In very different conditions to yesterday the island experienced another fine fall of migrants. Today's event was a classic fair weather arrival: under a clear, sunny sky the chilly headwind dropped birds that to a great extent barely touched down before heading off rapidly northward. The bulk of the numbers at the Bill consisted of 600
Willow Warblers, 250
Wheatears, 200
Blackcaps and 100
Chiffchaffs; amongst the less frequent species wider coverage of the southern half of the island came up with totals that included 40
Redstarts, 20
Yellow Wagtails, 12 each of
Whitethroat and
Pied Flycatcher, 11
Grasshopper Warblers, 10
Tree Pipits, 8
Whinchats, 7
Ring Ouzels, 2 each of
White Wagtail,
Reed Warbler,
Lesser Whitethroat and
Siskin, and singles of
Cuckoo and
Sedge Warbler, whilst elsewhere 2
Common Sandpipers were an addition to the tally at Ferrybridge. The only rarity putting in an appearance was a
Siberian Chiffchaff trapped and ringed at the Obs. The breeze was always a little too offshore for the sea, but 59
Whimbrel and 36
Bar-tailed Godwits passed through off/over Chesil and 12
Bar-tailed Godwits and a
Great Skua were logged at the Bill.
A
Brimstone butterfly was a good local oddity at the Obs.
A few photos from around the island today - Redstarts © Angela Trew (upper) and Nick Stantiford (lower):
...Whinchat © Joe Stockwell:
...Whitethroat © Roger Hewitt:
...Common Sandpipers © Pete Saunders:
...Linnet © Angela Trew:
...and finally, the in-hand Siberian Chiffchaff © Martin Cade: