BELVIDE AUGUST 2026 ROUND-UP
August was another excellent month at Belvide, with some exceptional rarities, strong wader passage and impressive movements of both wildfowl and passerines.
⭐ Bird of the Month – Nightjar
The standout record was undoubtedly a Nightjar on 22 August. Found at around 4.30am by members of the ringing group along the south-east bay, this was only the second record for Belvide, following the site’s first record in August 1978.
A memorable record and a fantastic early-morning surprise for those lucky enough to encounter it.
Other Major Highlights
August produced several other outstanding birds. Six Glossy Ibis appeared along the southern shore on 15 August, following the flock of seven recorded at Belvide in May. Remarkably, a single Glossy Ibis was seen again the following morning.
A juvenile Little Stint arrived during heavy rain on 20 August, with another juvenile recorded on 31 August. A juvenile Spotted Redshank was also present on 22 August, while Bar-tailed Godwit was recorded on 27 August.
Black-necked Grebe continued to be a feature, with up to two juveniles present during the month.
Wader Passage
Falling water levels provided excellent conditions for passage waders, with Common Sandpiper reaching 22 birds, while Little Ringed Plover peaked at 22.
Other highlights included 15 Dunlin, 7 Ruff, 5 Greenshank, Sanderling, Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Snipe and Whimbrel, with waders continuing to build towards the end of the month.
Migration & Wildfowl
One of the most remarkable movements of the month was Grey Wagtail, with 28 birds recorded along the dam on 6 August, a new Belvide record.
Passage also produced Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Wheatear, Tree Pipit, Siskin and Yellow Wagtail, while the first Grasshopper Warbler of the year was trapped and ringed.
Wildfowl numbers began to increase as autumn approached, with 264 Shoveler and 230 Teal recorded. The August WeBS count produced an impressive 510 Greylag Geese and 722 Coot.
Raptors
Raptors were well represented throughout the month, with regular sightings of Red Kite, Hobby, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier and Goshawk. The month ended particularly well with two Ospreys heading south on 31 August.
The Month in Perspective
August was an exceptional month at Belvide, with the second-ever Nightjar, six Glossy Ibis, Little Stint and Spotted Redshank providing some of the headline records.
Combined with strong wader passage, a record count of Grey Wagtails and increasing wildfowl numbers, it was a superb start to the autumn migration season - and September promises plenty more to look forward to!!
With thanks to Steve Nuttall for collating the Belvide Birding Blog and bringing together the records and sightings that make this monthly review possible.