13th October

We did debate whether we ought to mention that one of the day's 'highlights' was a wide-ranging Mallard (...although a former breeding bird, they've become very infrequent in recent years), but it was so we'll go with it as a reflection of just what a low-key day it was. That's not to say that migrants were sparse because there was a fair bit to see, but scarcity-wise a Siberian Chiffchaff at the Obs was as good as it got. Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Meadow Pipits and alba wagtails continued to dominate the grounded tally although all dropped back a notch or two in comparison with recent days; 2 Black Redstarts and late-ish singles of Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher were among the odds and ends of interest. Overhead, the pulse of pigeons and corvids continued, with small flocks of Siskins also dribbling through all day; the first Redpoll of the season passed over at Easton but the strong passage of Redwings detected elsewhere didn't really materialise: they were audible in moderate numbers during the later hours of darkness but few continued moving once dawn broke.