13th October

Something of nothing today: the Radde's Warbler remained at Wakeham although this wasn't established until well into the afternoon after most of its prospective viewers had departed; the lingering Hen Harrier at the Bill was more widely-appreciated but the only likely new arrival of interest was a Yellow-browed Warbler at Wakeham. Wood Pigeons were again on the move overhead in some quantity, with 4390 departing over the Bill where 270 Jackdaws, 150 Swallows and 70 Chaffinches made up the bulk of the other visible passage. On the ground Chiffchaffs continued to arrive in fair numbers including 60 at the Bill and a good spread involving plenty of higher totals elsewhere; most other seasonable fare - with the exceptions of thrushes - was represented, although interest didn't really get beyond the level of 5 Firecrests, singles of Merlin, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Black Redstart, and a party of 8 Long-tailed Tits getting all the way out to Culverwell that were most probably of local rather than more distant origin. In a gentle northerly anything from the sea was a bonus, so 575 Mediterranean Gulls, 240 Kittiwakes, 3 Teal and 2 Brent Geese, a Sooty Shearwater and an Arctic Skua through or lingering was a fair return from the Bill.

The Hen Harrier was at times putting on a great show © Mark Richards: