5th October

A more eventful day was greatly enlivened by a couple of rarer migrants injecting some much-needed excitement into the daily census routine. A Rustic Bunting at Nether Linnay in the morning was a frustratingly brief highlight, immediately vanishing and evading detection during the intensive relocation efforts which ensued. Rather less mobile was a very skulking warbler at Westness that was eventually ushered into a mist net and identified as the autumn's first Marsh Warbler.

The Hawfinch was trapped and ringed at Holland House in the morning, while other small migrants included 3 North-Western Redpolls, a Greenfinch, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Garden Warbler and 2 Swallows. A couple of Hen Harriers, a Peregrine and 2 Merlins were seen and the usual American Golden Plover remained.

Hawfinch 

Marsh Warbler

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