5th November
For the sleep-deprived the sound of rain lashing on the window as dawn broke was very welcome but this invitation for a lie-in probably resulted in the loss of a fair few birds from the day-list: by the time the comfortable slumber was over Kittiwakes were already moving in quantity and the day-long seawatch that ensued was unexpectedly rewarding considering the general unpleasantness of proceedings, with wind-blown drizzle and spray a constant impediment. Kittiwakes moved throughout with the logged total of 1700 certainly a minimum since there were prolonged periods of reduced visibility when they simply couldn't be adequately resolved to accurately count; 33 Common Scoter, 10 Sooty Shearwaters, 5 Fulmars, 3 Arctic Skuas and singles of Red-throated Diver, Manx Shearwater, Long-tailed Duck and Pomarine Skua made up the best of the rest. The only reports from elsewhere were of a Goldcrest (bizarrely, in song from time to time!) at Southwell, a Cetti's Warbler at Castletown, 11 Common Scoter and 2 Wigeon through off Chesil Cove, a Great Northern Diver over Ferrybridge and 5 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Redshank settled there.