23rd October

There was no repeat of our magical double act from last year, while preparations for the evenings 'Harvest home' and George's 21st birthday celebrations also ate into some of the days birding time. The Northern Harrier seemed unfazed by the latest rougher weather being seen a number of times and with the wind having now decreased after the recent storm, most of the days other news came from a two and a half hour sea-watch session from dawn. The highlights were the autumn's first 2 Little Auks, 3 Pomarine Skuas (2 adults and a juvenile), an Arctic Skua, 6 Great Skuas, 54 Sooty Shearwaters,2 late Storm Petrels and 4 Puffins while an hour long sample count also logged 216 Fulmars (including 4 'blue' phase birds), 42 Gannets, 270 Kittiwakes and 1001 Auk sp.  A couple of Crossbills also came in off the sea during the watch, a Long-eared Owl showed well in Holland gardens where the Spotted Flycatcher also remained and the Whimbrel was seen again.

Long-eared Owl (photo Mark Warren)

Pomarine Skua (photo George Gay)