A really rather typical November day in terms of birds was made remarkably pleasant by the continued warmth of the month. Bird-wise there were few highlights but the appearance of a Water Rail at Culverwell was a welcome sight given their scarcity this year. Around the Bill tip, the four Eiders continued their stint on the sea, while a lone Purple Sandpiper was feeding on the rocks and a single Black Redstart lurked in the quarry; elsewhere, at least four more Black Redstarts were dotted about the centre and north of the island. Overhead migration has become limited of late, but fifty Goldfinches, 15 Chaffinches, nine Siskins and three Bramblings made for a decent start to the morning at the Bill, 200 Wood Pigeons and 2 Crossbills passed over Easton and later two tardy Swallows passed over at Southwell. Elsewhere on the island, five Pale-bellied Brent Geese joined 410 of their Dark-bellied counterparts at Ferrybridge along with a single Pintail and three Bar-tailed Godwits.
