Fall size continues to grow exponentially, with another fantastic arrival around the centre and south of the island today. Solidly overcast skies and what was only really a waft of a headbreeze did the trick and saw the Bill area absolutely hopping with 1000
Willow Warblers, 200
Wheatears, 100 each of
Blackcap and
Chiffchaff, 50
Whitethroats and 20
Grasshopper Warblers on the ground and a strong and constant passage of
hirundines overhead. The back-up cast was too varied to enumerate in full but over a wider area of the south of the island included an additional 20
Grasshopper Warblers, 25 each of
Sedge Warbler and
Redstart, 10
Yellow Wagtails (including a
'Channel' Wagtail), 5
Ring Ouzels, 4
Lesser Whitethroats, 3 each of
Black Redstart and
Pied Flycatcher, 2 each of
Turtle Dove,
Cuckoo,
Fieldfare and
Firecrest, and singles of
Hobby and
Green Sandpiper, whilst rarity interest was confined to brief sightings of a
Subalpine Warbler beside the Coastguard Cottages at the Bill and a
Serin at Coombefield Quarry. Sea passage was pretty limited but did include 62
Common Scoter, 32
Whimbrel, 3
Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 each of
Red-throated Diver and
Arctic Skua, and singles of
Great Northern Diver and
Great Skua through off the Bill.
Two of the more interesting migrants today were this 'Channel' Wagtail that dropped in briefly at the Bill © Graham Morey:
...and a Green Sandpiper that flew over the Bill and Ferrybridge (presumably both sightings referred to the same bird?) © Pete Saunders:
We've been sent a hatful more photos for today's blog but after a such a busy week we really need to catch up on some sleep so they'll have to wait until tomorrow!
