19th October

With the wind having abated as it veered towards the north birding was considerably easier today. The dawn capture of 2 new Yellow-browed Warblers at the Bill gave an early indication that there were new arrivals about and although it was never particularly busy on the ground there was plenty on the move overhead with Chaffinches in particular their most conspicuous so far this autumn, with 300 through at the Bill in a couple of hours and plenty more elsewhere. Visible passage came up with few surprises but a good selection of seasonable finches and the like, together with a few tardy hirundines, made the log. After the dawn flurry another 2 Yellow-browed Warblers showed up (at the Obs and Portland Hospital), whilst 2 Ring Ouzels and the lingering Hen Harrier were also about at the Bill where the Siberian Lesser Whitethroat first trapped and ringed more than a week ago made an unexpected reappearance. For the most part Ferrybridge numbers were unchanged but a new Curlew Sandpiper showed up there and at least 1 Sandwich Tern was still about.

Immigrant moths have confounded expectations several times in recent weeks and did so again overnight when in what looked to be wholly unsuitable conditions there was a noticeable increase in numbers: 13 Rush Veneer, 7 each of Rusty-dot Pearl and White-speck, 2 each of Diamond-back Moth and Silver Y, and singles of Delicate and Scarce Bordered Straw were trapped at the Obs, whilst additional singles of White-speck and Scarce Bordered Straw were trapped at Sweethill.