21st October

While there were still thousands of birds spread across the island, the magical easterly wind had shot up to a blasting force 7-8 which, when combined with the long periods of driving rain made counting them much harder!   There were inevitably highlights through the day, with a smart COUE’S ARCTIC REDPOLL found at Nether Linney, now 2 Pallas’s Warblers present with the original bird still in Bewan House garden and a new bird seen along the wall at the top of The Links and the first 3 Glaucous Gulls of the autumn at the top end with a big arrival of Gulls which comprised 632 Herring, 750 Great Black-backs and 165 Commons.

                Numbers of other migrants were slightly down on yesterday but still very impressive and included 2 Jack Snipe, 18 Woodcock, 3 Woodpigeons, the late Swallow again, a good 6 Grey Wagtails, 143 Robins, 2 Black Redstarts, 2 Redstarts, a Stonechat, 10 Wheatears, 22 Ring Ouzels, 300 Blackbirds, 16 Fieldfares, 99 Song Thrushes, 2,053 Redwings, 2 Mistle Thrushes, a Lesser Whitethroat, 11 Blackcap, a Yellow-browed Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, 58 Goldcrest, the Red-breasted Flycatcher hanging on, 10 Chaffinch, 48 Brambling, 3 Siskin, 2 Common Redpolls, a Lapland Bunting and 3 Snow Buntings.

                Nine Whooper Swans lingered and the Green-winged Teal was still present with 75 Teal.

Black Redstart

Brambling

Photos Simon Davies