With the wind dropping to less than gale force (but still strong enough to keep us in coats), and the now customary clear blue skies, it was unexpected that a couple of migrants should come our way. The highlight of the day was not new in, but the return of the
Corn Bunting singing at Reap Lane for much of the morning. In terms of new birds there appeared to be a very minimal trickle of
Reed Warblers arriving with one each in the huts and Culverwell; the
Spotted Flycatchers continued to move through in dribs and drabs with another eight recorded across the observation area; as well as the appearance of single figures of male
Blackcaps. The sea was disappointingly quiet with the only highlight being two
Arctic Skuas.
One of yesterday's Bonxies was a rather scraggly individual expressing some slightly unusually larger patches of white than normal - presumably as a result of moult in its greater coverts © Pete Saunders:
Also from yesterday the first Yellow-legged Gull for a while that appeared in the fields below Culverwell amongst the first large gathering of loafing gulls there since before the turn of the year - surely it isn't autumn already! © Martin Cade:
