September 2025

September at last saw a couple of new birds for the year. The first of these was Common Sandpiper, with a bird by Big Bend on the river on the 14^th. More surprising were two more near First Bend on the same day…

The other addition was a small flock of Redpoll over Jim & Sue’s garden and I had a single flyover in the Magic Garden.

Not much else to report on the bird front although the wagtails made the most of the mid-month floods with four Grey Wagtail and at least 35 Pied feeding on the floating flood debris…

The floods were surprisingly high and for the first time my normal river loop was blocked by floodwater…

and I ended up battling up a hawthorn bank and climbing gingerly over a barbed wire fence. The only recompense was I flushed two Red-legged Partridge in a field here, the first I have had south of the main road in many years.

In terms of summer migrants all three hirundines were still feeding over the river at month end and both Chiffchaff and Willow warbler were present throughout the month. The last Yellow Wagtail was seen on 14^th September. ‘Winter’ visitors though were early with at least 40 Meadow Pipits present from mid-month and even a very early Redwing on the 28^th.

Otherwise, it has been moths which have provided the most interest with a particularly good night on the 19^th when I put the trap in Jim & Sue’s garden. 129 moths of 37 species is a good local haul for September and it included three new species for the village, all migrants, Rush Veneer, Rusty-dot Pearl And best of all Vestal…

There were only eight records of this beautiful little moth in the whole of Yorkshire last year.

A good supporting cast too including Beautiful Hook-tip…

And the stunning Merveille Du Jour…