Bridge of Sighs - Robin Trower

After the 'purple' finish to last month (Wryneck, Tree Sparrow, Brent Goose and Sabine's Gull) it was always likely there would be a dip to start September. There was, but under an overcast sky and continuing chill north east breeze, I made an early start for Portland. At Barleycrates the tone of the walk was set with just 4 dozen Swallows, c8 Wheatear, c5 Sand Martin along with 2 each of Raven and Peregrine. Things did brighten a little as I flushed a Grasshopper Warbler from the weed field close to the Privet Hedge and 'heard' another (a 'hat trick') in the Sun Flower field opposite the Observatory. My joy was short lived as announcing to all and sundry at the Obs and making note on the daily record sheet of the Warblers to find that the song was coming from a 'tape lure' and not a Gropper!

Little in the Moth Traps as well,with just this poor shot of a ROSY RUSTIC, so to cut my losses it was hot foot to Ferry Bridge for the turn of the high tide.

On the way there was a Yellow Wagtail at Southwell, while at the Bridge the first signs of Zostra (Eel) Grass had been washed up on the foreshore which should be of benefit to the 'hundreds' of Brent Geese that will be arriving here all too soon.

The Paralympic Sailing started today,so no surprise to see the Royal Navy Bomb Disposal Team patrolling the Fleet, but the ebb was about to begin so time time to take up station at the high water mark.

Already there were a number of MEDITERRANEAN GULLs there

 including a couple of young birds along with

a few BLACK-HEADED GULLs.

Shortly a SANDWICH TERN joined the throng while a further c2 passed over the Chesil Beach and into West Bay.

Having tripped over the laptop lead and severed the connection yesterday evening (sober I might add) and now reduced to the 'tablet', it was just easier to download all the photographs after editing, hence the array.

Small Waders started to arrive, including c5 SANDERLING about 100 Ringed Plover

andlikely as many DUNLIN

in varying stages of plumage and stance.

 

Some still maintain traces of summer plumage,

while others have lost much of their black bellies.

That's when another Tern dropped in, this time what looks like a juvenile COMMON TERN.

and finally at the Bridge there was a fly past by one of the adult MEDITERRANEAN GULLs also in winter attire.

and here are the Stats after another good month.

	Num	Perc.	Country Name
	69887	71.54%	United Kingdom
	7351	7.53%	United States
	1295	1.33%	Canada
	1107	1.13%	Australia
	1038	1.06%	Germany
	961	0.98%	Estonia
	943	0.97%	France
	908	0.93%	Japan
	894	0.92%	Netherlands
	757	0.77%	Italy
	685	0.70%	India
	655	0.67%	New Zealand
	625	0.64%	Spain
	600	0.61%	Philippines
	524	0.54%	Taiwan
	484	0.50%	Brazil
	442	0.45%	Korea, Republic Of
	386	0.40%	Sweden
	369	0.38%	Poland
	353	0.36%	Thailand
	329	0.34%	Belgium
	303	0.31%	Russian Federation
	298	0.31%	Norway
	236	0.24%	Romania
	232	0.24%	Ireland
	229	0.23%	Switzerland
	228	0.23%	South Africa
	218	0.22%	Malaysia
	210	0.21%	Mexico
	207	0.21%	Turkey
	199	0.20%	Finland
	194	0.20%	Peru
	190	0.19%	Indonesia
	160	0.16%	Portugal
	160	0.16%	Greece
	160	0.16%	Czech Republic
	158	0.16%	Argentina
	151	0.15%	Denmark
	149	0.15%	Colombia
	139	0.14%	Hungary
	133	0.14%	Sri Lanka
	133	0.14%	Israel
	131	0.13%	Pakistan
	129	0.13%	Singapore
	128	0.13%	Saudi Arabia
	113	0.12%	Ukraine
	112	0.11%	Bulgaria
	109	0.11%	United Arab Emirates
	105	0.11%	Hong Kong
	104	0.11%	Vietnam
	87	0.09%	Croatia
	85	0.09%	Slovakia
	82	0.08%	Chile
	76	0.08%	Austria
	75	0.08%	Oman
	68	0.07%	Anonymous Proxy
	66	0.07%	Serbia
	63	0.06%	Costa Rica
	59	0.06%	Venezuela
	56	0.06%	Malta
	54	0.06%	Europe
	54	0.06%	Lithuania
	51	0.05%	Egypt
	46	0.05%	Madagascar
	46	0.05%	Ecuador
	44	0.05%	Qatar
	41	0.04%	Bangladesh
	37	0.04%	Asia/pacific Region
	35	0.04%	Palestinian Territory
	34	0.03%	El Salvador
	33	0.03%	Slovenia
	33	0.03%	Luxembourg
	32	0.03%
	26	0.03%	Guatemala
	26	0.03%	Trinidad And Tobago
	26	0.03%	Morocco
	26	0.03%	Iraq
	25	0.03%	Satellite Provider
	25	0.03%	Georgia
	23	0.02%	Guernsey
	23	0.02%	Lebanon
	23	0.02%	Mongolia
	22	0.02%	Dominican Republic
	21	0.02%	Latvia
	20	0.02%	Jamaica
	20	0.02%	Yemen
	20	0.02%	Lao People's Democratic Republic
	19	0.02%	Kuwait
	19	0.02%	Belarus
	18	0.02%	Cyprus
	18	0.02%	Macedonia
	17	0.02%	Kenya
	15	0.02%	Isle Of Man
	15	0.02%	Jersey
	14	0.01%	Belize
	12	0.01%	Maldives
	12	0.01%	Jordan
	11	0.01%	Armenia
	11	0.01%	Algeria
	11	0.01%	Montenegro
	11	0.01%	Gibraltar
	11	0.01%	Bermuda
	10	0.01%	Moldova, Republic Of
	10	0.01%	Tunisia
	10	0.01%	Azerbaijan
	9	0.01%	Cambodia
	9	0.01%	Nigeria
	9	0.01%	Bahrain
	9	0.01%	Reunion
	9	0.01%	Panama
	8	0.01%	China
	8	0.01%	Virgin Island, U.s.
	8	0.01%	Uruguay
	7	0.01%	Iceland
	7	0.01%	Puerto Rico
	7	0.01%	Zimbabwe
	7	0.01%	Bosnia And Herzegovina
	7	0.01%	Aruba
	7	0.01%	Namibia
	7	0.01%	Nepal
	6	0.01%	Netherlands Antilles
	6	0.01%	New Caledonia
	6	0.01%	Brunei Darussalam
	6	0.01%	Tanzania, United Republic Of
	6	0.01%	Honduras
	5	0.01%	Ethiopia
	5	0.01%	Bhutan
	5	0.01%	Mauritius
	5	0.01%	Albania
	5	0.01%	Barbados
	4	0.00%	Bahamas
	4	0.00%	Syrian Arab Republic
	3	0.00%	Guyana
	3	0.00%	Zambia
	3	0.00%	Dominica
	3	0.00%	Bolivia
	3	0.00%	Virgin Islands, British
	3	0.00%	Cameroon
	3	0.00%	Faroe Islands
	3	0.00%	Gambia
	3	0.00%	Sudan
	2	0.00%	Macao
	2	0.00%	Seychelles
	2	0.00%	Uganda
	2	0.00%	Botswana
	2	0.00%	Ghana
	2	0.00%	Andorra
	2	0.00%	Guam
	2	0.00%	Grenada
	2	0.00%	Gabon
	2	0.00%	Iran, Islamic Republic Of
	2	0.00%	Fiji
	1	0.00%	Afghanistan
	1	0.00%	Malawi
	1	0.00%	Haiti
	1	0.00%	French Polynesia
	1	0.00%	Uzbekistan
	1	0.00%	Falkland Islands (malvinas)
	1	0.00%	Suriname
	1	0.00%	Cote D'ivoire
	1	0.00%	Vanuatu
	1	0.00%	Saint Lucia
	1	0.00%	Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
	1	0.00%	Swaziland
	1	0.00%	Turks And Caicos Islands
	1	0.00%	Cayman Islands
	1	0.00%	Kazakhstan
	1	0.00%	Martinique