Birdwatcher’s Diary No.356

Published on: 20 Sep, 2026
Updated on: 20 Sep, 2026

By Malcolm Fincham

Temperatures remained respectfully in the low to mid 20s with nighttime cooling only into the high teens Celsius as we moved into September and the first metrological days of autumn.

A warm and sunny start to the month continued to see a good number of late summer butterflies still on the wing, during my walks around one of my local patches – the old horse fields at Whitmoor Common.

Clouded yellow butterfly in old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

Clouded yellow butterflies continued to be sighted about the field, counting a good handful or more on most visits.

Their numbers being far more this year at the numerous locations I have seen them than I have ever seem before in my entire life!

Brown argus in old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

A few brown argus butterflies could be seen still on the wing.

Common blue butterfly, in old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

As well as a few common blue butterflies.

Small copper butterfly.

Small copper butterflies continued their presence.

Small heath butterfly, in flight.

As well as numerous small heath butterflies.

Painted lady butterfly.

Some painted ladies could still be viewed.

Meadow browns mating.

While a few meadow brown butterflies were seen mating.

Spotted flycatcher in old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

Having ended the last day of August with the sighting of a spotted flycatcher in the old horse field, the first days of September allowed me some further interesting sightings.

Common redstart in the old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

On September 1, a common redstart could be found there, stopping off on its passage south.

Raven over the old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

Also adding a raven to the day list as it flew over the field.

The following day four ravens flew over the field, loosely grouped together.

Ravens over the old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

These are collectively known from medieval times as an “unkindness of ravens”, due to how it was thought they treated their young.

https://www.birdfact.com/articles/why-is-a-group-of-ravens-called-an-unkindness

Sparrowhawk over horse field, Whitmoor Common.

In my view, these ones appeared to be just an equable, social family group – not even flustered by a sparrowhawk that attempted to mob them.

Blue tit feeding on blackberries in old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

Within an area of bramble across the field, several blue tits could be viewed feeding with other small birds on the remaining blackberry crop.

Starlings in the old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

A score, or more, of starlings also dropped into the sizeable thicket to have a feast while I observed.

Stonechat in old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

A pair of stonechats were also present. Often perching up on the tops of the mixed clumps of hawthorn, blackthorn and brambles.

Blackcap in the old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

A blackcap could also be picked out.

Chiffchaff.

Along with several chiffchaffs.

Common whitethroat.

And a common whitethroat.

Green woodpecker in old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

A green woodpecker took my attention as it flew across the field making its ‘yaffling’ calls, then perching on a post allowing a few photos.

Common buzzard above the old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

A common buzzard continued to be regularly seen, in flight and over the field.

Buck roe deer in the old horse fields, Whitmoor Common.

A buck roe deer often showed.

Roe deer in old horse field, Whitmoor Common.

And several does continued to be present.

Coal tit, Whitmoor Common.

Out on the heathland on Whitmoor Common a few coal tits could be observed.

Meadow pipit, Whitmoor Common.

The return of a handful of meadow pipits, also noted.

Great spotted woodpecker, Whitmoor Common.

A great spotted woodpecker could be viewed.

Treecreeper, Whitmoor Common.

And the ‘seeping’ sounds of treecreepers heard and photographed.

The best I was able to achieve in the way of sightings and photos on a visit to Pewley Down in the company of Dougal, while viewing out across the east meadow on September 7, were…

Kestrel, Pewley Down.

A kestrel perched up and then later seen hunting over the field.

Stonechat, Pewley Down.

Several juvenile and adult stonechats.

Green woodpecker, Pewley Down, seen there earlier this year.

One of the resident green woodpeckers.

Whinchat, Pewley Down.

A whinchat was still be present, having been reported there on recent days, and stopping off on its journey back to Africa.

Farlington Marshes.

A return to Farlington Marshes, near Portsmouth on September 10 was mostly for the opportunity of seeing a red-backed shrike that had been reported there.

Red-backed Shrike, Farlington Marshes.

Nowadays they are almost extinct as a breeding species in the UK, alas with just a few vagrant birds seen on passage.

My previous sighting of one being on Thursley Common in June 2024. https://guildford-dragon.com/birdwatchers-diary-no-305/

Various waders in main lake at Farlington Marshes.

Lots of various waders had now begun to return from their more northerly breeding grounds.

Little stint, Farlington Marshes.

A bonus few species to add to my 2026 sightings included two little stints.

They breed in the tundra regions of northern Scandinavia and Siberia, stopping off on their passage south and often spending the winter as far south as Africa and South Asia.

Yellow wagtail, Farlington Marshes.

Also now heading south from their breeding grounds was a group of a dozen or so yellow wagtails, seen first in flight, then feeding on flies attracted by the cattle there.

Ringed plover, Farlington Marshes.

A few close-to-view sighting of ringed plovers were added.

Cattle egrets, Farlington Marshes.

As well as a group of five visiting cattle egrets out in the fields.

Little egrets, Farlington Marshes.

And a larger group of now mostly resident little egrets by the stream.

Osprey, seen earlier this year over Britten’s Pond.

Another added bonus while there was my second sighting this year of an osprey. Having previously seen one on March 25, circling more local to home over Britten’s Pond and viewed from Whitmoor Common.

Distant views of an osprey in a dead tree on North Binness Island, Farlington.

This one, however, was more distant to view, but appreciated much the same.

Common lizard, Thursley Common.

A visit to Thursley Common on September 11 saw temperatures still in the low 20s Celsius, enough to see a few common lizards still basking in the warm sunshine.