25th and 26th September
Another good-looking day on the 25th with
spitting rain through until mid-morning driven across the island by the brisk
SE wind; there was a steady arrival of new passerines with bits and pieces
trickling in throughout the day, the highlights being our first Red-breasted Flycatcher of the year at the south end of The Links, a Bluethroat at Southness, a Common Rosefinch at the top end and 4 Yellow-browed Warblers.
Other migrant totals included 2 Robins, 2 Redstarts, 2 Whinchats, 65
Wheatears, 5 Song Thrushes, 2 Redwing, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler,
4 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 6 Willow Warblers, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Spotted
Flycatchers, a Pied Flycatcher, 4 Chaffinch, 2 Brambling, 2 Common Redpolls, 2
Lapland Buntings and 3 Snow Buntings.
Six
Red-throated Divers, a Great-northern Diver, a single Manx Shearwater and our
first 2 Red-breasted Mergansers of the autumn were offshore while an influx of
415 Great Black-backed Gulls and a few big, dark, ugly argentatus Herring Gulls was noteworthy. Two Kestrels were also present along with a
Grey Plover, a Little Stint, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, a Jack Snipe with 225 Snipe
and 30 Black-tailed Godwits.
Red-breasted Flycatcher, Simon Davies
The
SE wind continued to blaze across the island on the 26th with spells
of mist and murk coming and going but with it staying largely dry it was an awesome
day in the field with plenty of new arrivals including some quality birds
thrown in. It started well with a BLYTH’S REED
WARBLER trapped at Holland, closely
followed by an ‘Eastern’ Lesser Whitethroat (presumably a blythi bird – to be confirmed either way
later on I hope!) and then the day’s highlight of a cracking SIBERIAN STONECHAT
found along the northern edge of the airstrip which showed well for a short time
before disappearing.
The
supporting cast of a/the Olive-backed Pipit near Holland, a Richard’s Pipit around Ancum (first of the year), a Red-breasted
Flycatcher at
Garso, the Bluethroat again at Southness, a Little Bunting at Rue, an Ortolan Bunting at Gretchen and 10 Yellow-browed Warblers made for a fantastic day.
The
long list of other migrants included 2 Woodpigeons, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Grey
Wagtails, a Dunnock, 8 Robins, 5 Redstarts, a Whinchat, 69 Wheatears, 33 Song
Thrushes, 34 Redwings, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, 9 Blackcap, 8
Chiffchaffs, 9 Willow Warblers, 6 Goldcrests, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 7
Chaffinches, 7 Bramblings and 3 Snow Buntings.
Other little bits of note included 9 Herons, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers,
2 Kestrels, a Wood Sandpiper briefly at Gretchen, a late Arctic Tern, 400
Linnets coming into roost and a bit of an influx of 20 Red Admirals – autumn
has kicked off in style now!!
Blyth's Reed Warbler, Simon Davies
Siberian Stonechat, Simon Davies
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