19th September

After weeks of blazing westerly gales (it wasn't really that long but it felt like it at times!) a stunning day with hardly a breath of wind whilst being warm and sunny at the same time meant it was a joy to be out and about; long hours out in the field began with an early Little Auk and a couple of Sooty Shearwaters from the seawatch hide while a Marsh Warbler was trapped at Holland House.   The rest of the day produced a few scarcities both long staying and new including a Barred Warbler walking along the beach at Nouster, two Yellow-browed Warblers, the two Common Rosefinches and the Pectoral Sandpiper still.   A scattering of common migrants also included a Tree Pipit, a Whinchat, two Sedge Warblers, 4 Lesser Whitethroats and two Garden Warblers while today's odd bits and pieces consisted of an increase to 176 Snow Buntings, an excellent flock of 57 Black-tailed Godwits whizzing around, two late Sandwich Terns, two Little Stints still, two Merlin and 29 Pink-footed Geese south.

Marsh Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler (Andrew Thompson)