14th November

More torrential downpours overnight were enough to ground a small arrival of a few of the migrants that had been heard calling overhead in the darkness, whilst a huge improvement in the weather during the daylight hours allowed plenty of opportunity to get amongst things. The Avalanche Road Dusky Warbler surfaced again and got most of the attention, although after the recent fallow times it was the new arrivals that were perhaps more significant in indicating that autumn's far from over. Redwings were the most conspicuous, with 'lots' at Penn's Weare, 60 at Easton, 30 at Avalanche Road, 21 at the Bill and single figure totals dotted about elsewhere, whilst amongst the slightly thinner scatter of Song Thrushes and Blackbirds, a Ring Ouzel at Penn's Weare and a Fieldfare at Southwell were of note; there were few surprises amongst the list of also-rans, but 2 Wheatears, 2 Siskins, a Short-eared Owl, a Black Redstart and a Brambling at the Bill, a Blackcap at Avalanche Road and a Firecrest at Easton were all nice to see. Two Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Ferrybridge and a Great Northern Diver and the Black Guillemot in Portland Harbour were the pick of the bunch from points northward.

A lone Silver Y was the only immigrant to make it into the Obs moth-traps overnight.






Dusky Warbler, Firecrest, Great Northern Diver, Song Thrush and Redwing - Southwell, Easton and Portland Harbour © Martin Cade (Dusky Warbler and Firecrest), Pete Saunders (Great Northern Diver) and Debby Saunders (Song Thrush and Redwing)