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Local weather

Update

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21st Oct

A few birds were seen on the land with a Short-eared Owl on the beach at the fishing boats, a Yellow-browed Warbler still in the trapping area, a Dartford Warbler, four Firecrests, 20 Goldcrests, 20 Blackbirds and a Brambling of note. Very quiet offshore with just eight Mediterranean Gulls and an Arctic Tern of interest

20th Oct

With near-gale south-westerly winds observations were mainly offshore where two Shovelers, seven Teal, four Little Gulls, 45 Sandwich Terns, an Arctic Tern, a Great Skua and two Manx Shearwaters were seen. Six Caspian Gulls and a Yellow-legged Gull were also on the beach. Very quiet on the land with just 28 Swallows, three Blackcaps, three Firecrests, 30 Goldcrests, a Ring Ouzel, five Song Thrushes, 270 Goldfinches and 37 Siskins of note.

Two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

19th Oct

A Black Guillemot offshore and a brief first-winter Red-footed Falcon in the Trapping Area were the obvious highlights of what was an otherwise fairly quiet day. Two Yellow-browed Warblers were still in the Trapping Area along with 40 Chiffchaffs, a Dartford Warbler, four Firecrests, 50 Goldcrests, a Ring Ouzel and a Wheatear. Birds passing overhead included 22 Swallows, two Rock Pipits, 23 Crossbills, 170 Goldfinches and a Yellowhammer. Seawatching produced 78 Brent Geese, a Pintail, eight Little Gulls, 24 Mediterranean Gulls, two Caspian Gulls (a first-winter and a third-winter), 76 Sandwich Terns, an Arctic Tern, a Great Skua, 499 Razorbills, 795 auk species and 525 Gannets.

Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

18th Oct

The bushes were very busy again with a Jack Snipe, two Yellow-browed Warblers, 50 Chiffchaffs, eight Blackcaps, a Dartford Warbler, six Firecrests, 120 Goldcrests, two Ring Ouzels, 25 Blackbirds and five Fieldfares while birds of note overhead included ten Skylarks, 21 Swallows, two Rock Pipits, four Bramblings, 15 Redpoll, 880 Goldfinches and 16 Siskins. Seawatching produced 681 Brent Geese, 18 Shelducks, 205 Wigeon, 43 Pintail, 12 Teal, 211 Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Tern, a Manx Shearwater and 467 Gannets.

A Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

17th Oct

Most of the interest was on the land with a Jack Snipe, two Snipe, a flock of three Woodlarks, a Yellow-browed Warbler, two Ring Ouzels, a late Tree Pipit and nine Crossbills of note along with  75 Chiffchaffs, 17 Blackcaps, six Firecrests, 100 Goldcrests, 22 Blackbirds, 16 Fieldfares, 27 Redwings and 11 Song Thrushes. Other birds passing overhead included 32 Swallows, three Grey Wagtails, five Rock Pipits, 250 Chaffinches, seven Bramblings, 24 Redpolls, 300 Goldfinches and 400 Siskins. Offshore, 103 Brent Geese, four Pintail and 25 Mediterranean Gulls were the only birds of note.

Elsewhere, a Pallas's Warbler was showing well in Dengemarsh Gully.


16th Oct

The highlights of the day were three Yellow-browed Warblers in the Trapping Area with other grounded migrants including two Short-eared Owls, 40 Chiffchaffs, three Firecrests, 32 Goldcrests, three Ring Ouzels, four Fieldfares and six Song Thrushes. There was more passage overhead with a Great White Egret, a Woodlark, 18 Skylarks, 55 Swallows, a Grey Wagtail, 60 Meadow Pipits, seven Rock Pipits, 550 Chaffinches, seven Bramblings, 12 Redpolls, two Crossbills, 370 Goldfinches, 64 Siskins and ten Reed Buntings. There was very little movement offshore but 90 Mediterranean Gulls and a first-year Caspian Gull were seen.

A Grey Seal was feeding offshore. 

15th Oct

Similar conditions to yesterday saw more birds passing overhead and grounded in the bushes. Of note were a Yellow-browed Warbler, a massive count of 3420 Chaffinches, 13 Crossbills and a Yellowhammer while other birds in good numbers included 119 Stock Doves, two Kingfishers, 15 Jackdaw, 15 Skylarks, 103 Swallows, 50 Chiffchaffs, 30 Goldcrests, 325 Starlings in, 45 Blackbirds, 28 Fieldfares, 537 Redwings, 25 Song Thrushes, two Rock Pipits, eight Bramblings, 19 Redpolls, 300 Goldfinches and 125 Siskins. The sea was a bit more productive with 21 Wigeon, a Red-breasted Merganser, a high count of 348 Mediterranean Gulls, three Caspian Gulls (a first-winter and two second-winters,) two Yellow-legged Gulls and 67 Sandwich Terns.

A Swedish-ringed Goldcrest was also a notable capture in the Trapping Area.

Two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

14th Oct

A light NE breeze, heavy cloud and light rain resulted in a big arrival of birds in the bushes and passing overhead with totals for many species being a combination of both. Highlights were two Jack Snipes, a Yellow-browed Warbler in the Trapping Area, a Dartford Warbler, six Firecrests, 18 Brambling, 12 Crossbills and a group of three Twite which landed briefly at the Point. Numbers were provided by 49 Stock Doves, 45 Skylarks, 154 Swallows, 60 Chiffchaffs, 70 Goldcrests, 1616 Starlings in, 95 Blackbirds, 850 Redwings, 43 Song Thrushes, 68 Robins, 370 Chaffinches, 960 Goldfinches and 54 Siskins. Other bits and pieces included a late Whitethroat, a Fieldfare, three Mistle Thrushes, a Wheatear, a Grey Wagtail, four Rock Pipits and nine Reed Buntings. The sea was fairly quiet but ten Shelducks, three Gadwall, 89 Wigeon, eight Pintail, four Teal, a Velvet Scoter, 26 Mediterranean Gulls and a Great Skua were seen.

Two Porpoise and singles of Common and Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen in the Desert.

13th Oct

Calm with drizzle/light rain throughout the morning resulted in a big arrival of birds in the bushes and overhead. A Woodcock, four Snipe, 60 Chiffchaffs, 16 Blackcaps, a Dartford Warbler, seven Firecrests, 42 Goldcrests, nine Ring Ouzels, 40 Blackbirds, 13 Fieldfares, 415 Redwings, 130 Song Thrushes, five Mistle Thrushes, 85 Robins and a Pied Flycatcher were seen in the bushes and the Yellow-browed Warbler was still present. Birds moving overhead included 49 Skylarks, 64 Swallows, 314 Starlings, seven Grey Wagtails, 120 "alba" Wagtails, 100 Meadow Pipits, 11 Rock Pipits, 155 Chaffinches, 46 Bramblings, ten Redpolls, another 32 Crossbills, 700 Goldfinches, 50 Siskins and 12 Reed Buntings.

Two Porpoise and singles of Common and Grey Seal were seen offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

12th Oct

A quieter day in the bushes but another big movement overhead with a staggering 231 Crossbills of particular note and breaking the previous day record total set only a few days ago. A Yellow-browed Warbler was seen in the Trapping Area and a flyover Serin were also of note along with a Little Egret, another two Glossy Ibis, two Short-eared Owls, a Barn Owl in the Trapping Area, a Woodlark, a Rock Pipit, two Bramblings and numbers provided by 35 Skylarks, 47 Swallows, 203 Starlings, three Grey Wagtails, 40 "alba" Wagtails, 400 Meadow Pipits, 216 Chaffinches, eight Redpolls, 1608 Goldfinches and 420 Siskins. Of note among the grounded migrants were 68 Chiffchaffs, eight Blackcaps, three Firecrests, 40 Goldcrests, ten Redwings and seven Song Thrushes. Seawatching was also productive with 1746 Brent Geese, three Shelduck, 164 Wigeon, a Pintail, 17 Teal, nine Mediterranean Gulls, a first-winter Caspian Gull, a Great Skua and two Arctic Skuas.

Five Porpoise, three Grey Seals and a group of Tuna were seen offshore.

The moth traps produced Radford's Flame Shoulder and two Palpita vitrealis.