9th October

 And we're back to north westerlies. This October is starting to feel hauntingly like the last with our repeated searches feeling somewhat fruitless. That being said, the morning's visible passage was once again in triple figures for Swallows, Meadow Pipits, alba Wagtails and Chaffinches. Overhead oddities included two Tree Pipits, 15 Crossbills, six Bramblings and nine Reed Buntings. The remaining pipits in the now browned clifftop fields continued to attract Merlins with one at each end of the island. Away from the Bill, singles of Yellow-browed Warbler at Church Ope and Thumb Lane consisted of one new, and one lingering bird; a new eastern-type Lesser Whitethroat was in a flock of busily feeding Blackcaps at Broadcroft Quarry (the 'original' eastern bird that was first logged at the Obs on 28th September also emerged from hiding and was re-trapped today), and 2 Ring Ouzels were in the Cotoneaster in the Verne moat. A smattering of supporting extras involved a Garden Warbler trapped at the Obs, a Firecrest at Church Ope, a handful of well scattered Goldcrests and the usual selection of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs

A random selection from the day - Crossbills, a one-eyed Buzzard, a Little Owl and a Stonechat © Joe Stockwell: