Redwing on the move
Incoming! Barnacle Geese arriving

Wednesday 13th October comments: For those who watch, study and just enjoy bird migration, we all agree that the east coast has had it quiet this autumn (so far). Yes we've had a few highlights so can't grumble, but the big 'falls' of birds have not arrived mainly due to the lack of favourable weather.

Yesterday we had a sniff of what could happen as a brief spell of easterlies brought in good numbers of migrants especially Jack Snipe as reported on yesterday's blog. It also brought the first pulse of Redwing with over 680 logged early in the morning. These pioneers of the autumn migration are birds moving from Scandinavia into the U.K. for the winter. Over the next month or so we will see plenty more of this activity as birds move in, escape the cold harsh north winters.

As well as the redwings, we also logged almost 3,000 Barnacle geese, moving from their breeding grounds in Svalbard in the far north to wintering areas on the Solway Firth on the west coast. This count was a record for the island. It just shows what can be seen and enjoyed as Autumn migration picks up. What we now need is a few more easterly winds and it might get even more entertaining...