September can be an interesting month with birds passing through on reverse migration and breeding birds returning to their wintering grounds. This has already begun with numbers of Wigeon and Teal increasing gradually on the Lochan, and Curlew, Redshank and Oystercatcher in Balvicar Bay.
Similarly Goosanders which are normally found in freshwater habits can sometimes move to estuaries and sheltered bays following breeding. This morning was such an occasion as a female eclipse Goosander was feeding in the Balvicar Bay.
The remaining migrant warblers such as Willow Warbler and Whitethroat will all have left by the end of the month along with the hirundines, Sand Martin, House Martin and Swallow, the latter usually being the last to leave.
Other species such as Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Yellowhammer and Twite start to flock in autumn along with Starlings and some Corvids. There is safety in numbers from predators and when food is sparse during the winter, flocking can help find what’s available. For if a few eyes are good, then more eyes are better.