15th - 17th September


Bright and breezy on the 15th with little evidence of any new arrivals as migrant totals across the land included the Barred Warbler still at Obs, 2 Kestrels, 2 Merlins, a Peregrine, 404 Meadow Pipits, 3 Rock Pipits, the Black Redstart, one of the summering Fieldfares still, a Garden Warbler, a Blackcap and 6 Willow Warblers.   Other little bits of note comprised 8 Red-throated Divers off Stennabreck and single Grey Plover, Ruff and Jack Snipe.

                A very difficult day on the 16th with a blazing force 8 southerly swinging round into the west, it certainly was tricky out in the field as the few birds unearthed included 5 Herons, 5 Pintail with 80 Wigeon, 2 Kestrels, a Merlin, 2 Peregrines, a lone juvenile Sand Martin, the Barred Warbler again at the Obs, 2 Willow Warblers and a Lapland Bunting on Trinley.

                A much nicer day on the 17th with lighter winds and some nice sunshine in the afternoon; most of the interest was offshore with two and a half hours seawatching producing single Red-throated and Great-northern Divers, 2,184 Fulmars, 22 Sooty Shearwaters, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Storm Petrels, 2 Leach’s Petrels, 725 Gannets and 7 Common Scoter while a nice flock of 8 Whooper Swans flew south along with 32 Pink-footed Geese.

                On the land birds included single Kestrel, Merlin and Peregrine, a Ruff, 2 Jack Snipe, 2 Barred Warblers (at the Obs and possibly a new bird at Senness), 2 Willow Warblers and a Common Redpoll at the Obs.


Whooper Swans

Peregrine

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