The heavy downpours which started on the 27th August continued into the beginning of September bringing much needed rain. On the 1st, a Slow Worm and 2 young Field Voles were seen under the corrugated metal mats near the Top Field Shelter. About 140+ Linnets were counted over both the old and new crops. 20 Swallows and a dozen House Martins were over Top Field after a rain shower, and a male Stone Chat was seen in the new crop. On the 2nd, a Sparrowhawk was seen taking a Linnet from the old crop. There were 3 Buzzards on posts or overhead. About 120+ Linnets and a flock of 50 Swallows over Main Field during a rain shower. A Grey Heron flew up from the Flo Pond early afternoon. One of the apple trees had gone over in the rain and was re-staked. There was a Blackcap in Kiln Close hedge with a tit flock, surprising lack of any other activity. The Sloes in the Pennsland Lane hedge were prolific and ripe, and a Badger or some other wildlife had been in the Staff/Volunteer allotment plots eating sweetcorn cobs. The seed in this year’s bird crop is ripe and Linnets and other species are frequently seen feeding. There were lots of small toadlets in the grass below the ponds.
There was Mullein and White Campion flowering at the side of the old crop on the 3rd and lots of wild Carrot flowering in the Nectar Strip. A Sparrowhawk was flying low over the Main Field and was joined by a second as it ascended, a third one was seen at the same time flying over adjacent woodland. There were approximately 60 Linnets flying over the crops, there is still seed on last years Forage Rape. Whatever had been eating the sweetcorn cobs in the allotments had come back for more. We think it was probably deer.
On the 5th, there was more ringing on the LLP – 25 Linnets, 4 Blackcaps and Blue Tits, 3 Great Tits, a female Firecrest, a male Sparrowhawk, a female Stonechat, a Marsh Tit & a Goldfinch. Also a retrapped Blue Tit from a box in Corner Wood (2025) and a Stonechat ringed on the crop in early August. Now: 210 Linnets ringed, 3 Buzzards, a Hobby, a female Sparrowhawk, 4 Tree Pipits, a Meadow Pipit, a Grey Wagtail, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, a House Sparrow and c50 Linnets elsewhere on LLP. There was also the first big Swallow passage of the autumn, with flocks going through consistently all afternoon, probably well over 250 birds. 2 were ringed.
A Kingfisher was seen at the Flo Pond. It was seen again on the 7th and 7 Meadow pipits were seen over the Top Field.
On the 9th, there was a Tree Pipit in the old crop and a Kingfisher and a Grey Heron at the Flo Pond. A Kingfisher was seen again on the 11th and possibly 2 heard. There was a juvenile male Goshawk over the orchard, a small movement of House Martins and Swallows, 6 Stonechats in the crops and 30 Linnets and Meadow Pipits.
The 3 young Barn Owls in the Polebox were seen on the roof and exercise platform between 06:05 and 06:15 on the 16th. BOLT Trustee Tony found an active Dormouse nest along the Apprentice Path (and another in 1 of boxes in the neighbouring woodland). In the morning, there was more ringing which included the following species: Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Robin, Coal Tit, Linnet (including 1 retrap), Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Great Tit (retrap), Wren and Stonechat, on the 16th and Meadow Pipit (Total = 32 birds) from Top Field and Solar Panels. There was a flock of 7 Meadow Pipits around the old crop, and 70 Linnets on the new crop. Later in the day, another 10 birds were ringed including the following species: Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Great Tit and a Marsh Tit (retrap) (total 10 birds). Daniel and volunteers cleared the area above the cattle trough in Kiln Close and marked out the underground electric cable near the static release aviary in the morning. In afternoon, they collected apples from 3 overburdened trees in the orchard. These will be stored and put out in the winter for the wildlife. An Apple tree by the Oakley Pond had collapsed and needed pulling back up. Another tree with cooking apple had a snapped branch removed.
Daniel strimmed under the electric fence around the new crop on the 18th to prevent the grass shorting out the fence. Mateo cut 2 props for the fallen apple tree on the 19th; there was also more ringing of various species. Two Barn Owls were seen on the polebox platform and 12 Meadow Pipits and 9 Swallows were counted, 90+ Linnets were seen around the crops, and a Siskin was calling around the Barn.
On the 22nd, David used the tractor to pull the apple tree above the Flo Pond back up and it was propped. A very large flock of Swallows and House Martins (80/20) were seen around the Top Field from midday well into the late afternoon. The total flock was more than 300 birds, with strong passage all day. There was a notable increase in the amount of Meadow Pipits, Stonechats and Goldfinches around the old and new crop. There were 2 Slow Worms under corrugated metal in Top Field. A flock of 30 Meadow Pipits were around the old crop on the 23rd, 3 Grey Wagtails were overhead and by the Flo Pond was a Kingfisher. There was a Treecreeper outside the office on Oak trees in a mixed tit flock. The Linnet/Goldfinch flock had swelled to a minimum of 200 birds by the 25th and a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk were seen over the crops.
The 3 young Barn Owls were spotted roosting away from the Polebox in an ivy-clad tree in the remnant hedge at 15:00 on the 26th. On the 27th, the trail camera on the Swallow Pond picked up a Barn Owl bathing on the edge. Fly Agaric fungi (Amanita muscaria) had appeared along the Apprentice Path by the 28th, with Penny Bun (Boletus edulis) on the path in Corner Wood and Parasols (Macrolepiota procera) in profusion in the rough grassland above the Polebox in the Main Field. A small flock of 8 Skylarks were around the old crop on the 29th, a flock of 250+ Linnets and Goldfinches were seen in the crops and Pennsland Lane Hedge. A dozen Blackbirds were around the Solar Panels and a Green Woodpecker was heard.
September’s weather didn’t break any records for the month, but the mean temperature was 6% below our 20-year average at 13.3°C with variations between 5.2°C and 20°C. It was wetter than our average of 75.79mm at 124.6mm over 19-days but significantly below 2023 and 2024.
