A little bit more to show from today's efforts with overnight rain and low cloud dropping a limited selection of routine migrants. Wheatears continued to dominate on the ground, including 90 at the Bill, but with the exception of Robin none of the back-up cast there managed a double figure total and many didn't get beyond just singles. Elsewhere a count of 20 Common Sandpipers at Ferrybridge was exceptional (although it did come from the 'wrong' side of the island boundary so perhaps oughtn't to be included here) and a total of 43 Bar-tailed Godwits was very unusual for the autumn; 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Sanderling and a Whimbrel were amongst the other waders there. A hint at an improvement on the sea saw 60 commic terns, 7 Arctic Skuas, a Balearic Shearwater and a Great Skua logged at the Bill.
Immigrant moth variety increased even if numbers were hardly impressive; the overnight totals at the Obs were 3 Rush Veneer and singles of Diamond-back Moth, Rusty-dot Pearl, Olive-tree Pearl, Convolvulus Hawk-moth, Small Mottled Willow and Silver Y.
After a night when a variety of waders could be heard in numbers over the Bill (more to follow on this tomorrow) it was no surprise that Ferrybridge fared well during the morning flying godwit flocks © Pete Saunders, settled mixed waders © Debby Saunders
Also at Ferrybridge this wagtail looked to be a decent candidate for a Blue-headed © Joe Stockwell
