10th September

More of the same but in some ways quite different today: with the wind having picked up and swung into the east visible passage was very prominent but, instead of leaving to the south as in recent days, the procession of migrants was in off the sea or heading east just offshore. As a taste of things to come in the next few weeks Meadow Pipits and Swallows took centre stage, with minimum totals of 725 and 650 respectively at the Bill; also there, Siskins totalled 75 and many of the other usual suspects for mid-September were well represented, with singles of Snipe and Swift of note. The land was patchily populated with new arrivals: Wheatears were moving through in fair numbers everywhere but warblers in particular were fewer than might have been expected; an Ortolan Bunting at Kingbarrow Quarry and a Little Stint at Ferrybridge were the only scarcities reported. The season's first Great Northern Diver passed by off the Bill where 6 Balearic Shearwaters were also logged.

Capturing some of the essence of migration in still photographs is rarely straightforward - we know only too well because we're always trying - but we liked these two from Southwell today © Pete Saunders:



Hummingbird Hawkmoths are a daily feature just at the moment © Pete Saunders: