30th September

Finally, a break in the seemingly relentless wind saw our first day of exceptional passage for over a week. Meadow Pipits were the stars of the show with a day tally for the Bill area amassing over 12,000 with sample counts of 4,000 an hour (this is likely an underestimate as the front across which the birds were moving encompassed the entire southern end of the island). Despite the obvious and spectacular passage there was no big rare amongst it and highlights were limited to the first Reed Buntings of the autumn, a Grasshopper Warbler on the slopes, three Firecrests in the Obs, a Pied Flycatcher in Suckthumb Quarry and a Turtle Dove over Watery Lane. Sea passage was limited to nine Arctic Skuas, two Balearic Shearwaters and five Sandwich Terns.

The first signs of moving Reed Buntings for the autumn came in one fell swoop of six individuals where none have been recorded since the spring ©Erin Taylor:


Swallows put on another huge display with a flock of over 600 around the Bill and the surrounding buildings © Erin Taylor: