September at the George

Well I kept up the effort and walked the George most days throughout September although I haven't made it a principle to do the whole circuit every visit opting instead to walk up to magic corner and back on occasion to shorten the miles and the minutes a bit and get me home to Suzanne a little earlier now that I can't start until the later sunrise times.

The effort this month gave me a new bird for the site in the form of a Marsh Harrier seen on 10th as it flew up north basin and I managed to get Chris F. on it too for his first at the site. I added a date to Ebird for Coal Tit, Rook and Stonechat. (All birds I've seen before at the reservoir but didn't have a date to record them on Ebird) and I saw my second Short eared Owl for the year at the reservoir which I enjoyed with both Neville and Ian. I've missed a few birds this month as Ian had a Snipe on 26th whilst I was having a day off to clear the worst of a head cold and I also missed Reed Warbler that again Ian had and try as I might I couldn't find one lurking around or passing through the bushes with the other passerines. Eugene had a Skylark on 16th whilst I was actually there and Aaron had an adult Yellow legged Gull whilst I was at home with the cold on Saturday 26th which proved an expensive day off in terms of missing the Gull and the Snipe. Two other birds were reported by visiting birders but I haven't spoken to them and at this point I'm unsure of the record for September of Ruff and Shelduck . I also know of two other birds seen by guys that don't use Ebird and these where Whimbrel (Andrew M.) and Sandwich Tern (Richard B) so I think a site total for September sits at 103 of which I saw 98.

The years total is now 132 and beyond my target of 130. I can't see too many more species dropping in but I do expect Rock pipit and Redpoll in the winter so those two should be givens and maybe just a surprise or two.

Here's a few of the birds encountered this month.

Gadwall

Wigeon

Pheasant

Goosander

Red Kite

Fox

Peregrine

Scaup

Starling

Hybrid (Canada x Greylag)

Med Gull

Peregrine

Knot

Black necked Grebe

Pochard

Cormorant

Hirundines

Black-necked Grebes

Crow

Whinchat

Whinchat

Swan

Scaup

Wheatear

Little ringed Plover

Wheatear

Peregrine

Turnstone

I also managed to read the ring on the Peregrine at last and found it to have been rung in May this year at a nest in Bury St.Edmunds so that put that to bed although locally we had it down as a female and the ringers had it down as a male.

So onwards and upwards as we move into October.