18th October

Another good day in the field with lightish SW winds and only the occasional spell of drizzle; the main feature of the daywas an impressive passage of Redwings with 2,200+ moving across the island in big rolling waves as flocks of 2-300 settled briefly in the fields while the flock behind them moved through then they would take their turn and head slowly south.   Other migrants across the land included 2 Hen Harriers, 2 Kestrels, 2 Merlins, a new Long-eared Owl trapped in Holland, 85 Skylarks, 93 Meadow Pipits, 16 Robins, a late Whinchat hanging on, 5 Wheatears, 35 Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, the Great Grey Shrike still, the first 3 Rooks of the autumn, 51 Chaffinch, 165 Brambling, 23 Snow Bunting and 2 Yellowhammers.

                Also of note was a decent movement of wildfowl including 91 Whooper Swans, 70 Pink-footed Geese, 1,125 Greylag Geese, 12 Barnacle Geese, 10 Red-breasted Mergansers and most noteworthy, 2 Shelduck which flew down The Links – only the fifth ever October record and the first since mid-July!

Whooper Swans

Golden Plover