17th and 18th October
The combination of the brisk NE wind, new moon and
drizzle, rain and murk all added up to a big lighthouse attraction overnight on
the 17th; a conservative estimate of 7,000+ Redwings made up the bulk of the
migrants swirling around in the arrows of spinning light, often just appearing
as little, dancing, shining, points of light as they get caught in the
beckoning beams – an awesome spectacle tempered by the many which do not
survive such attractions, paying the cost of migration. Other migrants involved included Song
Thrushes, Fieldfares, Robins, Goldcrests, Bramblings, Rock Pipits and a
juvenile Gannet!
The
wind had died down a little bit by dawn but rapidly increased again to at least
force 8, making a very tricky day in the field; a rough seawatch paid off
though later in the day with our third Balearic Shearwater of
the year passing the hide along with 3 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Manx Shearwaters
and a Bonxie.
Whooper Swans were down to ‘only’
190, mainly on Ancum, while other migrants included 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Merlins,
a Grey Wagtail, 25 Robins, 7 Wheatears, 12 Fieldfares, 118 Song Thrushes,
single Garden Warbler and Blackcap, 34 Bramblings, a Siskin and 2 Snow Buntings
although counts were reduced in the difficult conditions.
Redwing
The wind had dropped off to a
really light easterly breeze on the 18th and with the overcast
conditions we knew we’d be in for a good day; the conditions allowed us to keep
the nets open in Holland gardens all day producing an excellent (for here!)
total of 121 new birds ringed including 80 Redwings, only the fourth Grey
Wagtail to be ringed on the island and the first Greenfinch
of the year.
An afternoon seawatch again
produced the day’s highlight with our second FEA’S PETREL
(type) of the year past the seawatch hide at 16:00 along with a Storm
Petrel, 5 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Sooty Shearwaters, 4 Pomarine Skuas,
2 Blue Fulmars, 340 Kittiwakes, the first two Little Auks of the autumn, 1,115 large
Auk sp. and 2 Bonxies while calmer seas allowed totals of 2 Slavonian Grebes,
10 Great-northern Divers, 7 Long-tailed Ducks, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers and a
late Arctic Tern. 88 Whooper Swans were
counted today with many of them heading south in the good conditions leaving
just a few family parties on Ancum Loch where the Scaup was seen again along
with 8 Barnacle Geese.
In the calm weather, a few of
the lingering scarcities of late resurfaced with the Bluethroat
again at Quoybanks, the Dusky Warbler again
in Holland and the Red-breasted Flycatcher still; other migrants
included 2 Sparrowhawks, up to 3 Peregrines, 2 Merlins, a Jack Snipe, 8 Robins,
6 Wheatears, 400+ Redwings, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs,
3 Goldcrests, 6 Chaffinches, 37+ Bramblings, a Lapland Bunting and 21 Snow
Buntings.
Kittiwake
Photos Simon Davies
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