14th and 15th September


A tough day in the field on the 14th with a blazing NW wind bringing with it frequent and heavy showers; the first Snow Bunting of the autumn was one of the few new passerine arrivals while the Ortolan Bunting was seen again around Nouster but remained very elusive but 37 Wheatears, a Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler were the only other migrants of note.

                A year’s high count of 1,406 Golden Plover was made through the day along with a Little Stint, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 51 Ruff, 33 Black-tailed Godwits, 32 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Wood Sandpiper again.   Four Sooty Shearwaters were offshore along with a Red-throated Diver, 4 Arctic Terns, a Common Tern and good numbers of Kittiwakes while 108 Wigeon, 7 Gadwall and 40 Teal were counted; the Marsh Harrier was still present along with a Merlin and 3 Herons.

Golden Plover,  photo Simon Davies


                A pretty much identical day on the 15th as we kept the blasting NW wind and the many showers sweeping across the island; the first 13 Pink-footed Geese of the autumn passed south at sea in the morning with 6 Sooty Shearwaters, 4 Great Skuas and 2 Red-throated Divers.   A new Lesser Whitethroat was at the top end along with a Snow Bunting while 6 Rock Pipits were on the coast by the Obs and waders included the 2 Little Stints, 2 Curlew Sandpipers and Grey Plover.

Little Stint,  photo Simon Davies

Comments