PASSAGE WILLOW WARBLERS

Willow warblers have begun stopping off on the Island during their autumn passage south. Three were down the side of the Firs Caravan park on Friday 5th and one was also with a long-tailed tit flock in Firs Chase.

A whimbrel was feeding along the Strood channel on Friday with other waders being 250 black-tailed godwits, 200 redshank, five grey plover and a golden plover. Two buzzards were high over the Strood Hill while a peregrine flew over the seawall carrying some prey.

A yellow wagtail perched on the Strood seawall sluice on Friday. A stonechat was still feeding along the central ditch, twenty linnets were also here while 300 starlings were feeding by the Strood road and three swifts over the town.

A southern migrant hawker was along the Strood dyke, a hummingbird hawkmoth flashed past the Hard car park and another was seen in the Firs Chase garden.

On Thursday 4th five willow warblers were feeding in the birches in Feldy View.

A juvenile green woodpecker was peeking round the side of a tree in Feldy View.

Three buzzards drifted south-west off the Island by the Strood on Thursday.

Along the seawall were seen 250 black-tailed godwits, 250 redshank, eight grey plover, lapwing, two common terns, while two stonechats, forty linnets and two yellow wagtails were in the fields.

A great white egret was seen flying over the Strood causeway late Thursday afternoon by Steve Entwistle.

A painted lady was seen in the Firs Chase garden on Thursday afternoon and nine greenshank were seen high over Firs Chase as they flew south west to the Hard.

A brown argus was seen in Feldy View on Thursday.

A little egret was feeding along the Strood channel on Wednesday 3rd, also four others and a grey heron. A peregrine flew over the channel, flushing away the waders and gulls, as it headed high to the Dabchicks. After birds had settled back, 310 black-tailed godwits were counted with most near the Dabchicks, also 200 redshank, six grey plover and common tern. 

In the fields were flocks of 50 house sparrows and thirty linnets, also a whitethroat and two yellow wagtails while eight swifts were over the houses.

Andy Field enjoyed a close view of a male marsh harrier near Feldy View on Wednesday, although no sign of any willow warblers.

It was nice to see the female red squirrel return to the garden feeder in Firs Chase on Tuesday 2nd.

Along the Strood were 150 black-tailed godwits, 150 redshank, three grey plover, seven dunlin, 50 house sparrows, two yellow wagtails and five swifts over the houses.

At Cudmore Grove on Tuesday Steve Entwistle noted a barn owl at the nestbox by the park pond, also sedge warbler, 2 blackcaps, lesser whitethroat, four whitethroats, 15 long-tailed tits, five swifts, offshore were 125 black-tailed godwits and 21 common gulls.

Most of the 250 black-tailed godwits were resting on the mud behind the Dabchicks sailing club on Monday 1st. Other waders along the Strood channel were two whimbrel, six grey plover, 200 redshank, also 12 little egrets and two grey herons.

A marsh harrier, two buzzards, two kestrels were seen also a young sparrowhawk calling near the Lane. Ten swifts and a house martin were noted flying over the houses, while three willow warblers were feeding in a pine tree in Feldy View. Three yellow wagtails, three reed warblers, blackcap and a whitethroat were also noted on the walk.

At Cudmore Grove on Monday, Andy Field reported seeing barn owl in the box, water rail heard at the pond, 283 black-tailed godwits, whimbrel, leucistic oystercatcher, six common terns, little tern, three Mediterranean gulls, ten reed warblers, sedge warbler, six whitethroats, three blackcaps and two chiffchaffs.

A red squirrel was seen in a garden in Bromans Lane on Monday morning by Simon Patient.

Beside the Bower Hall seawall on Monday Steve Entwistle saw a male southern migrant hawker, 19 ruddy darters and nine blue-tailed damselflies. Eleven house martins were at Maydays and six more over Haycocks, also a yellow wagtail at Maydays. A swift was over Empress Drive.

Recent moth highlights from the Firs Chase garden include a couple of black arches, the first ones here for three years

A second gypsy moth for the summer.

A sandhill rustic - a nice coastal species.

Small rufous, first garden record