27th September

Wind, wind and more wind. The sea was our saving grace with another good movement of 47 Balearic Shearwaters, 34 Kittiwakes, a Bonxie, two Arctic Skuas, four Sandwich Terns and two tardy commic Terns. Across the Bill area passerines were thin on the ground and 19 Wheatears, a Spotted Flycatcher and two Firecrests were about the best we could muster.

News reached us today of a really exciting moth discovery earlier this week. Bob Johnson was holidaying in the area and on Tuesday morning (24th) was having a look at Culverwell where water mint is still in flower and attracting a few butterflies; a flying moth caught his eye and was photographed after it settled nearby. It was unfamiliar to Bob but with no field guides to hand it remained unidentified until he returned home to Sussex and discovered it was a Geometrician - only the third British record of this immigrant from southern Europe and Africa! © Bob Johnson:

Finally, a reminder that there's an In Focus field event at the Obs between 10am and 4pm tomorrow, Saturday 28th September.