Summary of the year to date
The Observation pages contain a synopsis of the more interesting sightings of birds at Rye Meads over the past year, plus a summary of last year.
Observations in September and October
Waterfowl numbers have been slow to build up this Autumn. Teal and Shoveler were recorded at 78 and 51 respectively during the WeBS counts; and maxima of 15 Wigeon and 22 Greylags were also recorded. A Garganey was present throughout September and into early October. In addition there was the usual smattering of Little Egret records.
To the usual raptor records of Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Buzzard, Hobby and the now more or less regular Red Kite and Peregrine, we can add two sightings of Osprey both heading south in October.
One or two Water Rail were occasionally seen, and Lapwing found the partial drainage of No 1 lagoon to their liking as a daytime roost, with numbers hitting 186 by the end of October. A rarer visitor was a Ruff which stayed for a week in September. There were up to 6 Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper was seen on 5 dates probably involving 3 individuals.
There was a southerly movement of 269 Woodpigeons in late October, and Collared Dove numbers have been higher than usual with up to 16 being counted. Hirundine passage was noted on one day in mid September, with counts of 74 Sand Martins, 305 Swallows and 90 House Martins in what was almost certainly a broad front migration. Each of these species had fairly early "last dates" in what has been a poor season for them at Rye Meads.
There was a modest Autumn passage of Skylarks in October with up to 18 birds. Meadow Pipits were earlier, starting southwards mid September with 60 being the highest number recorded in the period. It was the best autumn passage of Yellow Wagtails for many years with up to 9 birds on four dates in September, many of these records associated with the heavier grazing in the meadows.A Whinchat was seen on 5 Sep, two were seen on 9th and another single on 11th. A solitary Wheatear was present on 6 Sep.
Fieldfare just squeezed into this bulletin with 28 at the end of October. Redwings arrived en masse, with 125 flying south-west on their first recorded day of the Autumn in early October, followed by up to 130 later in the month.
Up to 7 Cetti's Warblers were recorded, and the usual tail end Charlies amongst the departing summer warblers. Chiffchaff last dates are always difficult to assess but a gap in records between middle and end October may suggest the last British bird departing and the first European bird arriving.
Just two Siskins and two Lesser Redpolls, plus a small passage involving up to 15 Linnets, represent the best of a poor Autumn for finches.