September and October

Despite good intentions here we are two months later. Another short interim report, I'm afraid. There's been some good birds around though!

September

Weekend of 21st-22nd, plus Saturday 28th.

Pink-footed Goose - 38 flew south
Wigeon - 2
Teal - 120+
Grey Partridge - 15
Cormorant - 2
Sparrowhawk - 6+
Buzzard - 10+
Kestrel - 4
Peregrine - 1 immature chasing Golden Plovers
Water Rail - 1 at Lowthorpe Bridge (earliest autumn record!)
Golden Plover - 72
Lapwing - 245+
Snipe - 2
Green Sandpiper - 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 3
Great Black-backed Gull - 1
Kingfisher - 3
Meadow Pipit - 4 (surprisingly scarce!)
Yellow Wagtail - 14 (surprisingly many!)
Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest - 1 each
Treecreeper - 2

The best birds of the weekend were the surprising continued appearance of the Spotted Redshank at Gembling noted in August, which had been joined by a juvenile Black-tailed Godwit first seen on 21st and still present on 28th. This is only my second local record, the previous being a brief fly-over at Kelk.

A Red Kite was seen watching ploughing from the safety of a tree in Kelk at the beginning of September. All previous records have been either March/April or August/September.

October

Weekend of 19th-21st.

Gadwall - 1
Teal - 40+
Mallard - 80+
Grey Partridge - 13
Cormorant - 4
Grey Heron - 6
Sparrowhawk - 4
Buzzard - 8
Kestrel - 5
Golden Plover - 330+
Lapwing - 280+
Snipe - 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1
Kingfisher - 2
Skylark - 100+ (in loose flocks 70, 20, 10)
Meadow Pipit - 4
Grey Wagtail - 2
Fieldfare - 45+
Redwing - 70+
Coal Tit - 1
Treecreeper - 1
Brambling - 1
Linnet - 170+ (two flocks 90+80)

October's star bird was an immature Long-tailed Duck at Kelk Lake. Considering how few birds are using the lake now this is an incredible record - clearly a very lost individual. My only previous record was also a young bird, a long-stayer in winter 1990/91.

A Wheatear was seen in Kelk on 8th October.

Six species were added to the year list during the two months.

104 Pink-footed Goose
105 Peregrine
106 Black-tailed Godwit
107 Water Rail
108 Long-tailed Duck
109 Brambling