Take a brow

Siberian waif: Yellow-browed Warbler on Inner Farne (Will Scott)

Saturday 22nd September comments: It’s the autumn and things are starting to stir. Following a prolonged spell of westerly winds, birders up and down the east coast are starting to get excited as the weather forecast is suggesting something good, something very special…

East coast birders want one thing at this time of year; easterly winds with rain, which will drop migrants galore (with a few rarities) onto headlands stretching from Kent to Shetland. And the Farne Islands is no different. As we stick 3-4 miles out into the North Sea, this place can produce and everything is looking set for Monday-Tuesday. It could be good, very good.

Today the islands have started to wake from their westerly slumber as an early morning Lapland Bunting was followed by some impressive wildfowl movements including a juvenile Long-tailed Skua. The day was capped by a Yellow-browed Warbler on Inner Farne late afternoon – part of a national influx today of these Siberian waifs. Things are really starting to tick and we’ll hopefully go on to produce a lot more over the forthcoming days. Keep checking the blog as things are about to get very exciting…

Today highlights (Saturday 22nd September): Red-throated Diver 14S, Pink-footed Geese 1S, Brent Goose 109N (pale bellied), Teal 307N, Wigeon 325N, Velvet Scoter 4N, Tufted Duck 1N, Common Scoter 70N, Red-breasted Merganser 2N, Snipe 1, Golden Plover 960, Manx Shearwater 2N, Sooty Shearwater 3N, Great Skua 8N, Long-tailed Skua 1 immature north Staple Sound at 15:40, Willow Warbler 4, Garden Warbler 1, Yellow-browed Warbler 1 on Inner Farne, Rook 2, Goldfinch 1 and Lapland Bunting 1 on Brownsman (first of the autumn).

Yesterday (Friday 21st September) : Great Northern Diver 2S, Red-throated Diver 24S, Common Scoter 22N, Velvet Scoter 1N, Brent Goose 54N, Teal 25N, Wigeon 18N, Manx Shearwater 14N, Sooty Shearwater 39N, CORY’S SHEARWATER 1N at 15:25 off islands – 16th record for Farne islands, Arctic Skua 8S, Great Skua 26N, Brambling 1 – first of the autumn.