16th September

Both land and sea vied for attention as a stiff south-easterly breeze brought a few small migrants to the island and simultaneously opened the floodgates for large numbers of seabirds to exit the North Sea past Dennis Head.

The highlights of the best day's seawatching of the year so far were a Great Shearwater, the second Balearic Shearwater of the year, 2 adult Pomarine Skuas and the honorary seabird of the day: a Short-eared Owl. Good numbers of commoner species included 435 Sooty Shearwaters, 135 Manx Shearwaters, 1902 Fulmars (including 3 blue phase birds), 261 Kittiwakes, 9 Great Skuas and 4 Arctic Skuas.

Back on the land, an Ortolan Bunting found at Senness in the evening was the best new arrival and an addition to the year-list. The elusive Citrine Wagtail put in another brief appearance in the morning, 2 Barred Warblers (one of which was probably new) were seen and a Common Rosefinch was at Holland House. Counts of other small migrants came to 4 Willow Warblers, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Common Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Robin, 16 Lapland Buntings and 35 Snow Buntings.

Ortolan Bunting