11th October

A much more satisfactory day with plenty of signs of a genuine resurgence in passage today. In island terms, a Whooper Swan passing the Bill was the day's highlight but 3 new Yellow-browed Warblers at the Obs (with further presumed lingerers also at Avalanche Road and Wakeham) were welcome evidence of the trickle-down of migrants from points northward finally reaching this part of the world in numbers greater than the odd scattered singles; a new Great Spotted Woodpecker at the Bill, some more Crossbills (a single over the Bill and 8 over Easton) together with the long-staying Rosy Starling were additional morsels of quality. Oddities aside, at least in the places there was more to get amongst by way of common migrants, including 30 each of Chiffchaff and Blackcap grounded at the Bill, a tiny pulse of new thrushes including the first 8 Fieldfares of the season through at Wakeham, 2 Merlins and a Short-eared Owl at the Bill, a good selection of tardy migrants including several Willow Warblers, a Sand Martin, a Tree Pipit and a Whinchat, a modest overhead passage that included 100 Chaffinches and 80 Siskins at the Bill and odds and ends including a Balearic Shearwater through off the Bill.

The Whooper Swan was a really nice highlight: only the seventh island record, the first for ten years and the earliest ever autumn record © Joe Stockwell:


The second Merlin trapped this autumn but only the third ever © Martin Cade:

Although far more frequent these days than they once were, Great Spotted Woodpeckers still aren't regular enough that we've got blasé about them © Joe Stockwell:


It's looking like the little group of between four and six Bar-tailed Godwits have settled in for the winter at Ferrybridge © Roy Norris: