September got off to a very poor start with two days of torrential rain, the weather then quietened down and the rest of the month was mainly dry and settled with just the occasional bout of precipitation with temperatures remaining high throughout.

Wheatears were consistently seen at Nab Water Lane, Trough Lane, Whetstone Gate, Fly Flats, Bingley Moor, Sandwith Moor and Glovershaw with over 200 reported throughout the month with a high of 18 at Trough Lane (5th).An observer on Lee Lane near Leeshaw Reservoir counted 168 Linnets (1st)
Members reported two Red-crested Pochards at Otley Wetlands (2nd) and on the same day a Scaup was seen at Knotford Nook. A roost of 41 redheaded Goosanders assembled at the moorland watch-point (10th), and Wigeons were beginning to be seen in many places the biggest groups were 18 at Lower Laithe and 17 at Fly Flats (11th).Whinchats seemed to be present in reasonable numbers with reports of birds seen at Nab Water Lane, Thornton Moor watch-point, Intake Gate, Trough Lane, Fly Flats, Leeshaw and Glovershaw. A family flock of five birds was present, alongside the Glen Road, Glovershaw throughout the first week of the month.Stonechats are now a well established breeding species and reports of their presence during September are to be expected. Members reported seeing them at a variety of locations including Glovershaw, Nab Water Lane, Penistone Hill, Intake Gate, Trough Lane, Paul Clough, Ellar Carr Pike, Fly Flats, Thornton Moor and Sandwith Moor.Late warblers included Reed Warblers at Stockbridge (1st) and Otley Wetland (3rd), a Grasshopper Warbler at Paul Clough (9th). There were Whitethroats at Bradup (2nd), Glovershaw (5th), Paul Clough (9th) and two late birds were seen in a Cullingworth Garden on the 25th. Two Lesser Whitethroats were at Toad Holes Beck on the 9th.There were a few Spotted Flycatcher sightings early in the month with birds seen around John o’Gaunts Reservoir, Stainburn Forest, Golcar Farm (where they have probably bred), Crook Farm, Baildon and Paul Clough. It was at the latter spot where members saw a later Spotted Flycatcher on the 25th. It was also at this excellent site that Ring Ouzels were seen (4th, 9th and 30th) with two birds there on the 25th. Willow Tits were noted in woodland by Scargill Reservoir (8th) and at Denholme Clough (23rd).

By the middle of the month Siskins were appearing in small flocks with sightings at Paul Clough, Doe Park and the moorland watch-point and Redpoll were at Timble in large numbers (24th). Yellow Wagtails, scarce all summer, appeared at Sconce Lane, Baildon, the moorland watch-point (both 17th) and Otley Wetland (23rd). Interesting visitors included a 3rd year Yellow-legged Gull at the moorland watch-point on the 2nd, six Common Scoter were there three days later, and four Greenshank were at Doe Park Reservoir (3rd). An Osprey passed the watch-point at Barden Scale (1st) and one flew over Thornton Moor (5th). A member witnessed an Osprey being ‘mobbed’ by crows as it sat in a tree at Lower Laithe Reservoir (17th). On the 21st a Hobby was seen chasing hirundines over the copse just north of Leeshaw Reservoir. A female Black Redstart attracted members to the moorland watch-point at the end of the month, where 2500 Meadow pipits passed through (29th).

The 9th was a good day for rarer visitors, with an Arctic Skua over Kex Gill, a Pectoral Sandpiper at Connonley Ings and two Marsh Harriers, one over Sandwith Moor and another by Leeshaw Reservoir.A member reported that whilst watching a Sparrowhawk in Bull Copy Woods, Saltaire, they saw it catch a Great Spotted Woodpecker, it was subsequently ‘mobbed’ by three magpies and jays and eventually it had to release the GSW. Also of note were five Kingfishers, seen on a garden pond in Frizinghall (10th)!

The harbingers of winter were provided by a couple of Redwings over Caldene Fields on the 9th.