The Blackberries were exceptionally early again this year with many ready by early August. By mid-September the Elderberries and Honeysuckle berries were ripening, being busily eaten by migrant Blackcaps and Bullfinches amongst other birds.
There was a very good autumn passage of Wagtails, Pipits and Finches in late September this year. Skylarks have been passing over in good numbers too this autumn. Normally quite a scarce bird on and over the Whins, but several birds on many dates have been noted. On 17/9 several skeins of Pink-footed Geese could be seen and heard flying to Norfolk from their summer home in Iceland. This was the earliest ever record recorded here.
Other autumn highlights so far this year included a single Willow Tit on the 4/10 and a flyover juvenile Peregrine on the 7/10. A Treecreeper was present on the 13/10 which constitutes the third site record. On 18/10 a flyover Brambling took the year list to a record 75 species.
Both Redwings and Fieldfares were rather late arriving from Scandinavia this year. Possibly due to the exceptionally mild autumn we experienced.
At the time of writing (early winter) the finch flock is beginning to build up with several Bullfinches and a few Siskins amongst the regular Chaffinches and Greenfinches. Jays have been in reasonable numbers with up to 4 seen on the Whins already this winter.