Wigeon arrival

 Adult male Wigeon, completing it's moult. Small numbers (sometimes flocks overhead) seem to pass through this time of year with more static wintering birds building in winter- although numbers have decreased in recent years due to lack of grazing edges (we need to get the mower out).

 Male Wigeon over Bedzed

 Shovelers- numbers increasing (40+ around). This time of year UK bred Shoveler and birds from Europe, Scandanavia and Russia start to congregate. At the farmlands annual numbers peak in October to November and reduce thereafter as birds move further south into France, Iberia and N.Africa. 

 Juvenile/first winter Great Black-backed Gull- first one in a while on site

 Sedge Warbler- about 15-20 on site at the moment.

 Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner Cameraria ohridella - This is the adult of the species where the larvae famously mine the Horse Chestnut leaves, causing discolouration of the whole tree- affecting nearly all trees in this area (and southern England). Been up to 50 adults at the light trap recently.

Wild Mignonette (A first for the farmlands- found by Nick)

A real good feel of autumn migration today. Birds of the day were a Raven (6th for the site but 2nd this year) that Sicknote had and a Bullfinch that I had (first for year). Also 30+ Swallow, 4 House Martin, 1 Sand Martin, 35+ Meadow Pipit, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Whinchat, 15+ Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 10-15 Chiffchaff, 8 Chaffinch (highest number in a while), 1 Reed Bunting, 5 Wigeon (first two for autumn arrived yesterday), 40+ Shoveler, 20+ Teal, 2 Pochard, 20+ Tufted Duck, 20 Grey Heron, 5 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 1 Hobby, 4 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 2 Common Gull and 1 Great Black-backed Gull (first of these gull species for a while).
Other stuff- quiet on the moth front, cool evenings, just a few Horse-chestnut leaf miners, Vine Rustics, Square-spot Rustics, Setaceous Hebrew Character and other autumn jobs. Nick found some Wild Mignonette on the Southern Mound (not recorded that before- a Downland species).. All the Fathen is flowering now, so is Ivy (full of honey bees), Knotgrass flowering on 100 acre, a good year for Red Bartsia and the Southern Mound is covered in flowering Bristly Ox-tongue.