Strong northerly winds throughout, frequent showers mainly during the morning and a high of 11 degrees C. Conditions suggested seawatching would steal the headlines, but all attention ended focussed on RSPB Bempton Cliffs. The ever elusive wing-barred phyllosc, first seen on 25th, was relocated; sound-recordings confirmed the identification as Pale-legged Leaf Warbler. There is only one accepted UK record from October 2016, with one in 2012 identified to this species or Sakhalin Leaf Warbler; the latter is morphologically very similar, but critically has a different call. Single Firecrest and Siberian Chiffchaff were also on the reserve, together with 30 Goldcrests, a Yellow-browed Warbler and a Water Rail.
A total of 551 Sooty Shearwaters flew north past the outer head, along with a Balearic Shearwater, 224 Manx Shearwaters, a Leach’s Petrel and two Roseate Terns. Six juvenile Long-tailed Skuas moved south, while nine Bonxies and 45 Arctic Skuas were also recorded. Wildfowl interest included 15 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and 56 Barnacle Geese, along with a Velvet Scoter. Gulls were moving north, including 25 Little and one first-winter Caspian. Elsewhere, a Red-breasted Flycatcher was discovered in Needles Plantaion near South Dykes, with additional migrants two Yellow-browed Warblers, one Redwing, a Pied Flycatcher, two Redstart and a Brambling.
