1st November

Mild, quiet conditions were the order of the day and late migrants continued to trickle through. Although a few flocks of incoming Starlings passed through - totalling 350 at the Bill - it was really finches that featured best at the Bill, where 60 Siskins, 14 Bramblings, 12 Redpolls and 2 Bullfinches were amongst the steady little movement of Chaffinches; 15 Reed Buntings, 2 Fieldfares and singles of Woodlark, Mistle Thrush and Yellowhammer also passed through but the commoner thrushes were hardly represented at all. At least 2 new Firecrests joined the double-figure total of lingerers still present there but it otherwise looked as though warblers and 'crests were fewer everywhere than has been the case lately. The only other up-island reports were of single Yellow-browed Warblers at Broadcroft Quarry and Pennsylvania  Castle, and 2 Hawfinches at Coombefield Quarry.

A Vagrant Emperor was watched for a short while at Wallsend but couldn't be found during later searches.

Eleven Rusty-dot Pearl and a Cosmopolitan were the only immigrant moths trapped overnight at the Obs; elsewhere, a Radford's Flame Shoulder was caught at Blacknor.

It's been a shame that the current crop of Vagrant Emperors have been less than obliging, with most of the sightings being very brief and few permitting even a record photo - today's individual at Wallsend maintained that pattern © Joe Stockwell:

Late butterflies were a feature today, with a Small Copper at Wallsend © Joe Stockwell: 

...and a Green-veined White in the Crown Estate Field © Martin Cade: 

Firecrests continue to entertain, with new individuals still turning up - this one was in the Obs garden at dawn © Martin King:

For looks at this time of year it's hard to beat some of the male finches; Brambling and Siskin were both trapped and ringed at the Obs today © Martin Cade: