September 30, 2005
A Good Month For Passing Birds
September Bird News.
Birds.
I saw 72 species of bird in the Alcossebre area this month.
There was a good variety of migrants passing through this month ranging from single birds to many thousands e.g. Barn Swallow.
There was a ‘Fall’ of birds on the 20th September after some strong winds and thunderstorms.
No new species were added to the Alcossebre Bird List which stands at 162 species.
Highlights of the Month.
The first Mediterranean Shearwater of the autumn was seen on the 17th.
One Night Heron flew south on then 12th.
A total of 96 Grey Herons flew south with the biggest day total 35 birds on the 24th.
Apart from the ‘local birds’ a total of 9 Little Egrets flew south.
Single Black Kites flew south on the 2nd,12th and 17th.
A single Marsh Harrier flew south- west on the 12th.
Four single Sparrowhawks were seen on the 9th,13th,17th and 18th.
A single Common Buzzard flew south- west on the 14th.
Three Booted Eagles flew south- west on the 12th and a single flew south on the 30th.
A single Osprey flew south- west on the 11th.
A single Arctic Skua was seen on the 26th.
A late Alpine Swift was seen over my house on the 29th.
A total of 108 Bee- eaters were seen flying south up to the 17th – the biggest day total was 41 birds.
Very few Sand Martins were seen, three birds flew south on the 11th and a single on the 29th.
Thousands of Barn Swallows passed through all month with a peak of 330 birds per hour on the 11th. This movement lasted all day as it did on the 1st,3rd,12th,13th,18th,24th and 26th.
House Martins numbers did not reach the totals of Swallows, but there was almost daily passage, with a peak of 70 birds per hour on the 29th.
Small numbers of Blue Headed Wagtails passed through with a peak of 9 birds on the 22nd.
Single Nightingales were seen on the 1st and the 9th.
The first Common Redstart of the autumn was seen on the 21st, thereafter single birds.
The first Whinchat of the autumn was seen on the 1st,thereafter one or two birds.
The first Common Wheatear of the autumn was seen on the 18th, thereafter singles.
The first Cetti’s Warbler of the autumn turned up at the local sewage pond on the 29th.
There was a small passage of Reed Warblers from the 20th to the 30th, one to three birds seen at the sewage pond and Torre de Capycorp pond.
Single Melodious Warblers were seen on the 20th and 21st.
Two Subalpine Warblers were seen on the 27th.
Single Common and Lesser Whitethroats were seen on the 20th amongst a ‘Fall’ of migrants.
The first Blackcap of the autumn also turned up with this Fall of birds on the 20th.
The biggest monthly total of 12 Willow Warblers was also seen on the 20th.
Both Spotted and Pied Flycatchers were seen through out the month. Best totals were 3 Spotted on the 20th and 2 Pied on several days.
One or two Golden Orioles were seen up to the 11th.
Up to three Southern Great Grey Shrikes were seen through out the month.
Single Woodchat Shrikes were seen up to the 14th.
Single Cirl Buntings were seen through out the month.
Hay!
Your photo's are getting better each month, some really crisp ones this month.