September is the pivotal month for bird migration with birds leaving us and other species arriving later in the month from Northern Europe. Although a fantastic month for witnessing bird migration, I have to say that October is without doubt the best month for this phenomena with autumn storms from the south-west seeing the arrival of birds from North America, whilst here in the east we can witness the spectacular arrival of thousands of winter Thrushes and Finches from Northern Europe along with scarce and rare passerines from Europe and Siberia.
1 September
The day began with a male Blackcap in our native hedgerow where it remained for much of the day, obviously a resting migrant bird which hopefully benefitted from the soft fruits in the hedge. Subsong was heard.
The hedgerow also attracted a couple of Blackbirds which fed upon berries of the Dogwood bush whilst other common species noted included a number of House Sparrows. A juvenile Collared Dove was being fed by a parent bird.
A female Sparrowhawk was seen on a couple of occasions overhead, the second occasion saw the raptor closing its wings and plummeting towards the ground.
Overhead movements included a light passage of House Martins and Swallows in a north-west heading, perhaps this was pre-migration reorienting behaviour.
Lepidoptera species in the garden today included two Hummingbird Hawk Moths and a single Painted Lady butterfly.
