16th November

Today didn't really pan out as might have been hoped given that not too long ago the forecast had been for a promising northeasterly; in the event what little breeze there was was firmly in the west and the cloud cover was sufficiently heavy as to restrict overhead passage to a short, early pulse that included 300 Starlings, 200 Goldfinches, 150 Chaffinches, 60 Redwings, 17 Bramblings, 10 Fieldfares, 6 Siskins, a Merlin and a Golden Plover over the Bill; elsewhere, a Short-eared Owl passed over at Ferrybridge. Briefly downed thrushes accounted for most of the numbers on the ground, where 2 Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff and a Reed Bunting were the best of the only other new arrivals at the Bill; singles of Black Redstart and Siberian Chiffchaff also lingered on at the Bill and a Ring Ouzel was again at Sweethill. Offshore, a late Manx Shearwater, 2 Great Skuas and a Red-throated Diver passed by at the Bill.