19th September

With many migrants still present all over the island, it was nice to have a glorious, sunny morning in which to enjoy them. The day's headline bird was the first Pectoral Sandpiper of the year on Hooking Loch, but the main focus was on the various passerines that were buzzing around the gardens and field edges in the sunshine. With a count of 37, Blackcaps remained the most numerous of the small migrants, most of which were at Holland House and the central part of the island. Numbers of other warblers came to 2 Barred Warblers (1 new and 1 long-stayer), 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Garden Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 15 Willow Warblers, 1 Goldcrest and 6 Yellow-browed Warblers. Other small migrants included the lingering Citrine Wagtail, 5 Common Rosefinches, a Common Redpoll, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 7 Song Thrushes, 7 Whinchats, 3 Robins and a Tree Pipit.

The Slavonian Grebe and the Scaup were still on Ancum Loch, a Grey Plover was seen and a Hen Harrier and a Peregrine were the raptor highlights.

It has been a good autumn so far for Grotfinches, with sightings of up to 5 on most days this month. However many individuals have been involved, all have been brown juvenile-type birds.