Bird Sightings
1st October - First Ring Ouzel of the autumn
A vocal first-winter female Ring Ouzel at Belle Vue Cottages brightened up a murky morning census. Once the clag lifted, a productive mist netting session in Millcombe clocked up a respectable 38 Blackcap along with yesterday's female Pied Flycatcher which was trapped and ringed. The valley also featured a Spotted Flycatcher and Grey Wagtail overhead while our penultimate local school education visit of the sailing season enjoyed seeing two Swallow in the hand during a ringing demo while exploring the island. Two female-type Common Redstart were new-in, with singles at Old Light and Millcombe and the long-staying Short-toed Lark was logged around the 'Lost Heinkel' early evening. Two Common Snipe and a Skylark were ringed during a nocturnal survey late evening.
First-winter female Ring Ouzel © Tom Williams
Damp conditions for morning census. View: Quarterwall Copse south to Landing Bay © Joe Parker
September 30th - A trickle of acro's
A small arrival of migrants dropped in overnight once the rainfall subsided in the wee small hours. Song Thrush and Eurasian Reed Warbler both ringed in Millcombe early doors, with an accompanying cast of Common Whitethroat, Pied Flycatcher, three Firecrest and seven Goldcrest all logged in the valley through the day. The Short-toed Lark continues to favour the track south of Halfway Wall and both Barton Field drake Wigeon were back on show after a day in hiding seeing out yesterday's gale force winds. Elsewhere, two Sedge Warbler were seen at VC Quarry, a vocal Reed Bunting at Belle Vue Cottages, two Cormorant tracked north and an additional two Firecrest occupied St Helen's Copse, plus belated news of a Merlin near Pondsbury yesterday evening. A short seawartch at dawn offered singles of Manx Shearwater and Kittiwake off the east coast. 
Sedge Warbler ©Tom Williams
Kistvaen Pond wetting up nicely after yesterday's downpour © Joe Parker
September 29nd - It's a blowout
The unrelenting force-10 south-easterlies deteriorated into a post meridiem deluge making for challenging field conditions and limited shelter for grounded migrants. Census scrapped by on two calling Firecrest in Millcombe and a juvenile Kestrel hunkering down behind a drystone wall on Ackland's Moor. 39 Swallow attempted the journey south and a steady south-easterly movement of Herring Gull mid-morning totalled 104 individuals. The Short-toed Lark again showed well along the main track parallel with Pondsbury at 0730, however it would appear the 2 drake Wigeon have cleared out.
Photos in the hand during a nocturnal ringing session last night...
'Greenland' Wheatear in the hand, South West Field - Tom Williams
Common Snipe in the hand, South West Field - Tom Williams
September 28th - another Yellow-browed Warbler
A calm day with sunshine and blue skies saw a smattering of fresh migrants recorded across the island - including the 2nd record of Yellow-browed Warbler for the autumn, found in Millcombe pines during the morning census. The Short-toed Lark continues its stay and was seen feeding on the main track between Quarter wall and Halfway wall by visiting birders in the afternoon. 57 Blackcap and 8 Chiffchaff were the first increase in records since the large fall on the 24th of September. 19 Goldcrest represents the highest count for September thus far, with 3 Firecrest joining them. A single Spotted Flycatcher was seen around Millcombe and ringed in the early evening. The fine weather proved suitable for diurnal migrants with a Grey Wagtail and 3 Tree Pipits, the highest day count since the 16th, overhead. Hirundine passage appears to have slowed despite the good weather, with 34 Swallow and 9 House Martin seen. 2 Whinchat and 4 Wheatear were recorded - a 'large' individual ringed in the evening was confirmed by biometrics as an adult female 'Greenland' Wheatear (ssp. O. o. leucorhoa). Two drake Wigeon were seen again in Barton Field, 3 Water Rail heard including a bird at Pondsbury, and a single Cormorant flew high over Millcombe in the afternoon. A Golden Plover was heard briefly on the airfield during the clear night also.
Short-toed Lark, on track near Pondsbury - Tom Williams
Wigeon, St Helen's Field - Joe Parker