Two Turtle Doves and a Leach's Over the Sea

Turtle Dove in a bush...a rare sight now on the Farnes (Graeme Duncan) 

One of two Turtle Doves today on islands (Graeme Duncan) 

No hiding for this Jack Snipe (David Steel) 

Juv Little Stint on Brownsman Pond (David Steel) 

Dunlin and Little Stint together (David Steel) 

An impressive male Brambling (Ciaran Hatsell) 

A wet looking male Lapland Bunting at feeding station (Ciaran Hatsell) 

Stunning - calling Goldcrest (Graeme Duncan) 

Swallows roosting in Brownsman cottage (Ciaran Hatsell) 

Battered: Staple Island like you've never seen it before

Tuesday 25th September comments: It’s been another impressive day on the Farnes, as the easterly storm brought some mountainous seas, heavy rain, and a boatload of migrant birds. However the gloss was taken off the day with the news that yesterdays White’s Thrush had departed, leaving three rangers on Brownsman (and many mainland birders) distraught. Despite this the easterly winds brought some tremendous numbers of migrant birds including:

1 Leach’s Petrel

3 Long-tailed Skuas

107 Great Skuas (record Farne count)

1 Juv Little Stint

1 Short-eared Owl (first of autumn)

1 Icterine Warbler

2 Turtle Doves

2 Snow Buntings

1 Lapland Bunting

But no sign of White’s Thrush.

Seawatching: Common Scoter 17N, Velvet Scoter 1N, Wigeon 74N, Teal 28, Leach’s Petrel 1N Staple Sound at 15:30, Sooty Shearwater 3N, Manx Shearwater 7N, Great Skua 107N (Farnes record day count), Long-tailed Skua 3 juveniles N, Arctic Skua 7N, Puffin 3 together, Sandwich Tern 3N 1S,

Waders: Common Sandpiper, Little Stint juvenile on Brownsman, Grey Plover, Snipe 4, Jack Snipe 5, Lapwing 2S and Dunlin 12.

Others: Kestrel male, Short-eared Owl (first of autumn), Yellow Wagtail, Wood Pigeon 2, Turtle Dove 2 on Inner Farne, House Martin 2, Swallow 50 (including 19 roosting in Brownsman cottage), Skylark 14, Chiffchaff 5, Willow Warbler 8, Blackcap 8, Garden Warbler 9, Lesser Whitethroat 3, Whitethroat 3, Reed Warbler 2, Icterine Warbler on Inner Farne, Goldcrest 48, Fieldfare 1, Song Thrush 300 (major arrival), Redwing 6, Pied Flycatcher 2, Robin 65, Whinchat, Wheatear 20, Tree Pipit 7, Chaffinch 28, Brambling 76, Siskin 4, Snow Bunting 2, Lapland Bunting 1 male and Reed Bunting.