Always one of the best months of the years, although recent years haven’t lived up to expectations-

1^st The month opened with an excellent day, following on from the 4 Radde’s Warblers seen on the 30^th of September a further 4 were found today, equaling the number ever seen at Spurn. If this wasn’t enough there was also 7 Yellow-browed Warblers, a "Tristis" Chiffchaff and a little Bunting.

Amongst other common migrants were 35 Robins, 7 Redstarts, 30 Song Thrushes, 6 Reed Warblers, 16 Blackcaps, 11 Chiffchaffs, 10 Willow Warblers, 110 Goldcrests and 6 Spotted Flycatchers. On the same move there were 1200 Swallows, 900 Meadow Pipits, 22 Grey Wagtails, 38 alba Wagtails, 300 Chaffinches, 150 Bramblings, 387 Gold Finches, 782 Linnets and 38 Reed Buntings all flying south.

2^nd A large clearout of grounded migrants, with only one Radde’s Warbler left. A fair bit of stuff was moving though, with 67 Pink-footed Geese, 34 Kestrels, a Hobby, 800 Swallows, 575 Gold Finches and 437 Linnets flying south.

3^rd Quite a bit of southerly movement again including 14 Kestrels, 1500 Swallows, 515 House Martins, 1200 Meadow Pipits, 277 Gold Finches and 320 Linnets.

4^th A bit of movement again including a Honey Buzzard, a Hen Harrier, 7 Sparrowhawks, 30 Kestrels and 500 Gold Finches and a late Wryneck was seen.

5^th Another day with a fair bit of southerly passage, including 6 Herons, 131 Pink-footed Geese, 7 Sparrowhawks, 55 Kestrels, 450 Meadow Pipits, 21 alba Wagtails, 950 Gold Finches, 600 Linnets and 30 Redpolls.

6^th A quiet day, highlights being a Hen Harrier flying south and 2 good Spurn birds – a Little owl and a Kingfisher.

7^th A Black-throated Diver flew north offshore and a little southerly passage included 400 Linnets, 10 Twile and 25 Redpolls. A few birds started arriving in the afternoon – a Water Rail and 20 Fieldfares, 25 Song Thrushes, 600 Redwings and 40 Goldcrests and an Arctic Warbler was found in the evening.

8^th A scattering of grounded migrants – a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Short-eared Owls, 3 Stonechats, a Ring Ouzel, 50 Redwings, 15 Blackcaps, a Long-tailed Tit, and the Arctic Warbler showing incredibly well down to a few yards. In the evening Little Gulls started pouring in off the sea onto the Humber where they spent a while bathing before flying back out to sea again, a total of at least 1400 birds, more than twice the previous maximum recorded at spurn. A late Black Tern flew south offshore.

9^th The Arctic Warbler still present.

10^th Arctic Warbler still present and a late Sege Warbler seen.

11^th A few new grounded migrants included 3 Stonechats, 4 Ring Ouzels, 16 Blackcaps and 9 Long-tailed Tits. The Arctic Warbler was still present and 40 Redpolls flew south.

12^th Quite a bit more southerly passage – 620 Pink-footed Geese, 620 Wigeon, 250 Teal, 300 Skylarks, 15 Rock Pipits, 515 Green Finches, 780 Gold Finches, 158 Linnets and 28 Redpolls.

13^th A few new grounded migrants – 3 Short-eared Owls, 6 Stonechats, 50 Song Thrushes, 50 Redwings and a Firecrest. Wildfowl moving included 395 Pink-footed Geese, 3 White-fronted Geese, 491 Wigeon and 85 Teal. The Arctic Warbler was still present.

14^th A bit of southerly passage included 80 Skylarks, 250 Meadow Pipits, 250 Green finches, 250 Gold Finches and 2 Lapland Buntings. The Arctic Warbler was still here, a Firecrest was seen, as was the first Woodcock of the autumn.

15^th Quite a few migrants came in during the afternoon – 2 Short-eared Owls. 10 Black Redstarts, 100 Blackbirds, 12 Blackcaps. 150 Pink-footed Geese flew south, the Little Owl was seen again and the Arctic Warbler was still here.

16^th Good number of grounded migrants were seen again – a Jack Snipe, 2 Woodcocks, 12 Black Redstarts, 3 Stonechats, 3 Ring Ouzels, 80 Blackbirds, 35 Song Thrushes, 140 Redwings, 12 Blackcaps, 130 Goldcrests, 12 Bramblings, 10 Twile, 5 Lapland Buntings and the Arctic Warbler still here.

17^th A bit of southerly passage included 5 Whooper Swans, 70 Woodpigeons, 210 Skylarks, 175 Meadow Pipits, 32 Pock Pipits, 437 Green finches, 500 Gold finches and 33 Redpolls. Quite a few ground migrants still around with 2 Short-eared Owls, 8 Black Redstarts, 4 Stonechats, 3 Ring Ouzels, 120 Redwings, 60 Goldcrests and 5 Twile and the Arctic Warbler.

18^th All of note flying south were 196 Wigeon, 175 Teal, 2 late Yellow Wagtails and 20 Redpolls. Less grounded migrants were seen, but included a late Lesser Whitethroat. A late Arctic Tern was seen offshore.

19^th A pretty good day for southerly passage – 69 Cormorants, 257 Pink-footed Geese, 122 Wigeon, 7 Goosanders, a Hen Harrier, 160 Skylarks, 45 Swallows, 155 Meadow Pipits, 36 Tree Sparrows, 520 Green finches, 720 Gold Finches, 138 Linnets, 13 Twile and 34 Redpolls.

20^th A few new grounded migrants – 9 Black Redstarts, 2 Ring Ouzels, a Woodcock and a Black-necked Grebe flew south offshore an incredible rare bird at Spurn.

21^st Quite a lot of new grounded migrants – 3 Woodcocks, a Jack Snipe, a Water Rail, 4 Black Redstarts, 5 Stonechats, 3 Ring Ouzels, 90 Blackbirds, 35 Song Thrushes, 450 Redwings, 8 Blackcaps, 2 Firecrests and 26 Bramblings.

22^nd A fair amount of birds flying south included 65 Cormorants, a juvenile Long-tailed Skua, 155 Skylarks, 220 Meadow Pipits, 133 Tree Sparrows and 580 Green Finches. More grounded migrants around again – 2 Black Redstarts, 50 Blackbirds, 30 Song Thrushes, 400 Redwings, 8 Blackcaps, a Yellow-browed Warbler, 40 Goldcrests, a Firecrest and 4 Snow Buntings. A Kingfisher was seen again.

23^rd A fairly quiet day, although 2 Long-tailed Ducks flew north, a Hen Harrier flew south and 180 Starlings came in off the sea.

24^th Another good day for southerly movement – 1450 Pink-footed Geese, 100 Wigeons, 90 Skylarks, 150 Meadow Pipits, 26 Rock Pipits, 112 Tree Sparrows, 420 Green Finches, 366 Gold Finches, 156 Linnets and 32 Twile. 2 Ringtail Hen Harriers were hunting in the area.

25^th A quiet day with just a Great Northern Diver flying south, along with 12 Kestrels.

26^th Another good day for southerly passage – 580 Pink-footed Geese, 400 Woodpigeons, 300 Skylarks, 345 Meadow Pipits, 26 Rock Pipits, 87 Tree Sparrows, 588 Green Finches, 540 Gold Finches, 242 Linnets and 56 Twile. A Woodlark was seen flying north over the church.

27^th Some Thrushes started arriving in the late afternoon – 40 Blackbirds, 58 Fieldfares and 800 Redwings and 300 Little Gulls flew south offshore in the evening.

28^th Offshore 33 Goldeneyes flew south, 200 Little Gulls were flying up and down and a Storm Petrel was seen briefly. A very late Yellow Wagtail flew south, along with 7 Lapland Buntings and 60 Redwings were still present.

29^th Offshore 2 Sooty Shearwaters and 12 Bonxies flew north with 13 Pink-footed Geese and a Pomarine Skua south.

30^th 2 Barnacle Geese appeared in flooded fields after a huge storm.

31^st On the move 12 Whooper Swans, 2900 Pink-footed Geese (a Spurn record), a Long-tailed Duck, a Hen Harrier and a late Sandwich Tern flew south.

OTHERS

Moths – A Spruce Coupet (Thera Britannia) caught on the 20^th was a new species for Spurn.

7 White Specks (Mythimna unipuncta) were trapped during the month, there only being 2 previous Spurn and Yorkshire records.

MONTHLY MAXIMA FOR THE HUMBER

Brent Goose 196 Lapwing 46

Shelduck 766 Knot 20,000

Wigeon 22 Sanderling 178

Teal 35 Dunlin 3000

Mallard 50 Snipe 64

Scaup 4 Bar-tailed Godwit 560

Eider 8 Curlew 200

Oystercatchers 1040 Redshank 2000

Ringed Plover 140 Greenshank 6

Golden Plover 800 Turnstone 102

Grey Plover 220