29th Oct

The wind backed into the SW overnight and encouraged a day long movement of birds offshore with a Grey Phalarope, three Little Auks and a Leach's Petrel being the highlights. Numbers were provided by 1529 Kittiwakes, 16 Mediterranean Gulls, 61 Little Gulls and 3332 Razorbills while other notable birds included 16 Shelducks, 11 Pintails, two Red-breasted Mergansers, two Arctic Terns, six Arctic Skuas, four Great Skuas, two Sooty Shearwater and 245 Gannets. In addition, 37 Skylarks, 3757 Starlings and three Rock Pipits arrived but the bushes were almost devoid of any migrants.

Two Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

Tuna were seen breaching on a couple of occasions. 

28th Oct

Another very quiet day. Passage overhead included 68 Stock Doves, eight Redpolls and 80 Goldfinches. Birds in the bushes included seven Chiffchaffs, three Firecrests and 12 Goldcrests. Seawatching produced just 24 Brent Geese, a Red-breasted Merganser, 99 Kittiwakes, two Mediterranean Gulls, 139 Razorbills and 162 Gannets.

Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

27th Oct

Fresher WNW winds resulted in a very quiet day with a few birds passing overhead including  30 Stock Doves, 18 Jackdaws, two Woodlarks, a Brambling, and two Redpolls and just a Woodcock, eight Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest of note in the bushes. A leucistic Kestrel was also seen. Seawatching produced just 41 Kittiwakes, seven Mediterranean Gulls, 301 Razorbills, and 184 Gannets.

Two Porpoises, a Common Seal and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

26th Oct

Fresh NW winds saw a decent movement of birds overhead including 250 Stock Doves, a surprising total of nine Woodlarks, 20 Skylarks, 12 Swallows, 940 Starlings, two Fieldfares, three Grey Wagtails, three Rock Pipits, 400 Chaffinches, 22 Bramblings, eight Redpolls, a Crossbill, 50 Goldfinches and 32 Siskins. A Little Owl was an unusual sighting on the Point but other grounded migrants were limited to just nine Chiffchaffs, two Dartford Warblers and a Firecrest. Seawatching produced three Egyptian Geese, four Velvet Scoters, 190 Kittiwakes, 16 Little Gulls, eight Mediterranean Gulls, 13 Sandwich Terns, an Arctic Skua, 481 "auk sp." and 208 Gannets.

Two Porpoises, a Common Seal and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

25th Oct

A quiet day on the land with 418 Stock Doves, six Skylarks, 13 Swallows, a Fieldfare, three Rock Pipits, five Bramblings, 22 Redpolls, five Crossbills, 35 Goldfinches, 58 Siskins and seven Reed Buntings flying over and three Bearded Tits dropping into the Trapping Area. A Yellow-browed Warbler and a Dartford Warbler were still present while other grounded migrants included just 22 Chiffchaffs, two Firecrests and 12 Goldcrests.  A steady, mainly westerly, movement of birds  offshore included 171 Brent Geese, 336 Kittiwakes, 23 Little Gulls, 18 Mediterranean Gulls, nine Sandwich Terns, three Arctic Skuas, 842 Razorbills, 1174 "auk sp." and 217 Gannets. 

Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

24th Oct

Another day of strong westerly winds and very little to be seen. Five Little Gulls and two Great Skuas flew west and a first-winter Caspian Gull was on the beach. Twenty Chiffchaffs, two Firecrests and 20 Goldcrests were seen in the bushes.

A Common Seal and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore. 

23rd Oct

Very quiet in strong westerly winds. Three Mediterranean Gulls were seen offshore while the few migrants on the land included 20 Chiffchaffs, ten Goldcrests and a Wheatear and 200 House Martins flew through.

A Grey Seal was seen offshore.

22nd Oct

The highlight of the day was a Siberian Chiffchaff caught in the moat. The Yellow-browed Warbler was still in the Trapping Area while other grounded migrants included 40 Chiffchaffs, six Firecrests, 40 Goldcrests and a Ring Ouzel. Birds passing overhead included 70 Stock Doves, a Woodlark, 12 Skylarks, 60 Swallows, two Grey Wagtails, three Rock Pipits, a Brambling, 15 Redpolls, a Crossbill, 100 Goldfinches and 90 Siskins. Eleven Mediterranean Gulls were the only birds of interest moving offshore.

Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

Eight Mediterranean Stick-insects and a Mottled Shieldbug were found in the Observatory garden and a Clouded Yellow butterfly was seen.

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.