4th October

The wind dropped and once the rain passed through mid-morning it was a pleasant day in the field. There were a number of new arrivals with an obliging Olive-backed Pipit in the Rue area the best of the bunch. Another Corncrake was flushed- this time from a ditch at Neven, the Pectoral Sandpiper re-appeared at Kirbest and a Pomarine Skua flew past on the sea. There was still a Great Spotted Woodpecker around while counts of some of the commoner species came to 4 Jack Snipe, the first Woodcock of the autumn, 17 Robins, 49 Song Thrushes, 112 Redwings. 30 Blackcaps, 6 Yellow-browed Warblers, 34 Bramblings, 7 Chaffinches and 4 Common Redpolls.

Olive-backed Pipit (photo Andrew McMillan)