Sunday 11 September - Summer strains

After a frustrating  complete wash-out on Saturday with wall-to-wall rain, the skies cleared overnight and gave an opportunity to exploit the early morning sunshine. I again stayed local,(partly because the Goodwood Revival meeting meant that travelling towards the coast would have been a traffic nightmare). At this time of year on Blackdown, overnight rain followed by a drop in temperature and clear skies can often result in thick fog. I don't understand the weather that well (neither do any weather forecasters) but this morning was perfectly clear.

It's an interesting time of year with birds moving south in full flow you just need a small variation in the weather or wind direction for anything to drop in.

This mornings walk between 7am and 10am was enjoyable and with sufficient activity to keep looking, without revealing anything special.

Chiffchaffs were everywhere. I started diligently counting, but kept encountering small groups then eventually a large flock which in itself would have held 40+ birds. My estimate was 75+ Chiffchaffs with 4+ Willow Warblers the lookalike species both calling with the occasional burst of song.

The surprise of the morning was 3 Wheatears, a single on the reservoir track and then a pair together off the West side, rarely encountered here but this is the best time of year and rather unnaturally they were all in trees.

Singles of Redstart, Whitethroat, Blackcap and 2 Tree Pipits along with a large number of House Martins, probably 125+ a single Sand Martin and a dozen Swallows made up the departing Summer migrants.

The remainder of the morning list included 1 Dartford Warbler, 3 Stonechat, 2 Meadow Pipit, 6 Goldfinch, Kestrel and the more usual cast of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest,

Looking East as the sun was rising with most of the cloud below in the fields

Still early morning but clear right through to the South Downs

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatears aren't often tree-bound