27th October

High tides and a rough swell saw the birding more akin to the winter months as numbers of coastal feeding waders, wildfowl and gulls built up for the first time since the early part of the year. There were about 200 each of Common, Herring and Great black-backed Gulls, plus 14 Black-headed Gulls, 221 Eiders, 158 Purple Sandpipers and 248 Turnstones mainly on or off the eastern shores. The Northern Harrier remains, 4 each of Jack Snipe and Woodcock were flushed and of other migrants the most notable were 43 Rock Pipits, 2 Wheatears, fewer thrushes than yesterday, a late Pied Flycatcher at Holland gardens, 15 Bramblings and a Mealy Redpoll.

Northern Harrier (photo George Gay)

 Gannet and Purple Sandpipers (All photos by George Gay)