The weather forecasters seem to have been unduly optimistic when it comes to wind strength so far this week, with it remaining far brisker than's conducive to easy birding. That said, most of today's indications were that it was relatively quiet on the ground: the well-sheltered spots up the island did host fair numbers of
Chiffchaffs and
Goldcrests - along with a total of 5
Yellow-browed Warblers (2 at Sweethill, 2 at Avalanche Road and 1 at Pennsylvania Castle) - but these and other late fare weren't so well represented at the Bill as they've been lately; a handful of
Firecrests were lingering on everywhere although, for example, they'd dropped below double figures at the Bill for the first time since the influx early last week, but the only real oddity making the list was yet another
Hawfinch that lingered around the Bill for the best part of the day. Of further note at the Bill was an obvious influx of
Rock Pipits that included 38 at the Bill tip alone. The stiff wind didn't do much for the sea, with 2
Great Skuas and singles of
Red-throated Diver,
Tufted Duck and
Arctic Skua the best off the Bill.
Even with the unhelpful strength of the wind it was clear that there'd been a decent overnight arrival of immigrant moths, with 7
Rusty-dot Pearl, 2 each of
Cosmopolitan,
Radford's Flame Shoulder and
Silver Y, and singles of
Rush Veneer,
Delicate,
Clancy's Rustic,
Scarce Bordered Straw and
Small Marbled trapped at the Obs.
Despite the frequency with which Hawfinches have been logged in the last fortnight or so this afternoon's bird was only second during the period that's been trapped and ringed © Andrew Slade: