Beer Head Mid-Month

With the skies clearing again, and a northerly/north easterly wind gently blowing, I spent the mornings of 15th and 16th up Beer Head.  

I didn't have much time on 16th, but the previous day I was able to give it 2.5 hours, which I was pleased about as this proved the busiest of the two mornings.  And although we are only a few weeks on from my first visit there on the 1st of this month, the mix of species is already beginning to change as we move deeper into the autumn.  I will start with Friday 15th...

 

Both mornings and evenings there's been a haze - showing the sun off lovely

 

I got to site just after 6am, and although my immediate feeling was the bushes seemed quiet within a few minutes I had my first Yellow Wag of the autumn fly over, along with a Tree Pipit - promise!  

Over the next couple of hours I found some migrants in the bushes, although they were mainly limited to the Underhooken and the Sheepwalk, but on the fences and in the fields it was great to see there had been a decent fall of Wheatears, 32 in all. Most of these in two big groups, one west of the lookout and one in the barn field (The Dell).  Amazed not to have seen a Whinchat though, I was always expecting one to pop up...

 

A lovely autumn scene

 

One enjoying the fact it has come across a field that isn't just dead grass

I was already pleased with my first Yellow Wagtail of the autumn early in the visit, but as I was leaving I could hear a few calling amongst the cows west of the main track and was delighted when 16 dropped in on nearby fence line.  A regular autumn species at Beer head, but these were the first of autumn 2025 and great to see them so well...

Five of the Yellow Wags

Closer shot of two of them

As I said, the bushes were patchy but in the end I had recorded a few Willow Warblers, a single Spot Fly (which posed for about four seconds before launching itself into the sky and away) and best of all my second and Beer Head's third Pied Fly of the autumn, although this one remained frustratingly elusive and refused to pose for a pic.  

My totals for this visit were: 1 Ringed Plover (heard-only over), 32 Wheatear, 16 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Tree Pipit (all singles over west) 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 8 Blackcap, 3 Common Whitethroat, 15 Willow Warbler and 3 Chiffchaff.

And now to yesterday (16th), the wind had turned more distinctly to the east of north, which possibly accounted for the quieter bushes than Friday.  Still it was a lovely morning to be out...

 

A gorgeous morning view

 

Only a few warblers noted in the bushes, although the best bird I missed as Clive found our first Redstart of the autumn shortly after I left.  I counted 20 Wheatear during my wander, although how many of these were new birds or lingerers from yesterday I am not sure. All I would say is a group of 14 near the end of the head appeared to me to be new arrivals as I had only seen three in that spot the previous day.

 

Another Wheatear shot, this one looking so autumnal I can almost taste it!

 

Most action was overhead, with the more distinct wind presumably encouraging some visible migration.  Yellow Wagtails weren't lingering this morning but I had three small flocks fly quickly through heading south west.  House Martins and Swallows were on the move too, although there were even more flocking together on telegraph wires near where I had parked.

 

House Martins gathering

Love the action in this shot

Although on closer inspection all three of the UK hirundine species were present - can you spot them all here?

My full totals for this visit were: 80+ Gannet (offshore) 5 Canada Geese (west), 1 Dunlin (heard-only over), 160 Swallows, 380 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin (all hirundines a mix of moving and lingering birds), 20 Wheatear, 14 Yellow Wag (over in flocks of 7, 5 and 2), 7 Blackcap, 3 Common Whitethroat, 7 Willow Warbler and 2 Chiffchaff.

 

The only other thing I have to mention since my last post is the four Crossbill that flew low east over my front garden a few mornings ago, whilst I was emptying my moth trap.

Hope everyone reading this in enjoying the nice weather, even though it isn't helping with the variety of birds dropping in on the Axe at the moment.  Oh what I would give for a nice storm and a decent downpour!