27th and 28th September
Heavy rain overnight and
through the morning on the 27th had largely moved through by
lunchtime but inevitably the blazing force 7 WSW wind was then an annoying
consistent presence throughout; passerines were naturally in short supply but
included a surprise Barred Warbler at Claypows (the last one
was ten days ago, so possibly a new bird?), a Siskin, 4 Lapland Buntings and 6
Snow Buntings. Other birds included 5
Red-throated Divers, a Great-northern Diver, 16 Sooty Shearwaters offshore in
an hour, 61 Pink-footed Geese south, single Kestrel and Peregrine, a Jack Snipe
with 278 Snipe and an Arctic Tern.
Largely dry through the 28th with just a
few showers but the strong winds were still a deciding factor; there were a few
signs of some movements though with 4 Redwings (dark, coburnii looking birds), a big Common Redpoll of north-western
origin, 63 Skylarks with a light southward passage, 8 Swallows, 280 Meadow
Pipits, 7 Rock Pipits, 2 Lapland Buntings and 8 Snow Buntings.
Other little bits included a Slavonian Grebe of The Links (only the
second of the year), 3 Red-throated and 3 Great-northern Divers, 6 Whooper
Swans south, 4 Pink-footed Geese, the first 3 Red-breasted
Mergansers of
the autumn, a Kestrel, a Merlin and an adult Arctic Tern off the north end.
Slavonian Grebe Simon Davies
Pink-footed Goose
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