19th September

The heavily overcast and eventually drizzly conditions that were the order of the day looked as though they'd be productive but were perhaps ultimately a little disappointing: many of the weekend's scarcer migrants remained in situ and yet another very brief Ortolan Bunting dropped in near the Higher Light, but visible passage was very subdued under the heavy cloud cover and although variety was again a feature on the ground numbers were nothing special. Wrynecks remained popular attractions, with 1 still at Barleycrates Lane and 2 roaming between the Obs Quarry and the Obs; the Rosy Starling was also still about in the Haylands housing estate. On the ground there was a fair spread of  Chiffchaffs, including 60 at the Bill, but little in the way of significant numbers of other migrants save for an increase in Stonechats, including 16 at the Bill; 27 Bar-tailed Godwits and 2 Grey Plovers were the best of the waders at Ferrybridge. The only other news was of a solitary Balearic Shearwater through off the Bill.

Although immigrant moth numbers dropped off a second Boxworm Moth arrived at Weston hot on the heels of the first island record there just last week; singles of Convolvulus Hawk-moth and Scarce Bordered Straw were the best of the overnight catch at the Obs.

The Rosy Starling and Wrynecks continued to draw in a steady stream of watchers © Brendan Sheils

This Barn Owl at the Bill has also been well-watched in recent days although there is some concern for its welfare in the light of its at times quite peculiar behaviour © David Rashley

Today's Ortolan was almost but not quite as subliminally seen as all the others just recently - this one did at least stay in view just long enough for a photo. We've heard some speculation concerning just how many - or how few - individuals have been involved in the recent series of sound recorded or seen/heard records, and this bird didn't really inform the debate in any meaningful way: the brevity of the sighting - the bird flew miles off up the West Cliffs just after this photo was taken - suggested it was just a passing migrant, but the fact that it was clearly wet suggested it had just been bathing/drinking in the pond inside the nearby Coastwatch compound which would hint at it knowing the lie of the land having been around for a while © Martin Cade