18th November

Another day that looked as though it'd fizzled out uneventfully took an unexpected turn just as dusk fell when a Red-breasted Flycatcher was discovered in the Obs garden. Earlier, there had been almost no positive signs with only Chaffinch and Goldfinch managing double figure totals overhead and just single figure totals of Redwing, Fieldfare and Brambling pitching in briefly at the Bill and Southwell; 2 Merlins were again logged at the Bill where singles of Chiffchaff and Redpoll were new in, whilst a Blackcap was new at Southwell. A lone Great Northern Diver passed through off the Bill and 1700 Mediterranean Gulls were at Ferrybridge.

We can't recollect an occasion that a scarcity has turned up here so late in the day that we literally couldn't make out any plumage features through binoculars and, in the semi-darkness, had to resort to using flash to get any sort of image of it; fortunately the ID of the Red-breasted Fly had been established before we even clapped eyes on it since it was calling so frequently and conspicuously that it was hard to miss © Martin Cade: