September

September proved to be a good month for me finding a lovely Red Necked Phalarope on my patch at Carr Beds at dusk on the 14/9 in gales force winds and rain with 3 exhausted Guillimots on the river Eden nearby for company. I couldnt take any photos in the poor conditions so i was disappointed when there was no sign of it the following morning, however while at work i got a text to say it was present in the afternoon and afterwork i managed to get some great photos in the sunshine. It was again absent the following morning but present in the afternoon and was thought to have been taken by a sparrowhawk late afternoon, a sad end to a lovely bird.






The rest of the month was also interesting starting with a flurry of waders on the 3/9 a good count of 7 Curlew Sandpipers, all juveniles were at Port Carlisle with a spotted redshank also in the harbour. This increased to 11 juveniles the following day with the Spotted Redshank still present. Also on the 4/9 Anthorn held 15 greenshank, 6 ruff and a Black Tailed Godwit, while nearby at Whitrigg there were 2 second summer Med Gulls and 4 Little Egrets. The following day there were 17 Greenshank, 4 Ruff and 2 Little Egrets at Anthorn. On the 6/9 there were still 9 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper at Port Carlisle and away from the Solway on Thakka Flash near Penrith there were 2 Ruff. On the 12/9 there were still 7 Curlew Sandpiper at Port Carlisle with the Spotted Redshank still present as well.

A break from waders gave a female Marsh Harrier over Tindale Fell/Tarn on the 6/9, while 2 Common Terns there on the 10/9 were unusual.

The 7/9 brought 2 Black Terns to Longtown pools with 1 still present the following day which stayed until the 10/9.



Longtown also had an Osprey over the river Esk on the 8/9.

The strong winds previously mentioned on the 14/9 were productive with Black Tern on the River Eden of Rockliffe village as well as 13 Greenshank and a late Swift. There was also a Black Tern on the river Esk at longtown and 2 Ruddy Shelduck were in the river Eden channel at Rockliffe Marsh.

The wind also brought one of the very few Petrels of this year past Workington Pier, a Leach's.

I went on holiday to Cornwall on the 18/9 hoping not to miss much locally. There were Black Terns at Talkin Tarn on the 18/9 and one at Port Carlisle harbour the following day. Another Leachs Petrel went past workington on the 19/9 and one on the 20/9, while a count of 7 Med gull there was a high one.

There was a little Stint at Anthorn on the 20/9 with 2 guillimot there still suffering the effects of the storm all of which were still present the following day.

Also there were up to 5 Little Egrets in the vicinity of Campfield Marsh one of which was a colour ringed bird ringed in the Isle of Man.

2 Little Gulls were on Longtown Ponds on the 21/9 while a Brambling was ringed at Bass Lake on the 27/9 and a Waxwing was reported on the 25/9 from Dalston.

Another good migrant reported was a Yellow Browed warbler in a jockey Shield, Castle Carrock garden.