August

The trickle of migrants, started in July, becomes a steady stream towards the end of August as we begin to see more and more of the small perching birds passing through. Because they stay longer there is a better opportunity to observe them than in the spring. Amongst these birds of passage, one may expect to see redstart, both pied and spotted flycatchers, whinchat, a close relative of our native stonechat, willow warbler and yellow wagtail. Wheatear are common.

In the harbour too we begin to see our winter migrants returning and to admire how some of them, for example turnstone and grey plover, look far more dashing in their summer plumage.

Our resident linnets seem to leave us by now although some of them can be seen in the large flocks of, mainly, greenfinch seen feeding on the seeds on the foreshore just over our boundary fence.