestone and on Sep 15 a group of 15 flew southwest over Christchurch Harbour

Spoonbill: The number in Poole Harbour shot up to 13 on Sep 14, ten of them being on Brownsea Island. The single bird which stayed at Titchfield Haven from Sep 11 to 14 has not been mentioned since and it may have been the one seen to fly over the Church Norton area (Pagham Harbour) on Sep 15

Black Swan: On Sep 16 Brian Fellows went to see the family of six very young cygnets on the West Ashling pond near Funtington and gave us the additional info that there are four adults on the pond (two of which are presumably the proud parents)

Brent Goose: The first four to reach Britain were seen in Kent on Sep 12 and by next day at least six were in Chichester Harbour with a flock of 48 pausing on the sands off the harbour mouth at low tide in Sep 14. On Sep 15 I saw 50+ in Langstone Harbour and another 60 or more in Chichester Harbour. These birds are not earlier than the normal first arrivals but are much more numerous, and this ties in with what I have heard about a total failure of their breeding season this summer

Wigeon: By Sep 15 the number at Pulborough Brooks was up to approx 350 with approx 200 Teal

Pintail: Highest count so far is of just 9 at Hook (Warsash) on Sep 15

Garganey: These have not left yet - the latest news has reports of singles at 5 sites including Pagham Harbour North Walls and Brading Marsh (IoW), both on Sep 14. Latest were at Weir Wood near Crowborough and at Sandwich Bay on Sep 16

Hooded Merganser: The young male of unknown origin which was found in a 'storm drain' near Weymouth at dusk on June 5 and which has subsequently been on view near the Radipole nature reserve there (usually to be seen outside the Gurkha Restaurant) has recently started to acquire adult plumage and on Sep 15 it took wing and moved to the Abbotsbury Swannery (perhaps to prove that it was no ugly duckling but a highly coloured Swan?)

Red-breasted Merganser: A group of five were seen over the sea in Christchurch Bay (outside the west Solent) on Sep 13 following the sighting of one at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 10 which was claimed as the first of the autumn for that site.

Honey Buzzard: 18 reports in the period Sep 12 to 16 show that we are well into their passage season but the fact that all reports were of singles (bar 2 reports of two birds) suggests we are not due for a repeat of the autumn passage of the year 2000 when weather conditions sent the large number of birds (that normally migrate from Scandinavia on a line passing south of Britain) across south east England. In that autumn the total number of birds crossing England was estimated at 750 with Sussex seeing around 500 of them and Hampshire recording some 120. I may be wrong as the 2000 influx occurred between Sep 20 and Oct 1, so we must wait and see...

Marsh Harrier: On Sep 13 Steve Mansfield came down from Alton to visit Hayling Island and not only saw a Honey Buzzard over Chichester Harbour close to Tournerbury Wood but later saw a Marsh Harrier land briefly on saltings off Northney before flying on west over Langstone Bridge

Osprey: Plenty of these now passing south with some to be seen over the Thorney Deeps almost every day (on Sep 17 five could be seen at the same time in the Thornham Marshes area at the east end of the Great Deeps). An even higher count of 6 was recorded for Poole Harbour on Sep 14

Spotted Crake: The first to be seen at Farlington Marshes this autumn was found on Sep 16 and it was still there on Sep 17 to allow many more birders (including Lee Evans, who had presumably driven down from his home at Amersham in Buckinghamshire, to tick it)

Corncrake: I am not sure how many still breed in the Scottish islands but they all have to pass over the south coast twice a year on their migration so it should not be surprising that we very occasionally come across them at this time of year. This autumn the first was reported at Christchurch Harbour on Aug 23 folowed by one at Portland on Aug 30. Two more are in the current news - one at Folkestone on Sep 13 and another at Portland on Sep 16

Common Crane: The two birds which arrived at the Dungeness RSPB reserve on Aug 23 seem to have departed on Sep 14. The news reached me in the following entry on the Dungeness website .. "Unfortunately one of the ospreys spooked everything on the ARC pit, including the cranes, which were last seen at about 11.40 flying off strongly in a westerly direction!"

Golden Plover: The count at Oare Marshes on the north Kent coast which peaked at 400 birds on Aug 16 has now increased to more than 600 birds on Sep 14. In contrast Hampshire has so far had two singles this autumn - one at Farlington Marshes on Sep 7 and one at Barton on sea (west of Lymington) on Sep 16 and 17. Last year the first autumn flock (24 birds) in Hampshire was at Langstone village on Oct 5 and a flock of 120 was near Andover on Oct 6

Knot: The number seen in Pagham Harbour went up from 30 on Sep 9 to 40 on Sep 12 and now 60+ on Sep 16

Little Stint: On Sep 16 two were at Sidlesham Ferry (Pagham), three at Farlington Marshes, and 4 at Lodmoor (Weymouth)

Curlew Sandpiper: Just 2 were at Farlington Marshes on Sep 16 but more than 10 were in Pagham Harbour on Sep 15

Ruff: By Sep 16 the flock at the north Kent Oare Marshes had increased to 31 birds while locally there was at least one at Titchfield Haven on Sep 14 and two at Drayton sand pit east of Chichester on Sep 15

Black-tailed Godwit: Today (Sep 17) there were just over 200 at Farlington Marshes and yesterday (Sep 16) there were at least 133 in Chichester Harbour (49 in the Bosham area and 84 in the Fishbourne Channel - there could be many more in other parts of the harbour but there have been less than half a dozen in the Emsworth area recently). Over in Kent the Oare Marshes flock still had around 750 birds on Sep 15.

Bar-tailed Godwit: A distant sighting on the mud east of Langstone today suggested that these birds have returned but this is not confirmed. Last year the first flock (120 birds) reached Chichester Harbour (Pilsey sands) on Sep 20 with 341 there by Sep 30 and around 290 off Warblington on Oct 2.

Spotted Redshank: One was at Farlington Marshes on Sep 16 where one had been reported on Aug 27 but I have not heard of any others locally to Havant so far this autumn. Last year the first was not back at the Nore Barn site until Nov 5

Little Gull: These are relatively common along the coast at this time of year but an adult winter bird flying over an inland cricket match on a sunny afternoon was a bit unusual - this was seen near Haywards Heath on Sep 14

Black Tern: All regular Tern species (including Little) are still being reported in very small numbers so counts of 20 Black Terns at Dungeness on Sep 14 and 8 at the Blashford Lakes (Ringwood) on Sep 15 stand out. One was at Ivy Lake (Chichester) on Sep 16

White-winged Black Tern: Last report of the long staying bird at the Dungeness RSPB reserve (which had been joined by another on Sep 12) was of the two birds last seen on Sep 14

Barn Owl: One was hunting over the Thornham Marshes (east end of Thorney Deeps) before dusk on Sep 16

Tawny Owl: These are becoming more noticeable as this years young disperse and their presence annoys the rightful occupants of existing territories (or maybe as the parents drive unwilling offspring out into the wide world). Locally, back on July 2, Martin Hampton told me of a youngster making its first attempts to hoot from trees by the Billy Line just north of the A27 (it was presumably then part of the family) and now (on the night of Sep 13/14) Tony Gutteridge heard adult hooting from the same area (the first he had heard there for some years). Also on Sep 13 a male and a female were heard calling to each other all night in the Wisborough Green area near Pulborough.

Short-eared Owl: Among five reports in the past few days one was of a bird hunting over the west side of Thorney Island on Sep 14 and another was of one seen over the Selsey west fields on Sep 16

Nightjar: Within the past week someone living in the Eastney area of Portsmouth was surprised to see what turned out to be a Nightjar fly in and land on his garden shed roof in the early evening where it rested for an hour or so before flying off south as darkness set in. This reminded me of a photo I had been sent back in 2004 of another Nightjar at the coast (Warsash area) in autumn - it was photographed resting in broad daylight on the top of a bright blue tent (or maybe garden umbrella), also preparing to hop across the channel that night. On Sep 16 another bird was seen hunting moths at dawn in a garden at Patcham (north of Brighton) - it had probably flown south overnight and was having its breakfast before hiding away for the coming day to continue its flight next night.

Swift: Not all gone yet - 10 new reports between Sep 11 and 15 when the last so far was seen on the Isle of Wight. Biggest group was of three (a family?) passing Folkestone on Sep 13

Kingfisher: These are now settling at coastal sites where they may well spend the winter. On Sep 13 one was by the shallow channel draining the Sandy Point reserve on Hayling and on Sep 16 2 were seen in Shoreham Harbour - no reports from Langstone village yet but one was seen on the Brockhampton stream alongside Budds Farm back on Aug 15 (probably a youngster which was still on the move)

Wryneck: Latest news contains reports from nine sites plus a report for last week of one that must have died when it flew into a vehicle in the Walberton area near Arundel. Perhaps best value came from the bird at the Church Norton Severals on Sep 15 and 16 which at least once came out and fed among the shingle vegetation in front of onlookers

Woodlark: One flew over Sandy Point on Hayling on Sep 14, no doubt moving from an inland breeding site to winter quarters nearer the coast. I wonder if any are yet back in the market garden fields at Hundred Acres east of Wickham in the Meon Valley?

Skylark: Plenty of Meadow Pipits are now on the move to winter quarters but until Sep 14, when two flew west over the Titchfield Haven area, I had seen no significant reports of Skylark on the move. Last year the first autumn movement report was of 10 at Portland on Sep 22.

Swallow: Very large movements are now taking place - on Sep 12 more than 3000 passed over Washington village in West Sussex and on Sep 15 4000 went over Christchurch Harbour - between these dates there were around 1500 over Hinchelsea Bog (west of Brockenhurst in the New Forest) on Sep 13 and 1000+ over the Titchfield area on Sep 15. The biggest count came on Sep 16 with 4800 over Christchurch Harbour.

House Martin: Although these normally leave later than most Swallows big numbers are currently moving. Large flocks have been seen daily with counts of over 2000 on Sep 15 (Christchurch), and Sep 17 (Barton on sea). On Sep 17 I had an email from Tony Tupper in Leigh Park reporting a flock of at least 50 over the Hermitage Stream in Leigh Park and later that morning when I went out to retrieve my wheelie bin from the pavement the sky above me was full of House Martins all heading east. Surprisingly very few Sand Martins have been seen recently - have they all gone?

Passerine counts at the coast: The following species have had N reports so far this week with a peak count of (M) birds

Tree Pipit: 26 (24)

Meadow Pipit: 18 (530)

Yellow Wagtail: 29 (337)

Grey Wagtail: 19 (15)

White Wagtail: 1 (1)

Black Redstart: 2 (2) First reports of migrants starting to arrive at Newhaven and Folkestone, both on Sep 16

Common Redstart: 17 (27)

Whinchat: 18 (60) The count of 60 in Kent (Thanet) on the evening of Sep 15 was double that achieved at any other site

Stonechat: 4 (7) Counts of 2 and 7 seen on the Isle of Wight on Sep 14 and 15 were noted as the first migrants to distinguish them from the unreported resident breeders there.

Wheatear: 16 (200) The big count of 200 again came from Thanet on the evening of Sep 15 - no other count was greater than 20

Ring Ouzel: 3 (3). A single male on the downs north of Worthing on Sep 13 was the first anywhere and was followed by 3 on the Ventnor Downs (IoW) on Sep 15 and a single at Durlston on Sep 16

Song Thrush: 3 (n) First arrival of continental birds was noted at Hastings on Sep 13 when an unknown number flew over the Country Park. On Sep 14 one was found at Dungeness and on Sep 16 several new birds were noted in the Thanet area

Redwing: An isolated early first was reported by Lodmoor (Weymouth) on Sep 15

"I heard a short call, uttered twice, too weak for an acro or sylvia, which I did not immediately recognise. As I looked around, I saw a bird alight on the crown of an umbellifer about 50 metres away; through the scope it was an immediately recognisable Fan-tailed Warbler (old school) or Zitting Cisticola (new school)! It flew a short distance before dropping into the grass uttering its now obvious "zit zit" call. I phoned a few people and Birdline SE to get the news out widely and other observers down as soon as possible. I stayed put so as not to disturb the bird and in the 30 minutes before anyone else arrived it called reassuringly several times. As others arrived, I refound it in vegetation beside the brook and then it flew up and over the observers and dropped down again. Shortly afterwards it popped up on the top of a rose bush, where it stayed in full view for several minutes much to the delight of the assembled birders. Over the next three hours it stayed faithful to a small area of grassland apart from one foray over towards the sewage works after which it was lost for about 45 minutes. Although mostly out of sight in the grass, it appeared on the top of bushes or umbellifers and in flight periodically. I'm guessing about 100 birders saw it but, at 12.35 p.m., it took off from the crown of an umbellifer gaining height steadily until lost to sight high over and beyond the sewage works. This is easily the rarest bird to be found here; only the sixth for Britain after one in the county two years ago, two in Dorset in 2000 and two, in Dorset and Norfolk, in the 1970's".

Grasshopper Warbler: 5 (3)

Sedge Warbler: 5 (6)

Reed Warbler: 9 (3) Just starting to be noticed on the move

Melodious Warbler: 3 (1) The bird at Portland was still there for the seventh day on Sep 16 and on that day one turned up at Sandwich Bay

Lesser Whitethroat: 8 (5)

Common Whitethroat: 10 (30) The only large count of 30 was at Hope Gap near Beachy Head on Sep 17

Garden Warbler: 6 (5)

Blackcap: 15 (200) The 200 were at Beachy Head on Sep 14 - max elsewhere was 61 at Christchurch

Wood Warbler: 2 (1) Singles were at Poole Harbour and Pagham Harbour, both on Sep 13. This brings the number of autumn passage reports from coastal sites to an unusually high count of 17

Chiffchaff: 14 (105)

Willow Warbler: 8 (42) Number of migrants starting to pick up again though there have been three earlier peaks with counts of 163 on Aug 4, 210 on Aug 15 and 200 on Aug 29.

Goldcrest: 11 (18) These are now widespread in small numbers - the 18 were at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 14

Firecrest: 7 (2) The 2 were the first to arrive at Dungeness on Sep 16

Spotted Flycatcher: 11 (20). 20 recorded at two Dorset locations - Studland on Sep 14 and Sherford Bridge north of Wareham on Sep 15

Pied Flycatcher: 6 (12) The 12 were part of the big fall of migrants in Thanet on the evening of Sep 15

Bearded Tit: Around 10 were seen at Farlington Marshes on Sep 16

Goldfinch: These have not yet got into their autumn stride but are starting to do so with 150+ at Newhaven on Sep 14, 180 at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 15 and 120+ at Hook (Warsash) on Sep 16

Siskin: 44 (850) Now appearing everywhere the 850 at Folkestone on Sep 16 were probably new arrivals

Lesser Redpoll: 3 (20)

Ortolan Bunting: No longer reported at Portland but singles were at Durlston Country Park on Sep 13 and on Ballard Down near Swanage on Sep 14.

Reed Bunting: 2 (54) These entered autumn passage phase on Sep 15 with 54 at Christchurch Harbour and another (?) group of 22 there on Sep 16

(Skip to Plants)

In addition to the Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters that most people will have seen in the recent sunshine three other species were active at Rye Harbour on Sep 14 - Ruddy Darter, Emerald Damsel (Lestes sponsa) and Common Blue damsel

Both Water Scorpion and Water Stick Insect were noted at Rye Harbour on Sep 14 and my Havant Garden again had the large hoverfly Volucella Zonaria nectaring on Chinese Anemones on Sep 17. Other species reported are ...

(Skip to Other Wildlife)

Slender Hare's Ear: Although I did find this flowering on the Thorney Island seawall at the west end of the Great Deeps on Aug 22 I have not seen it elsewhere this summer despite searching both the South Moors seawall and the waste ground between Saltmarsh Lane and the Hayling Coastal path where I found it last year. On Sep 15, forced by flooding of the normal track between the Coastal Path and the seawall west of Saltmarsh Lane onto the bank along the north side of the track, I found myself about to tread on a good cluster of the plants which I had missed on previous visits - they were now past flowering but will be searched for next summer!

Lesser Centaury: This is another plant which I failed to find flowering on Portsdown this summer so I was very pleased, again on Sep 15, to find a plant still flowering on the shingle east of the Sandy Point nature reserve on Hayling (see Diary entry for more detail)

Bittersweet Nightshade (seaside form): While on the shingle east of the Sandy Point nature reserve I came on a small cluster of small Bittersweet plants that were not prostrate but which had tough leaves and 'looked different' from the normal plants. They had woody bases to their stems but I see that that does not separate them from the normal species. I think they were examples of the seaside variety of the plant (Solanum dulcamara var marinum) and I have some support from the author of the 'Nature Notes from Skye' who photographed very similar plants when visiting Winchelsea in Sep 2005 (go to http://www.nature-diary.co.uk/2005-09-19.htm and scroll down the page)

Bugloss (Anchusa officinalis): I have regularly found this around the edge of the Hayling Island Sailing Club grounds (in 'flower beds' at the top of the ramp up from the causeway) but I found on Sep 15 that it is now flowering by the track leading past the Lifeboat Station into the new carpark extension.

Green Bristle-grass: Found on Sep 16 by Brian Fellows in the roadside near the Emsworth Community Centre

Humpback Whale: The first ever to enter the English Channel (as far as the experts know) was seen from a ferry heading from Spain to Portsmouth as it passed Guernsey on Sunday Sep 14. This news comes from the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme staff on board the ferry and I saw it in the Portsmouth NEWS on Sep 16

Common Seal: One was seen near Chichester Harbour mouth (from Black Point) on Sep 13

Serotine Bat?: On Sep 14 one of the younger contributors to the Sussex Bird News, Sophie May Lewis, was on the beach at Climping (west of the mouth of the R Arun) when, in her words, .. "a bat flew in off the sea and crash landed in the dune grass. Upon inspection its body appeared to be about 3 inches long with black ears and nose. It hid in the grass obviously exhausted". Sophie took photos and has sent them off to the Bat Conservation Trust for identification but I think the size and black ears and nose make it very likely this was a Serotine. This is the first time I have come across direct evidence of bats crossing the Channel though I was aware that they occasionally do so.

UK Bat species survive the winter by hibernating but in other parts of the world there are species which migrate 1000 km or more (like birds) to warmer climes when winter arrives, and our hibernating species are well equipped for lengthy flights so crossing the channel is not unknown.

While looking for information on this subject I came across a piece on the BBC website concerning Bats and Wind Turbines which told me ...

"Bats are at risk from wind turbines, researchers have found, because the rotating blades produce a change in air pressure that can kill the mammals. Canadian scientists examined bats found dead at a wind farm, and concluded that most had internal injuries consistent with sudden loss of air pressure. Bats use echo-location to avoid hitting the blades but cannot detect the sharp pressure changes around the turbine".

Common Lizard: Many of this year's young were seen on Bartley Heath near Fleet in north Hampshire on Sep 14 but the observer did not mention if they were identified as young just by their size or their colour - I know that when the young are newly born around mid-summer they can be almost black in colour but I do not know when they acquire adult colour (which itself can be variable!)

(Link to previous day’s entry)

The first report of Brent back in Hampshire waters which I am aware of came from Steve Mansfield who visited Hayling on Sep 13 and saw 6 on the water of Chichester Harbour off Tournerbury and then saw 3 entering the Harbour passing Black Point. On Sep 14 three were seen in Southampton Water, one was in the Solent off Brownwich near Titchfield Haven, and 48 were in the Chichester Harbour entrance. Today I went to the west Hayling shore by Saltmarsh Lane at high tide and saw 52 distantly to the west of that point. I then went to have a look around the Sandy Point area and as I was approaching the Lifeboat station from Bracklesham Road I chanced to see a flock of around 60 Brent flying in and landing on the water off Tournerbury. These birds are almost certainly still on the move and will not stay where I saw them but it does seem that they are arriving early and in bigger numbers than usual for September - maybe a portent of a bad breeding season?

While in the Saltmarsh Lane area I saw a soaring Sparrowhawk and several Green-veined Whites as well as both Large and Small Whites, and on the seawall Lucerne was still in flower. The high tide had flooded the area behind the seawall and I only just reached the wall dryshod after following the low bank beside the normal track - thanks to being forced onto the bank I found a large clump of Slender Hare's Ear (now past flowering).

In the Sandy Point area I went onto the shingle east of the nature reserve to look at the rare Sea Knotgrass which is flourishing there and in so doing I made another good chance discovery of Lesser Centaury. I had just seen Common Centaury flowering in the old Hospital grounds and the plant I found on the shingle immediately caught my eye with its much deeper red flowers but as it was the remnant of a plant that must have been between 10 and 15 cm high I took a specimen flower and checked with my lens that it had the required length of flower stem exposed above the calyx (Lesser Centaury is often no more than a single ground hugging flower with barely any stem to the plant but Stace gives a maximum height of 20 cm)

An unexpected find at the Lifeboat Station carpark was Bugloss (not Vipers Bugloss!) and nearby both Sea Rocket and Sea Holly could still be found in flower. Going south from here I had nearly reached the southern end of the additional fencing outside the reserve east of the footpath when I noticed a very small plant of Bittersweet Nightshade growing from the shingle. The plant was less than 8cm tall and had a woody base to the stem, thicker than usual leaves and flowers which looked different from normal (deeper in their 'purple' and with a longer yellow 'nose' than usual) - I am pretty sure this must be the maritima subspecies which Brian Fellows made me aware of when he found some near the Hayling Oysterbeds this summer.

Other items seen here included Red Admiral and Small Copper butterflies and back at home a Chiffchaff was singing for the third consecutive morning (there had been a first burst of song on Sep 8)

(Skip to previous week)

(Link to previous day’s entry)

(Link to previous day’s entry)

The conditions for counting the night roost of Egrets at Langstone Mill Pond were ideal this evening - the tide was low, meaning that the birds would continue feeding until the last moment, thus bunching their arrival at the roost around the time of sunset, and the weather was pleasant with a clear sky for seeing them arrive.

I reached the pond an hour before sunset to find 7 birds already in the trees (there could have been more already hidden by the foliage but I do not think so) and when I left, a few minutes after sunset, I had counted the arrival of 128 birds including a couple of large groups of 15+ birds which made an impressive sight as they 'whiffled' down, crossing and re-crossing as they searched the trees for a vacant space to land on. It is likely that another dozen (maybe 20) birds arrived after I left but I re-assured myself that the roost is still in use, and the fact that most birds came from the direction of Langstone Harbour suggested that this roost serves the Langstone Harbour area while the roost close to the Thorney Little Deeps (which had 151 birds on Aug 27) probably operates in parallel, serving the Chichester Harbour area.

Very few other birds seen but I twice heard Cetti's Warbler song from the pond, and out on the mud a small roost of Lapwings was in place (first time this autumn that I have seen them there).

(Link to previous day’s entry)

In the morning I cycled down the Billy Trail to the north end of the old rail bridge at Langstone where I was greeted by the piping of a Common Sandpiper and saw a Small Copper butterfly among the Whites. Common Centaury, Viper's Bugloss and Blue Fleabane were still in flower here, and when I went on to the South Moors I found fresh flowers on Duke of Argyll's Teaplant plus Tufted Forget-me-not and a single stem of Yellow Flag with flowers about to open.

On the seawall I passed at least ten Wheatears and at Budds Farm Pools the Coot had diminished from around 100 to a more reasonable 40 while the five cygnets still here with their parents were exercising their wings and should pretty soon be able to fly over the fence onto the harbour waters. 9 Gadwall and perhaps 40 Tufted Duck were seen but I only saw one Shoveler. Two Egrets were unusual perched on the trees in the centre of the north side and Little Grebes were still trilling their 'song'.

Heading up Southmoor Lane I was pleased to see Hedgerow Cranesbill flowering (and Small Melilot across the road)

In the evening a short trip to the Fort Nelson carpark at the west end of Portsdown gave me a Common Blue butterfly settling for the night among Wild Basil, Greater Knapweed, Eyebright and other downland flowers while on the damp earth of the raised banks around the carpark I found masses of both Apple Mint and Common Comfrey.

(Link to previous day’s entry)

This evening I had a brief chance to look at the Prinsted market garden plot where a mass of Shaggy Soldier was in flower but there was nothing else more exciting than Small Nettle and Black Nightshade. Before reaching the plot, however, I was very pleased to find Moth Mullein still flowering where I had discovered it in July (among rough grass just ourside the low wall of the ex-farmyard on your right immediately before coming to the gate into the field with the market garden plot)

Lots of bird interest in reports of autumn passage, even the movement of 100 Coot from inland waters to cover the Budds Farm pools. More exciting was a Dotterel near Brighton and a plethora of Grey Phalaropes (including 5 together near Selsey). Anyone with an interest in gulls will enjoy the news of Sabine's Gulls (and a flock of 11 Pom Skuas in the Solent). An Alpine Swift was a good observation near Pulborough.

Not much in the way of Insect news but the week was brightened when a huge Indian Moon Moth came to a moth trap near Eastbourne

Plant news has the first flowering of Gorse since May and I have had three good chance finds of Pencilled Cranesbill, Small Melilot and Moth Mullein

(Skip to Insects)

Sooty Shearwater: After having 29 of these on Sep 5 the count at Dungeness was down to 16 on Sep 6 (there had been 34 off Portland on Aug 18)

Shag: Still none reported in Langstone Harbour but one was in Shoreham Harbour on Sep 9

Great White Egret: This returned to the Blashford Lakes on Aug 16 and stayed there until Aug 24 but then vanished until it was back at Blashford on Sep 8

Shelduck: Four juveniles seen on the Farlington Marshes Deeps by Kevin Stouse's walk party on Sep 7 are (so far as I know) the only ones in Langstone Harbour at the moment.

Wigeon: Further reports of returning birds come from the Lymington Marshes (29 birds on Sep 7) and Christchurch Harbour (12 birds on Sep 3 and still only 12 on Sep 9).

Gadwall: There were at least 10 on Budds Farm Pools on Sep 7

Teal: At least 31 could be seen in the Lymington area on Sep 7 and 27 were back at Hook (Warsash) on Sep 9

Pintail: No big counts yet but 3 were back at Hook (Warsash) on Sep 9

Garganey: A late bird was on the stream at Farlington Marshes on Sep 8 and a single drake was at the Brading Marshes (IoW) on Sep 7

Shoveler: Around 10 were at Budds Farm pools in Havant on Sep 7 when 4 were seen at Hook (Warsash) and 3 in the Titchfield Haven area

Pochard: Two birds at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 8 is the only report for September that I have seen so far

Eider: The number on the sea off Lymington had risen marginally to 23 on Sep 7

Honey Buzzard: Sep 1 saw one fly past St Catherine's Point (IoW), on Sep 8 four were seen going over Brighton with maybe a different single bird over the Adur at Shoreham, and Sep 9 one perversely flew north at Dungeness.

Marsh Harrier: On Sep 7 one was over the Brading Marshes (IoW), on Sep 8 a total of 12 flew over Dungeness,and on Sep 9 singles were seen at Hook (Warsash), Sidlesham Ferry (Pagham Harbour) and the Selsey West Fields

Sparrowhawk: Following the extraordinary passage of 52 Sparrowhawks over Dungeness on Aug 23 a count of 11 there on Sep 8 was nothing special! Locally I had a brief glimpse of one vainly trying to catch a Swallow over Fort Widley on Portsdown - by its small size I guess it was a juvenile male which had not yet learnt not to waste its energy.

Osprey: Fourteen new reports of passing birds between Sep 7 and 9. On Sep 7 one was seen at Titchfield Haven, another on the RSPB Islands in Langstone Harbour and another at the head of Southampton Water. On Sep 8 two were seen in Langstone Harbour

Coot: At this time of year a large number of Coot leave inland waters and move to the coast (presumably as an insurance against the possible freezing up of the inland waters) and I have often seen the Thorney Little Deeps crowded with them but until this week (Sep 7) I had not seen a mass of around 100 on the Budds Farm Pools.

Golden Plover: Flocks of up to 400 birds have been regularly seen in Kent and East Sussex since the beginning of August (and Christchurch Harbour has had two singles on Aug 8 and 18) but there have been no reports from Hampshire or West Sussex until now - on Sep 7 singles were seen at Farlington Marshes and at Pagham Harbour and on Sep 8 there was one at Cuckmere Haven (west of Beachy Head)

Knot: I think a couple of these have been in Pagham Harbour since Aug 5 (at least) but it was not until Sep 9 that I saw the first report of a flock of 30 back there

Black-tailed Godwit: A substantial winter flock can normally be found in the north west corner of Portsmouth Harbour including Fareham Creek and on Sep 7 a flock of 55 was in the middle section of the Creek (first report for this winter)

Grey Phalarope: This autumn has brought an unusually high number of these to the south coast and they have been seen at 15 different sites in the period Sep 7 to 9. The majority of sightings were of single birds but Christchurch Harbour, Church Norton, Lodmoor, Bournemouth (Branksome Chine) and Hook (Warsash) all had two while Chesil Cove on Portland had four and the new Bracklesham RSPB reserve (west of Selsey Bill) had five.

Pomarine Skua: On Sep 7 Marc Moody and others on the Lymington shore had a very unusual sighting of a flock of 10 of these birds heading west out of the Solent (where they had presumably been sheltering from stormy weather) along with 7 Arctic Skuas.

Long-tailed Skua: Following three sightings of singles at Portland and Dungeness on Sep 5 and 6 another juvenile was seen at the Dungeness RSPB reserve on Sep 6

Med Gull: The first big autumn assembly was of 140 birds at the Selsey West Fields on Sep 9

Lesser Blackback Gull: Their autumn passage is now under way - on Aug 31 a flock of 60 was seen roosting in the Cuckmere Haven area near Beachy Head, on Sep 7 a group of 16 went southwest over the Brading Marshes (IoW), and on Sep 8 a group of 20 flew high west over Ventnor Downs (IoW)

Black Tern: Reports from six sites in the past few days with a peak count of 20 at Dungeness RSPB reserve on Sep 7 and locally counts of up to 6 at Chichester Ivy Lake on Sep 7, 8 and 9

Turtle Dove: One could still be seen passing through Portland on Sep 9 (late birds can still be expected in October and avery few may winter here)

Swift: Six sites have had September sightings so far - the peak count was 3 birds in the Sussex Ouse Valley upstream of Lewes on Sep 8 and that was also the latest date (other reports on that day were of singles at the Balshford Lakes, on the Isle of Wight, and at Cuckmere Haven).

Wryneck: Sightings this week were at Brighton (Sheepcote Valley) on Sep 7, Cuckmere Haven on Sep 8 and Pagham Harbour on Sep 9

Tree Pipit: A mass exodus on Sep 8 bought reports of 43 at Durlston, 29 at Portland, 15 at Christchurch Harbour, 11 at Dungeness and 10+ at Luccombe Down (IoW)

Meadow Pipit: There is no doubt that these are now on the move with counts of 120+ at Hastings on Sep 7 and 225 at Christchurch Harbour on Sep 8 plus smaller numbers at four other sites (including Portland which commented on their first autumn movement 'of several hundred birds' on Sep 8)

Yellow Wagtail: Reports from 15 sites with peak counts of 108+ at Cuckmere Haven and 127 at Christchurch Harbour, both on Sep 8 (when I saw and heard one fly over me on Hayling)

Grey Wagtail: Plenty of these on the move with a peak count of 23 at Portland on Sep 8

White Wagtail: 11 were at Portland on Sep 7 when at least 1 was seen at St Catherine's Point (IoW)

Common Redstart: Peak count of 12 at Cissbury Ring (north of Worthing) on Sep 8

Whinchat: Peak count of 10 at Pagham Harbour on Sep 7

Stonechat: Portland claimed a single bird of the Caspian race (maura - with less orange and more white on the breast and belly) on Sep 9

Wheatear: These have been trickling through everywhere but on Sep 7 there were 120 at Portland (the first count to exceed the 70 that were at Portland on Aug 23 - the peak spring count there was 150+ on Apr 26)

Lesser Whitethroat: One was singing at Seaford on Sep 8

Blackcap: 200 were recorded at Beachy Head on Sep 8

Chiffchaff: One sang briefly as it passed my Havant garden on Sep 8

Goldcrest: These are just beginning to figure in reports of migrants - Portland announced their 'first of the autumn' on Sep 8 and four were seen at Hope Gap near Beachy Head on Sep 9

Firecrest: One was on the Sussex Downs above the River Arun on Sep 7 and two more singles were at Durlston and Beachy Head on Sep 8

Chaffinch: A flock of around 30 were bathing/drinking at a puddle in the Hayling Coastal Path when I distrubed them on Sep 8

Siskin: These are now starting to arrive with us for the winter. I have 9 reports for Sep 7 and 8 over an area stretching from Arlington Reservoir in the Cuckmere valley to Durlston and in flocks ranging from around 10 to 50+ birds

(Skip to Plants)

No reports so far this week

Only 12 species mentioned so far this week and the only one which caught my attention was of 41 Adonis Blues seen on Malling Down near Lewes on Sep 8

(Skip to Other Wildlife)

Yellow Horned Poppy: Most of these are well over but I still found two in fresh flower on Hayling on Sep 8

Corn Cockle: The 'wildflower seed' plants sown on soil lining Southmoor Lane in Havant outside the new carpark at the southern end of the road were still flowering on Sep 7 (along with Corn Marigold and Cornflower plants)

Nottingham Catchfly: I missed seeing these in flower on south Hayling this summer but on Sep 8 I saw several dead plants with seed cases.

Common Gorse: I found the first flowers I have seen since May 12 when cycling down the Hayling Coastal Path on Sep 8 - before long all the gorse bushes will be turning yellow again.

White Melilot: I found some flowering by the entrance to Langstone Harbour on Sep 8 and was reminded that I have only seen it once before this year (at the Hayling Oysterbeds in June)

Lucerne: Still flowering on the Hayling seawall in the Saltmarsh Lane area on Sep 8

Cocks Eggs: The Sinah Common colony was flourishing and covered with flowers on Sep 8

Pale Toadflax: Two plants had fresh flowers at their only Hayling Island site on Sep 8

Sheep's Bit: Several plants of this were still flowering at south Hayling on Sep 8

Tansy: I had my first sight of this in flower on south Hayling on Sep 8 when the flowers were nearly over

Stoat: A message from a Sussex birder reporting birds seen at Cuckmere Haven (just west of Beachy Head) on Sep 9 includes an observation of a Stoat killing a Rabbit.

Bottle-nosed Dolphin: One seen off Portland Bill on Sep 7 was the first I have seen reported since June 16

Fungi: In addition to the three species of Waxcap which I have mentioned before (Meadow, Butter and Slimy) my lawn currently has a small show of the tiny but very colourful species now called Orange Mosscap (Rickenella fibula) which is shown by Roger Phillips under the name Mycena fibula. Stephan Buczacki lists it as Mycena fibula but gives four synonyms for the genus (Rickenella, Omphalina, Omphalia and Gerronema)

(Link to previous day’s entry)

A roundabout route to the Havant shops today gave me a good find of at least two plants of Pencilled Cranesbill in full flower on a tiny bit of waste ground (with no garden anywhere in sight). I had found this species for the very first time in July this year, growing in the roadside grass of Pook Lane (north of the A27) just outside a garden in which the parents of this 'escape' might have been planted, but today's find was definitely a proper 'casual'. If anyone wants to see the plants walk from the Meridian Centre around the back of the Bus Station building and you will come to the plants in a narrow strip of soil behind kerb stones where any vehicles have to turn right.

Also seen today in Havant Park one plant of Creeping Yellow-cress has evaded the council gardeners and is once more coming into flower. Elsewhere in the Park a big clump of brutally trimmed Butchers Broom has a lot of fresh growth which I checked for first flowers (last year I found the first on plants at the Langstone South Moors on Aug 28) but could only find unopen flower buds.

(Link to previous day’s entry)

After completing my weekly summary yesterday I still had time in the evening for a ride to Budds Farm where the pools were once again crowded with returning wildfowl. Surprisingly 100 Coot were present with more than 20 Tufted Duck and around 10 each of Shoveler and Gadwall plus the usual Mallard, Little Grebes and Moorhen. Also on the water were the Swan family with the five cygnets that I had last seen in June - they will presumably have to stay here until the cygnets can fly as there is no easy way for them to get through the fencing and onto the sea. Over the water a small flock of House and Sand Martins were hawking for insects.

On the way there down Southmoor Lane I stopped at the waste ground immediately north of Penner Road and was pleased to find Small Melilot still in flower, though in a different place from the plant which I discovered here on July 28 when it was a 'first' for me in Havant (I have only seen it at one other site - the Portsmouth IBM HQ - and I have not seen it there for a good many years)

This morning the welcome sunshine brought brief Chiffchaff song from a bird passing down the Billy Trail behind my house and in the garden both Large and Small White butterflies (plus a probable Green Veined - not seen closely but seemingly egg laying on grass which the 'Cabbage' whites would not do) were on the wing.

After lunch I cycled to Gunner Point on Hayling, seeing a good selection of flowers but very few birds though I did score my first Yellow Wagtail of the autumn with a fly-over heard near the Oysterbeds where Sandwich Tern was the most exotic species and Oystercatchers and Little Egrets the only numerous ones (other than a flock of at least 100 Starlings).

In the carpark for the Oysterbeds I found my first Common Gorse of the autumn in flower (later I saw flowers in just two other places) - the first flowers I have seen since May (although Dwarf Gorse has been flowering in the meanwhile). A little further south I passed several flowering plants of Pepper Saxifrage (my first for the year though Brian Fellows has had them out at Emsworth since the end of July). Another pleasant surprise on the shingle south of Stoke Bay was a single plant of Yellow Horned Poppy covered with fresh flowers. On the sea wall of the Saltmarsh Lane area Lucerne was still in flower and in the edge of the coastal path I passed both Common Centaury and Field Scabious. Just before reaching the Saltmarsh Lane area I disturbed a flock of at least 30 Chaffinches from pools of water in the track.

On the Sinah Common shore Sheep's Bit, Restharrow, Thrift and Sea Compion were still in flower and a few dead plants of Nottingham Catchfly still had seed pods to show that they are still to be found there. Two firsts for the year as far as I am concerned were a couple of plants of Pale Toadflax in fresh flower and a number of Tansy plants whose time was almost over - in between the sites for these I passed the flourishing colony of Cock's Eggs still in full flower (when looking at them I was reminded that last year I found Dodder on some of the gorse nearby but I have not seen any this year).

In the evening we drove to the top of Portsdown to enjoy the view and while there the Swallows hawking over Fort Widley suddenly burst into alarm calls, drawing our attention to a Sparrowhawk (probably a juvenile male) making a vain attempt to catch a Swallow

(Skip to previous week)

(Link to previous day’s entry)

(Link to previous day’s entry)

This morning provided further proof of my long held view that there is always something to excite your interest in wildlife if you get out and look about you with an unprejudiced eye at whatever you may come across.

The day started well with two new fungi in my lawn - one that I have seen in previous years (Meadow Waxcap) and one that I have never seen before which I am pretty sure had the unattractive new English Name of Slimy Waxcap and which has at least two scientific name - Roger Phillips and Stephan Buczacki list it as Hygrocybe unguinosa but Michael Jordan has it as Hygrocybe irrigata.

Later I walked to Warblington, passing the last remnants of Danewort and Corn Marigold flowers between the Billy Trail and Lymbourne Road and finding a magnificent new growth of Giant Polypore in the 'twitchel' path leading to Wade Court Road. Across Wade Court Road I came on the first of several flowering Ivy plants (I saw one open flower on Aug 19 but found no others until Sep 3 - today showed that they are at last starting to flower generally) and in the next section of the twitchel I noted Pellitory of the Wall and found a cluster of Shining Cranesbill plants covered with their tiny flowers.

My return by a different route found both Stone Parsley and Hogweed in flower (neither seen by me for a long while) and gave me another view of the Pencilled Cranesbill plant in grass on the west side of Pook Lane just north of its junction with Pembury Road - the plant is thriving and was covered with flowers.

Finally, to prove that however hard we look we never see everything, I found Black Bindweed in flower as I retraced my way through the twitchel path.

Another thing noted today was the number of conkers brought down by the gales - the leaves of the Horse Chestnut trees may look as if the trees were dying but luckily the depredations of the Cameraria ohridella moth larvae occur after the leaves have provided the trees with the energy they need to grow and develop seed so the moths do not seem to be too serious a problem for survival of the trees.

(Link to previous day’s entry)

This year may have seen the first successful breeding of Spoonbill in Britain though not in England. Wigeon and Pintail have both started to return for the winter and the first Dotterel have been seen on their way south. Both Tawny Pipit and Ortolan Bunting have been at Portland and several Wrynecks have been seen along the south coast

A few Small Tortoiseshells have emerged this week but sadly one was taken by a Hornet to feed its larvae. The most exciting insect news is of a new invader coming to Britain - a very large Squash Bug from America which first reached Europe in 1999.

Botanic interest comes from the continued presence of just one clump of Sickle Medick in Hampshire and a find of Yellow Bristle-grass in Havant.

Also this week I came on a 'new to me' fungus which is uncommon in Hampshire. It is of the genus Peziza but the chances of getting the id right are illustrated by the fact that the genus has 1241 species (world wide) while the British Mycological Fauna is said to have a total of 14,755 species to choose from

(Skip to Insects)

Great Crested Grebe: A pair were seen with 3 very young juveniles on Ivy Lake at Chichester on Sept 2

Black-necked Grebe: On Sep 1 two turned up at Weir Wood reservoir in north Sussex, probably only stopping briefly in transit. At the RSPB Dungeness reserve there were said to be four present on Aug 28 and a further report on Aug 31 spoke of 'several' there. The four that were at the Blashford Lakes on Aug 17 have not been mentioned again so I do not know of any currently in Hampshire though the one present in Langstone Harbour at the start of August may still be there.

Sooty Shearwater: Singles were seen at Dungeness on Aug 29, 30 and Sep 1 (when one was also seen off Portland). Keith Betton's monthly round-up of Hampshire bird news for August includes a report which I had not seen before of one in Hayling Bay on Aug 13 (first Hampshire report for the year?)

Balearic Shearwater: The day total of these recorded at Portland on Sep 1 was 66, beating the previous high day counts of around 50 on Jan 13 and 60 on July 4

Grey Heron: Dungeness reported a high count of 13 birds passing through on Aug 31 but I am not sure if they were coming or going (probably the latter?)

Spoonbill: The group of six young birds was still in Poole Harbour on Sep 2 but it would seem that more are arriving in the south of England as Poole Harbour had 8 of them on Aug 31 and Pagham Harbour had 3 feeding in the water off Church Norton, also on Aug 31, but they flew off when the water rose. Interesting news from Scotland (via Lee Evans) is of a family group of 5 birds on the River Dee at Kirkcudbright on Aug 30 - the begging behaviour of the young seemed to indicate that the parents had bred locally in Scotland.

Greylag Goose: An impressive count of 319 came to roost at Pulborough Brooks on the evening of Sep 1

Canada Goose: An even more impressive (and highly undesireable) count of 814 arriving at Pulborough Brooks to roost on Sep 1

Shelduck: Adults do not normally return from their distant moult grounds until near the end of September so I am not sure why 2 adults arrived at Christchurch Harbour on Aug 31 - they must have come from somewhere nearby

Wigeon: The first are just starting to return from breeding in other countries. 3 were seen at Dungeness on Aug 31 and on Sep 1 the 2 birds that have been at Pulborough Brooks through the summer suddenly become 6 and then increased to 7 on Sep 2

Teal: These too are returning to Pulborough - at the end of July there wer