20th September

 A more of the same day in the continuing brisk easterly. Overhead passage continued to be dominated by hirundines and Meadow Pipits although, at the Bill at least, counts didn't get beyond the hundreds today; Siskins totalled 80 there but, apart from 3 Redpolls and a Short-eared Owl there and a Crossbill over Cheyne, there was precious little that was in any way unexpected. Grounded migrants certainly weren't numerous but a few sheltered patches of cover held double figure totals of both Blackcap and Chiffchaff; single Firecrests at Southwell and Suckthumb and a Grey Plover at Ferrybridge were the best of the less regulars and the Rosy Starling remained at Weston. Sea passage included 24 Wigeon and 20 Dark-bellied Brent Geese through off the Bill.

There looks to have been a mini arrival of Grey Plovers around the area over the weekend, with new arrivals logged at Lodmoor as well as this bird at Ferrybridge © Pete Saunders:

We were intrigued to see this one legged Dunlin going about its business at Ferrybridge - despite its obvious problems it appeared to be in good condition and was certainly feeding well © Martin Cade:


Moth interest has been ticking over even if numbers and variety have taken a bit of a hit in the prevailing windy conditions. Easterly winds do tend to be pretty good for bringing us interesting dispersers and last night's catch at the Obs included several notable captures: a Box-tree Moth was a first for the Obs (there are still fewer than ten island records of this adventive that's become the arch enemy of topiary in the Home Counties), whilst singles of Heath Rustic, Oak Hook-tip and Horse Chestnut were all less than annual visitors to the island © Martin Cade: