With a strong south easerly and cloudy, though dry conditions, we finally had a typical October morning here. 108 redwing, 25 song thrush and 15 blackbird swirled above the obs and the peninsula, along with a scattering of chaffinch, 2 brambling and 45 goldfinch. Some of the thrushes moved off through the morning, though many stayed throughout the day, feeding in the observatory compound. The bramblings and chaffinches also seemed to be exhausted and fed behind the observatory kitchen most of the day. A new firecrest and a couple of goldcrest were new in, as were two chiffchaffs. A yellow-browed warbler called briefly mid morning, for one observer, but despite much searching it wasn't relocated.
Out to sea a sooty shearwater and an arctic skua headed north, whilst a pink-footed goose flying south with a brent goose flock was an unusual sight here. 4 goosander flew over the observatory upriver, and 36 wigeon and 14 teal joined 318 Brent geese heading south.
Birds Ringed: Chiffchaff 1, Dunnock 1, Firecrest 1, Goldcrest 2, Goldfinch 1, Robin 5, Song Thrush 3.
