Nosterfield NR September 2022 Bird Review
“But when fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favourite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you.”
― Stephen King, Salem’s Lot
September very much started fast off the blocks, but gradually ran out of steam towards the end of the month, with a few long-staying quality birds going the distance, so I think the old friend alluded to above fell asleep for a bit!
In the first couple of days, there was a scattering of autumnal waders with a few Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Ruff and Black-Tailed Godwit to pad out the keen birder’s notebook.
Black-Tailed Godwits go for it
Light south-easterlies on 3rd saw a distinct spike in action, with two Whimbrel and a creditable nine Greenshank through south. The first of a run of Curlew Sandpipers arrived on the Reserve and a male Osprey appeared over Flasks Lake. Additionally, a new female-type Redstart was located down Flasks Lane and three Goldcrests were also notable. The following day was not to be outdone and yielded 35 Little Egrets, a record for the recording area! A Little Stint and Little Ringed Plover joined the Curlew Sandpiper from the day before, and a flyover Green Sandpiper added to the wader fest. The theme continued on 5th with a mixed flock of 92 Dunlin and five Turnstone briefly on Flasks Lake before heading off south. The previous day’s Little Egret record was broken , with a count of 40 birds and two Little Stint were present. More great birding was to be had on 6th, with now two Curlew Sandpipers and a Wood Sandpiper present, whilst two Wheatear and two Whinchat were also notable on the same day.
Waders on the move over Flasks Lake
The pinnacle of this exhausting avian entertainment was reached on 7th, with a very decent visible migration including a Great White Egret, 60 Ringed Plover, four Curlew Sandpipers and 226 Meadow Pipits, all moving south. A further two Curlew Sandpipers were present, as well as 12 Ruff, a Marsh Harrier, two Hobbys, 53 Pied and 7 Yellow Wagtails - not a bad day all in all.
Over the next few days the pace calmed, but a Spotted Flycatcher was new on 8th and a Whimbrel went south and a creditable four Little Stint were present on 9th.
Spotted Flycatcher
On 10th, the first Great Black-Backed gulls (four) for a while were present and on 11th, 337 Curlew were counted. Bar-Tail Godwit was added to the month’s list on 13th, with a single on the Reserve hanging around with the Curlew until the next day.
Peregrine was seen regularly during the month; this juvenile photographed and posted by
Kevin and Bernie Thornton
Any doubt about the arrival of autumn was quelled on 15th, when 52 Pink-Footed Geese moved south over the recording area. On 17th the first Stonechat of the autumn put in a one day appearance from the Northern Viewing Screen.
The month then went into a very gentle finale, with minor interest now and then. On 21st this took the form of a colour-ringed Barnacle Goose, all the way from Scorton Quarry where it had acquired its jewellery. A Grey Plover, always a good bird here, was present on Flasks Lake on 22nd, and one, possibly two Curlew Sandpipers on 24th most likely were new. Further flocks of Pink-Footed Geese were seen over the closing days of the month, which ended on a high note with a single migrant Brambling.
Andrew Hanby, on behalf of the Nosterfield Naturalists 5th October 2022