10th October

Although the breeze remained firmly in the east it was perhaps a wee bit too clear and sunny again today (and there was a lot less coverage than at the weekend) and quality was notably lacking: the Yellow-browed Warbler tally dropped to just 5 (2 at the Obs and 3 at the Craft Centre) and only 3 Ring Ouzels were reported. There were few surprises amongst the day's routine migrants, with 75 Chiffchaffs, 40 Blackcaps, 25 Stonechats and 15 Goldcrests grounded at the Bill and the autumn's first Brambling showing up amongst the steady flow of hirundines, alba wagtails, Meadow Pipits, thrushes and finches overhead there; the first Starling movement of the autumn saw 320 heading north over Backnor.

A chilly, moonlit night saw immigrant moth numbers take a tumble, with just 14 Rush Veneer, 7 Rusty-dot Pearl, 5 Delicate, 3 Dark Sword Grass, 2 Scarce Bordered Straw and singles of Diamond-back Moth, Pearly Underwing and Silver Y trapped at the Obs.

In the absence of anything of particular note today it won't do any harm to revisit one of yesterday's Bearded Tits © James Phillips