22nd September

With the strong(ish) westerly wind having subsided to next to nothing by dawn the sea drew some attention as we hoped to latch on to some of the previous days sea-bird highlights in the North sea. There was no Fea's Petrel but 4 hours of effort from 0740 saw a Great Shearwater (0815) pass by along with 74 Sooty Shearwaters, 8 Manx Shearwaters, 1177 Fulmars-including 3 'blue' phase, 384 Gannets and 2 Risso's Dolphins were also seen. Back on dry land, the Short-toed Lark was found again on the driest parts of the fields around Kirbest while the Pectoral Sandpiper has re-located to the nearby Loch at Bridesness. There weren't many new passerines but 3 Red-breasted Flycatchers included new individuals at Hooking and the Pier, with the long-stayer still at Holland gardens. A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Bridesness again, 2 Tree Pipits at the north end, 12 Chaffinches, 5 Bramblings and 5 Lapland Buntings were well spread and 3 Kestrels were also noted.