6th October

A samey day in terms of the general character of proceedings but variety increased in keeping with the season and the marginal improvement in the conditions (just a stiff wind as opposed to a howling gale). Overhead passage again accounted for the numbers, with 1500 Meadow Pipits, 1000 Linnets, 300 Swallows, 250 Goldfinches, 200 alba wagtails, 43 Siskins, 25 Skylarks,17 Chaffinches, a Merlin and the first Reed Bunting of the autumn among the heavy traffic over the Bill. At the same time the sea was constantly busy, with 500 auks, 250 Mediterranean Gulls, 150 Kittiwakes, 50 Black-headed Gulls, 41 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 21 Common Scoter, six Arctic Skuas, four Sandwich Terns, a Red-throated Diver and a Pomarine Skua through or lingering offshore. The land remained far quieter than it ought to be: a Turtle Dove flew through at Weston but grounded migrants otherwise amounted to barely more than single figure totals of Wheatear, Blackcap and Chiffchaff, with the odd singles of the likes of Whinchat thrown in; at least one Short-eared Owl also remained at the Bill.

A Monarch butterfly was seen in flight at Blacknor.