3rd September

While routine census didn't deliver much on another breezy day, there were still a few  good birds seen. Undoubted highlight was the Greenish Warbler first watched briefly from the Observatory bar mid-afternoon before being relocated in one of the nearby heligoland traps a short time later where it was caught and ringed. Feasibly our third individual of the autumn so far, with good coverage currently and many other 'drift' migrants having arrived on the island since the Surgery bird of the 28th August, it went on to show well within the trapping area for the rest of the evening. Also new today was a Rosefinch in the company of Meadow Pipits frequenting the Breck/Westness area while a Barred Warbler, also at the Observatory was more likely a lingering individual. Just 5 Sooty Shearwaters passed by on the sea in 3.5 hours with waders of note including 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 59 Ruff and the lone Wood Sandpiper. Migrants passerine numbers continue to thin with 4 White Wagtails, 3 Whinchats, 44 Wheatears, a Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Willow Warblers and a Carrion Crow among those seen.

 Greenish Warbler (pboth photos George Gay)

Rosefinch (photo Mark Warren)