24th - 26th September

The westerly winds continued to blow on the 24^th with the American Golden Plover still present around Holland the day’s highlight – there is some suspicion that it is in fact a different bird than the one that was present on the 19^th and 20^th but we’ll have to do some more examination of photographs to make a decision.   Migrants across the land included a Sparrowhawk (only the second of the autumn), 2 Kestrels, 3 Merlin, 8 Rock Pipits, the Black Redstart, 20 Wheatears, a Song Thrush, a Blackcap, a Brambling, a Lapland Bunting and 5 Snow Buntings.

                An hour’s seawatch in the afternoon produced 8 Sooty Shearwaters and an adult Pomarine Skua while other birds included 4 Herons, 2 Jack Snipe, 230 Snipe and an influx of 18 Black-tailed Godwits.

                The strong westerlies were replaced by strong southerlies on the 25^th which gradually increased through the day to become extremely strong by the afternoon which naturally limited what was seen out in the field today; the American Golden Plover was still present while most of the other interest was offshore with two hours seawatching producing 1,038 Fulmars (including two Blue Fulmars – the first of the autumn), 55 Sooty Shearwaters, 10 Manx Shearwaters, a juvenile Pomarine Skua, an Arctic Skua, an Arctic Tern and 2 Puffins.

                Other birds included single Red-throated and Great-northern Divers, 2 Kestrels, a Jack Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, a Willow Warbler, a Siskin, a Lapland Bunting and 6 Snow Buntings.

                Much lighter winds on the 26^th but still barrelling in from the west, it was a quiet day with the American Golden Plover with 650 Golden Plover once again being the day’s highlight.   Other bits of note included 17 Sooty Shearwaters in an hour in the morning, 2 Kestrels, a Merlin, a Grey Plover, a Redwing, 2 Willow Warblers, a Spotted Flycatcher and 4 Snow Buntings.

Lapland Bunting                                      Simon Davies