25th-28th August
With conditions generally being less favourable for large arrivals, we've seen slightly lower numbers of migrants around in the past few days, although there's still been a nice scattering of birds with some individuals still hanging around from the larger arrivals from previous days along with a couple of new additions.
25th began with a Crossbill and a Rosefinch around the Obs/Lurand, along with a Cuckoo at Holland. A Wood Sandpiper was new in at Brides, as was an Icterine Warbler at the Shooting Gallery. Lingering birds included the Icterine Warbler at Neven and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers at Ancum House and the Shooting Gallery. The afternoon saw four more Crossbills, a new Great Spotted Woodpecker found near the Obs (taking the total present to three, confirmed by two birds being trapped at Ancum Willows in the evening whilst the bird was still present around the Obs), with Wrynecks discovered at the Shooting Gallery and Ancum Willows. A Black Redstart was at Antabreck and the first Wood Warbler of the autumn was found on the coast near Lurand in the early evening. Other totals included a Common Whitethroat (first of the autumn), 17 Willow Warblers, four Pied Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, a Sparrowhawk, 5 Common Sandpipers, 15 Ruff and a Greenshank.
Saturday saw the three Great Spotted Woodpeckers still present with two around Ancum and the other still lingering around the Obs. A Wryneck was seen flying in off the sea at Nouster and a Barred Warbler was trapped and ringed at the Obs. The Wood Sandpiper remained at Brides and an overdue first Reed Warbler of the year was at Holland. 765 Meadow Pipits were logged, the highest day total from a period of passage of this species over the past week or so, and 261 Wheatears indicated some increased movement of this species also. Other migrant totals included 8 Pied Flycatchers, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Goldcrest, two each of Crossbill and Redstart, and two Common Whitethroats.
27th saw the Barred Warbler still present at the Obs, with a new bird discovered at Trollavatn. Crossbills were seen at Midhouse and Nether Linnay (it's proving to be a good period for sightings of this species here after a surprising blank year in 2022) and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen around the Post Office. A Quail was flushed from cover at Cott - the first sighting since late June.
28th was the quietest day for sometime with few common migrants around in general. However, a Wryneck at Greenwall and the remaining Barred Warbler, plus the three Great Spotted Woodpeckers gave us nothing to complain about. Passerine migrant totals included a Redstart at Verracott, Lesser Whitethroat at the north end, a Garden Warbler, a Stonechat at North Gravity, a Pied Flycatcher at Greenwall and 12 Willow Warblers.
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