22nd October

Although the wind had dropped significantly it was still far too strong to permit easy coverage of the land, with the shift into the dreaded northwest ensuring there was an abrupt end to sea interest. Visible passage was actually quite strong, with a steady movement of departing Wood Pigeons, Starlings and Chaffinches over and offshore at the Bill; Siskins were also well represented but, as with the commoner species, their passage wasn't fully quantified. Fieldwork on the land did uncover a few patches where Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and 'crests were quite numerous, with 11 Firecrests at Pennsylvania Castle and at least another 10 still around the Obs; single Yellow-browed Warblers at Sweethill and Penn's Weare were the only oddities discovered, with 2 Black Redstarts at the Bill also of minor note. Odds and ends logged by the seawatchers included singles of Great Northern Diver, Storm Petrel, Great Skua and Arctic Skua through off the Bill, whilst the Pale-bellied Brent Goose and singles of Sanderling and Bar-tailed Godwit were at Ferrybridge.

Two Vestals were the only immigrant moths trapped overnight at the Obs.

The Pale-bellied Brent with a Dark-bellied Brent at Ferrybridge © Debby Saunders: