Stockbridge Reserve (members only) - male Redstart, Kingfisher, House Martin, Swallow, Chiff-Chaff, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk.
Shaun Radcliffe
(Late news -September 8: Sandwich Tern at Warley Moor Reservoir at 6 p.m.)
Today -another bumper morning at Denholme Clough. Fairly quiet on arrival at 8.30, and 10 Chiffchaffs were located only with some difficulty. Then once again the floodgates opened. Between 9.15 and 9.30 a huge party of small passerines arrived and steadily moved through the bushes on the western side of the clough. These included Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits, but I was forced to ignore these and concentrate on the warblers, which comprised a countable 45 Chiffchaffs, including 16 in one bush. For all I know there could have been other birds in the other bushes behind me on the eastern side. Big numbers were present when I returned to the spot 45 minutes later, which I assumed to be part of the original fall, so didn't count. The morning's Chiffchaff total was therefore at least 55 birds.
The supporting cast comprised only a Redstart and a Blackcap.
Keith Moir
