Pennington Marsh - 4th September

As I drank a coffee at the corner of Lower Pennington Lane on a very still early September morning it was evident that there were large numbers of hirundine overhead, I scanned the flock which comprised mainly House Martin moving at some altitude. There were small numbers of Swallow and Sand Martin present but numbers were overwhelming dominated by House Martin. Until around 09:00 the hirundine constantly chattering overhead was a constant feature of the morning and as I reached the seawall at the jetty and scanned back north the numbers present were uncountable, probably several thousand birds present seemingly mainly feeding but with a general westward drift of birds. But, at around 09:00 the wind slowly gathered pace from a north-east direction and the majority of birds vanished with only small numbers left feeding low over the reedbeds and lagoons. I was not sure whether this was a movement of birds as such or whether these represented birds that had roosted in the reedbeds before dispersing - certainly Portland had nowhere like these numbers while at Hengistbury there were 430 House Martin counted.

After parking at Lower Pennington Lane a quick look at Efford Lagoon produced 25 Teal, 10 Tufted Duck, two Wigeon, a single Whimbrel and 11 Snipe but little else. I wandered over the Old Tip where in the Brambles were seven Whitethroat, a single Lesser Whitethroat and three Sedge Warbler. There were good numbers of Yellow Wagtail around the cattle with approximately 30 present. From the seawall, other than the hirundines it seemed fairly slow. The lagoons are still remarkably dry although there appears to be sufficient water to entice small numbers of wader. On Jetty Lagoon were a single Spotted Redshank and four Black-tailed Godwit and a single Reed Warbler was 'pished' from the reeds. On Butts Lagoon numbers were higher with 15 Teal, 45 Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Dunlin, single Greenshank, Spotted Redshank and five Snipe. I scanned to sea from the corner of Butts Lagoon for a while, there was a little to be seen but for a female/immature Goosander feeding around the saltmarsh edges and the summering male Common Scoter still present. On the mudflats were 40 Turnstone, 25 Grey Plover and 30 Ringed Plover. While the male Peregrine sat and scanned the saltmarsh from its favoured perch.

Continuing my journey west along the seawall, Fishtail Lagoon was very quiet but for a couple of Black-tailed Godwit including a superb juvenile in fresh plumage and adult winter and juvenile Spotted Redshank which showed very well as they fed in unison in the shallows. A single Sedge Warbler was skulking in the sedge beds. At Keyhaven Lagoon there were 11 Avocet, 125 Teal, 175 Lapwing and my first Knot of the winter, a small flock of seven juvenile birds. It was 10:00 and time to head to work but it had been a very pleasant morning.

 

Adult winter Spotted Redshank - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Adult winter Spotted Redshank - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Juvenile Spotted Redshank - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Juvenile Spotted Redshank - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Juvenile Spotted Redshank - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Juvenile Spotted Redshank - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Juvenile Black-tailed Godwit - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Juvenile Black-tailed Godwit - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Juvenile Black-tailed Godwit - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Lapwing - Keyhaven Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Lapwing - Keyhaven Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

Moorhen Lapwing - Jetty Lagoon, Pennington Marsh

There are lots of Goldfinch on the Teasel but they are in heavy moult and looking pretty scrappy - Pennington Marsh

And here are a couple of my favourite autumnal moths which have just appeared on the wing and caught in my trap at our cottage in the Cotswolds over the weekend.

Feathered Gothic - Cowley, Cheltenham

Frosted Orange - Cowley, Cheltenham