25th September

Same again, with the strong and blustery ESE wind bringing spells of drizzle and low cloud across the island but today (compared to yesterday) was slightly clearer, slightly drier and slightly windier.   Most species experienced increases with today’s scarcities including 3 Red-breasted Flycatchers (the Holland bird, the Westness bird and a new bird at Doo Geo) and 5 Yellow-browed Warblers – mainly up the west coast.   The excellent spread of common migrants included 4 Herons, 75 Barnacle Geese, 2 Hen Harriers, 2 Sparrowhawks, 4 Kestrels, a Grey Plover, a Little Stint on Westbeach, the first Jack Snipe of the autumn, 115 Snipe, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (including a Baltic-looking juvenile), a late Swift over the Obs, 11 Swallows, 40 Skylarks, 190 Meadow Pipits, 3 Rock Pipits, 6 Robins, an excellent 21 Redstarts, 3 Whinchats, 40 Wheatears, 2 Fieldfares, 133 Song Thrushes, 47 Redwing, 3 Lesser Whitethroats (all probably eastern in origin), 2 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, 7 Goldcrest, a Chaffinch, 4 Lapland Buntings and a Snow Bunting. 

Lesser Whitethroat

Chiffchaff

Redstart