9th October

A big arrival of thrushes involved 95 Fieldfares, 12 Song Thrushes and more than 2000 Redwings, most of which were concentrated around the south-western part of the island. The crop field at Kirbest held 100 Skylarks and among them, the bird of the day, a Woodlark. There were few other passerine migrants, although 8 Bramblings and a Siskin were seen and the Snow Bunting count reached 332 birds.

A Grey Phalarope at Westness was an addition to the year-list, and either it or a second bird was seen lingering off the west coast later in the afternoon. The first Woodcock of the autumn was near Twingness, while 17 Jack Snipe was a clear increase on previous days. Sea passage was much slower than the day before, with just 1 Little Auk and only a small number of Fulmars and Shearwaters passing by, and the only notable wildfowl movement was 21 Whooper Swans and 122 Pink-footed Geese.

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