5th - 7th September

A calm start on the 5^th before a brisk southerly breeze picked up through the day; the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still at Brides while a trickle of migrants across the land included an influx of 375+ Meadow Pipits, the first Reed Warbler of the autumn (and only second of the year!), the Icterine Warbler again, a Garden Warbler, 2 Willow Warblers and a Common Rosefinch at the Obs in the evening.   Other bits included an influx of 8+ Kestrels, single Merlin and Peregrine, a Grey Plover and 9 Black-tailed Godwits.

                A pleasant day on the 6^th with a few little hints that we might be finally getting some migrants including a Pied Flycatcher, 4 Willow Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Barred Warblers (Obs and The Mill), the Icterine Warbler still, 2 Sedge Warblers and a Black Redstart.   Elsewhere, counts included 78 Wigeon, 80 Teal, single Kestrel, Merlin and Peregrine and 11 Black-tailed Godwits.

                A fantastic day on the 7^th with out autumn finally arriving with a bang and a host of new migrants across the island, the overnight rain lingered through until mid-morning but it wasn’t until the afternoon that birds started to be unearthed as it seemed that new birds kept arriving all the time.    The highlights in summary included a GREENISH WARBLER at Bewan House, an ARCTIC WARBLER at Ancum Willows (about time after multiple birds just to the north of us!), the first Wryneck of the year at Nether Linney, our earliest ever Yellow-browed Warbler at Westbeach, a Common Rosefinch, a Barred Warbler and the Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Brides still.

                Other migrants across the land included 2 Kestrels, a Peregrine, 6 Sand Martins, 3 Tree Pipits and 3 Rock Pipits in amongst a big arrival of 655+ Meadow Pipits, 3 Redstarts, the first Whinchat of the autumn, a Reed Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, 8 Willow Warblers, the first 2 Spotted Flycatchers of the autumn and a Pied Flycatcher.   Also of note were 4 Herons, 4 Ruff, 9 Black-tailed Godwits and a Whimbrel.

Arctic Warbler                      Simon Davies

Common Rosefinch                      Simon Davies