15th September

Yesterday's stormy conditions lasted on through the night and whilst doing nothing for passerine passage were more than fierce enough to wreck several noteworthy seabirds. Routine seabird passage was pretty hopeless, with no more than 7 Balearic Shearwaters and the autumn's first Red-throated Diver off the Bill, but a series of sightings of at least 2 Storm Petrels were of interest there, whilst another Storm Petrel and a Grey Phalarope lingered off Chesil Cove; an additional Storm Petrel was found dead at Chiswell. Although there was a general dearth of grounded migrants there were odd pockets of interest, with several Goldcrests scattered around sheltered spots everywhere, and singles of Firecrest and Coal Tit cropping up at Pennsylvania Castle. Once the dawn rain had cleared through a little visible passage got going, including 20 Siskins through over the Bill.

 


Grey Phalarope - Chesil Cove, 15th September 2015 © Martin Cade