September is here and birds are on the move.

There are still one or two Swifts being seen over the BTO headquarters here in Norfolk but most have now gone, the last few will probably join them any day now. House Martins and Swallows are also on the move but with reports of nests containing young of both still coming in they will be around for a while yet.

One of the biggest movements seen this week has been Yellow Wagtail, around 1,000 were estimated to be on Portland, Dorset over the weekend, with around 200 still present on 29 August.

Yellow Wagtail by Jill Pakenham

A few Pied and Spotted Flycatchers and Redstarts and Wood Warblers have begun to turn up at coastal watchpoints, along with a few Tree Pipits. Willow Warblers have reached double figures at many too. A few Chiffchaffs have been mixed in with the Willow Warblers but it will be a couple of weeks before the numbers really start to build.

The first Fieldfare of the season was seen on Fair Isle on 29 August, giving a flavour of what is to come, and scarce migrants also began to feature, at least three Barred Warblers, 18 Wrynecks, two Greenish Warblers and a Woodchat Shrike and a few Red-backed Shrikes and Common Rosefinches.

Fieldfare by Edmund Fellowes

Scarce waders were also represented with around thirty Pectoral Sandpipers, four Buff-breasted Sandpipers and a scattering of Dotterel being seen during the week, but pride of place must go to the Pacific Golden Plover that was found on Papa Westray, Orkney on 26 August.

Ospreys have been reported from most counties and a few Honey Buzzards have been on the move too, so it is well worth keeping an eye on the sky during the next week.

Honey Buzzard by Graham Catley

The weather forecast for the early part on next week looks promising for the arrival of more Buff-breasted Sandpipers, with a low pressure system tracking across the Atlantic, we might also get something much rarer following on from the double-billing Yellow Warblers of last week. It’s about time we saw another Yellow-throated Vireo in the UK. During the early part of next week High-pressure over Scandinavia might just push a bit of east in the wind over the northern isles and could bring a few more Barred Warblers, Wrynecks and Red-backed Shrikes with it.