Into July and returning waders featured with 4 Curlews and 20
Black-tailed Godwits back on the Thames at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London.
On the opposite side of the river 2 Common Sandpipers present at Erith (26th) with 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls at this site earlier in the month (12th). Similar wader
sightings continued into August when a calling Sandwich Tern flew down river (8th).
Yellow Wagtails noted in July and through to September, as were 2 Great White
Egrets on the few remaining pools at Rainham Marshes RSPB, where a Garganey
resided in late August. Greenshanks obvious and vocal in late August and into
September. Several Yellow-legged Gulls present during July and August but only
1x juv. seen in late July, are the numbers down locally and nationally? A
single 1st summer Caspian Gull noted. In this area of the Thames
Ravens, Marsh Harriers, Red Kites and Buzzards present throughout and Hobby
sightings regular, with one youngster spooking a Stock Dove at Rainham Marshes
RSPB only to realise this was not a Dragonfly and mission aborted! Peregrines
noted on occasion about the capital and Tawny Owl vocal in the suburbs in
August. Butterflies - in late summer Clouded Yellows present at Rainham Marshes
RSPB plus sightings continued of Wall Brown.
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| Caspian Gull |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Clouded Yellow |
Twitched the summering Long-tailed Shrike on the Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire
border in late August. Arguably the best Shrike species. Nice to see many Corn
Buntings here that also showed despite the very wet and muggy conditions on the day of the twitch.
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| Long-tailed Shrike |
Back on the northern moorlands a wandering mid-summer Osprey was
great to see away from passage. Not entirely surprising given the increase in
numbers of this species throughout GB. It seemed to be doing a wide ranging
loop supported by sightings across July and into August. Hobby noted in July
and 3 Crossbills seen, a drop in activity compared to earlier in the year which
can be expected for this nomadic species. A family of Little Owls settled in
nicely to what was probably a new site for them. Late August and in the first
week of September a passage Osprey powered over a moorland Beck, several other
passage raptors noted and the set of 4 Falcon species observed on one walk.
Cuckoo sighted, no doubt from a moorland Meadow Pipit nest, and several family
parties of Stonechats present wandering across and hiding in the heather and
ferns. Twitched a Red-necked Phalarope at Redmires Reservoir, Sheffield, which
was tricky to spot on the choppy waters.
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| Osprey |
In early September Old Moor RSPB, Barnsley held
several wader species including a long staying Spotted Redshank, 6+ Greenshanks
and Green Sandpipers, with similar numbers of Ruff and a few Black-tailed
Godwits and Dunlin. A Little Stint was nice to see, but the stars were the
Spoonbills in the Dearne Valley. 10 at Old Moor RSPB (2nd) and 15 at
nearby Wombwell Ings RSPB (4th). A long staying Caspian Gull (1st summer) Yellow ring P:Y1X was ringed at a Caspian Gull colony in Poland in 2025, and present on one visit (4th). On the same day I saw a Garganey on
the 3rd main body of water of “The Wath Area” – Broomhill Flash. The
highlight for me over several visits was Wath Area Tick 197 in the form of 2 Ravens flying over the back
of Old Moor RSPB on the same date, one perched for a moment on a pylon then
both drifted north.
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| Caspian Gull (P:Y1X) |
More average photos uploaded at 'Latest UK Bird Photos'. Please enjoy.
